Newly diagnosed and more and more confused

[sailboater]

My doctor gave me a glucose tester this time, but said I don't have to use it. I am to keep it for future use....so I can test if I don't feel well, and call him, he will then ask me to use it .

He prescribed Medformin (I think that was it, but may have another name) at the previous visit, but the list of side effects have kept me from starting it. I asked if I lost weight and got normal sugar would I have to keep taking the medicine, and he said yes. He said that it prevents diabetes from progressing. I don't know if that is true or not.

He also prescibed Zocor. My cholesterol is 205. He said Zocor is part of diabetic treatment as diabetes casues your arteries to clog eventually, and the Zocor would keep this from happening. He seems very Pill-happy in prescribing so much medicine. I am afraid if I start on all of this stuff, I will never be off ot it.

Is every diabetic on this stuff? Is it necessary?

[Lisa N]

My doctor gave me a glucose tester this time, but said I don't have to use it. I am to keep it for future use....so I can test if I don't feel well, and call him, he will then ask me to use it .

I just don't understand why doctors would give you a tool that has been proven to help diabetics maintain better control of their blood sugars and then tell you not to use it except when you feel unwell and he tells you to. It sounds like he's part of the the 'old school' that thinks the average diabetic can't be trusted (or is too 'uninformed') to take control of their disease and be an integral part of managing it. Either that, or he has some major control issues.
You have the meeter, USE IT! Until you get good control, you should be testing 3-5 times a day.

He prescribed Medformin (I think that was it, but may have another name) at the previous visit, but the list of side effects have kept me from starting it.

Metformin (Glucophage) can have some gastrointestinal side effects, but these usually don't last too long. Your first and most important priority is to get your blood sugars into normal range as quickly as you can manage and if that means taking medication for a short time (no, it doesn't have to be forever), it may be worth it. Still..it's your choice to make.

He also prescibed Zocor. My cholesterol is 205. He said Zocor is part of diabetic treatment as diabetes casues your arteries to clog eventually, and the Zocor would keep this from happening.

*sigh* Statins are all the rage these days and doctors seem to be handing them out like they're candy or something. Yes, they have become 'standard treatment' with diabetics and that's not a big surprise considering the dietary advice that most diabetics are still getting (eat lots of carbs, just a little protein and practically no fat) that make things far worse. Of course they then need medication to countaract the effects of this disastrous diet they keep prescribing! 205 is only just slightly over normal range and what's really important is the breakdown of numbers (you want triglycerides and LDL to be lower and HDL to be higher) as well as the ratios. I should also note that statins do nothing to lower your triglycerides and low carb will do that quite well. :)
The truth is that no study has shown statins to lower overall mortality (in other words, nobody is living longer taking them) and if you are following a low carb plan, they should be completely unnnecessary. If you're leary of the side effects of Glucophage, Statin drugs should absolutely terrify you (I know they do me!).

Sorry for the rant...this type of thing just makes me :daze:

[shawnee]

Here comes the 'chorus''; Shawnee's statins rant

Here in Singapore after carefully evaluating all sides of the Lipitor debate the Singapore Medical Authorities recently decided NOT to recommend Lipitor & Statins in general as the preferred medication for Elevated Blood Lipid readings.

The debate was very pronounced in the media & the on Net & I was very suprised at the outcome as the Pharamaceutical cartel is very big investor & manufacturer in Singapore contributing significantly to the local economy, so I thought, as usual, the government here would fall in line & back big medicine. It goes to show you how in increasing number of instances the pendulum is swinging back against statins slowly but surely

When I started low carbing my blood lipid profile was horrific, now my HDL & Tryglycerides are fantastic with my HDL being so high it gets a star for a significant standard deviation from the normal range on the high side, in my last profile it was much higher than my triglycerides. My doctor told me that this is extremely good. However my LDL is stubborn & will not come down below the cherished 120 target touted by Lipitor selling doctors.

Am I tempted to take Lipitor? At this stage no.

I believe CoQ10 is probably one of the best medications for helping a damaged heart & overall heart 'maintenance. Here in Asia especially Japan the clinical studies which support this are numerous. However, since there is no 20 year patent to protect & reap huge profits from; the pharmaceutical industry & the doctors in the west until recently just ignored CoQ10. In Japan it is the number one prescribed medication for heart patients. I have gotten involved in brokering it recently & the price is still very high averaging around US$3800 a kilo for pure CoQ10 crystals made in Japan. Supply is also tight these days as the word is getting out in the west on CoQ10. Slowly things are starting to change

In terms of Diabetes where I have a lot of 1st hand knowledge I tend to agree that often by the time people start low carbing, taking supplements, etc the permanent damage is so far along that it is too late to undo. Diabetic neuropathy, retinal & on the extremeties, permanent kidney & liver damage after a certain stage are irreversible. Do statins help these people? I just don't know. I do know that oft times insulin can prolong their lives once they've reached that stage

What I am happy about is that boards like this exist, & people like ourselves can learn about the positive effects of the trifecta of low carbing, exercise & supplements in knocking diabetes back into remission IF you catch it early enough.

I was lucky I found this WOL in time & after looking at the debate from all sides don't feel that statins or metamorfin can help ME much, maybe just the opposite. However what is true for me may not be true for the next person

Meanwhile we are all adults & unique organisms, we read, talk to people, participate in forums like these & most importantly try to incorporate what we learn into our daily life & see how it affects us individually.

