Deb_N's Journal, 18 September 2014

Nodding - yep, people I know who take that RX do suffer w/that side effect. I think watching Cutty deal with it.. feeling leashed to home and worried about wandering too far from a potty was what made me get serious about the sugar when my doc tried to prescribe it for me. Hope you are able to get off it soon too.  

I think Deb is off all Meds through diet and exercise. It's amazing what food can do or not do.  

In February my doctor stopped my Metformin and cut my cholesterol Statin medication to a half dose. In May my cholesterol was low enough to stop the Statin. I get my sugars and cholesterol checked in November and hope they are good.  

Deb, I just started Metformin yesterday, though I have not Journaled about it yet, so you are hearing it here first. I tried cutting all refined sugar for a whole year. Not good enough. Still really high blood sugar, so now I'm taking it, too. No side effects yet, but only 3 doses. I have suffered with constipation forever, and since I'm on fewer than 20g carbs per day, I can't imagine that I can do much more to support myself through diet. I drink no dairy, so gas is already at a bare minimum. Thanks for sharing this. 

MrsMole, you eat much lower carb than I do. I found that when I changed my diet [started limiting my carbs to a medium level 100-125 grams carbs] the side effects of Metformin were lessened. 

For breakfast I was eating 26 grams carbs [2 slices of bread] and switched to 1 slice a day for 13 g carbs. Then I changed to eating a low carb high fiber tortilla at 6 net carbs.  

Yes I kniow about metformin. I have to take it for PCOS. Its a good way to lose weight too. It changed my appetite from fried and starchy foods to more leafy and healthier choices. I once was married to the Idaho Potato until metformin divorced us because my stomach gave me the shakes. 

I wonder sometimes about extreme low carb diets. Insulin, which we attempt to restrict through low carb is only one side of the hormonal coin - Glucagon, the hormone responsible for raising blood sugar when it's too low, as a function of protein ingestion, pushes blood sugar up. This may be why some people find that on an extremely low carb diet their blood sugar will be higher than they expect after a time of no or extremely low carbs. The logical point then would be to raise carbs a little to push the glucagon response down. 

That's good news to have that you can drop the medicine when you get to that point. My husband takes it for pre-diabetes. He is not overweight but doesn't exercise at all and really hasn't changed his eating habits. You are doing wonderful for hanging in there and doing your best to be healthy without the meds. i haven't been very loyal to my journal or my buddies. I apologize but have come to the conclusion that my daughter's wedding is going to be fantastic whether I stress about the details or not. So I have been stress-eating and stress-wining and I am just going to accept that "it is what it is" for the next 22 days. I had lost 59 lbs and have gained 2 in the last month but i am going to wear my girdle and just rock my dress. It is about her, not me, right.???? I will put myself back on track after the wedding and do my very best to control myself until then. It feels good to let go of some of the stress. I am such a detail person and my daughter is somewhat but she is a last minute kind of girl and I am a planner so I have created my own stress (somewhat) but anyways, It is what it is and I will do the best I can do. Tomorrow we are doing the seat chart…..