The real key is self education, self monitoring & a determination to modify your behaviour & lifestyle until you are sucessfull

Remember your doctor is not there 24/7 but you are. Dr Bernstein promotes his 'Rule of Small Changes' which I now live by. By the way your doctor has given you the pefect tool for this process. Please learn how to & often use your glucometer in the following way.

1) Make a small change
2) evaluate
3) either discard or incorporate
4) Then move on to the next change

I believe we all must step up to the plate & take control & move beyond the culture of the blame game because in the end YOU are the one that is ultimately responsible for your own health.

[sailboater]

Thank you both so much for your thoughtful, considered responses.

You have given me so much to think about. Since I am early on in the disease...with no known damage, you have strengthened my resolve to low-carb and monitor.

I plan to viist this board often and learn what I can. thanks, again, JO JO

[quietone]

Hi, Sailboater.

I have to chime in on this pill tactic, as it infuriates me also.

My DH's daughter was diagnosed and they immediately put her on medicine before even trying exercise and diet changes also.

I know everyone is different and some poeple require meds, but I would think they would at least try to find out who does and who doesn't. It's like being on an assembly line when you go to the doctor's office these days. It's too much trouble to have you come back for a follow-up every couple of weeks to see if you are maanging your blood sugar by diet and exercise. Grrrr!

[theadora]

Hello Everyone and Sailboater

Yes, low carbing and exersize and a glucometer. If for no other reason, the meter will tell you where you stand at this immediate moment. Learn how to use that meter, make it your friend. Become your own guinea pig, Dont't guess, Test!. Use the meter for being curious about how your body and food interact. Test when you wake up, get an idea of what your mornings are like from what you ate the night before. Test before a meal, then when finished, check the time and wait 2 hours and see what your meter tells you about your sugar level, this is an amazing tool to help you. In time you'll see how certain foods disturb the balance, and how other help the balance. Walking, simple walking is an amazing tool as well. (1 hour aday for me.)
In the end, if diet and exersize are not enough and those numbers are not comming down?, then maybe as a last resort use an oral agent like metformin. If the COST of useing blood strips for your meter is concerning you, contact one of the meter companies, sometimes they will set up a deal with you. It's worth checking into. All they can do is say "No". (big deal!)
Plus I highly recommend reading any book of Dr.Bernteins, but then I'm biased (grins).

thanks for letting me rant
theadora
224lbs/diet/exersize/metformin 3x aday = tools for health

[thinster]

Hi Sailboater: I received the diabetes diagnosis within the past few weeks, and also got started on Metformin. From what I've read and seen, it can be very helpful. I had some slight nausea and diarhea for the first 2 weeks, but that is abating. I noticed that when two acquaintances got diagnosed and put on Metformin, much of their extra weight just melted off them, and fairly quickly. That is ultimately why I decided to take the pills. I want to reduce the weight quickly in hopes of lowering the BG numbers. (In fact, this drug is also given to 'pre-diabetics', or those whose fat patterning on the body will incline them to the diabetes diagnosis in time. There are many web sites with great information on Metformin. You can learn what is happening internally because of the Metformin.

I really think you should test your blood. Frequently. I don't enjoy sticking myself, but it is so important to know by the numbers just how your body is reacting to what you eat.

Isn't this forum just wonderful? Someone from this forum also recommended the forum on Dr. Richard Bernstein's website, and it's incredibly helpful. He has a great book, which I have acquired and am working my way through.

[thinster]

Hi again Sailboater: I just poked around and read some of your other posts, and realize you are already familiar with the Bernstein book. -Thinster

[Lottadata]

When I first discovered I was diabetic, I controlled using a very stringent Bernstein-style diet and was very negative about drugs. However, in his second edition Bernsetin had nothing but good words to say about Metformin, and I was having a very tough time living at a low enough carb level to control blood sugar so I started using it.

I have found it extremely helpful. It completely eliminated hunger as an issue for me, has made weight loss maintenance very easy (it had been almost impossible to stay at goal before, even with very low carb intake) and my cholesterol profile while eating at a more relaxed carb intake level is better than it was on a stringent Bernstein diet. It lowered my blood sugar spikes a lot, too.

I have a long history of bad reactions to common drugs, but after a week or two I had no side effects from metformin. Just get through the wierdness of the first week and you'll probably be fine, and your Insulin Resistance will be greatly improved, which is good for your heart, your blood sugar and your ability to control weight.

[sailboater]

I also feel that Metformin may be useful since Dr. Bernstein is not totally against it. My doctor prescibed Avandamet which has some metformin, but also has another component which forces the pancreas to work harder. I know Dr. Bernstein doesn't recommend that.

I see the doctor in January. I guess I will have to fess up, and tell him I would be willing to try the metformin, but do not want to take the Avandamet. This doctor is not a specialist in diabetes, and in the new year, I hope to find a good one.

I don't want to be on a lot of drugs, and this doctor seems to think they are the answer to everything. It is depressing.

[Lisa N]

I don't want to be on a lot of drugs, and this doctor seems to think they are the answer to everything. It is depressing.

I just switched doctors for this very reason and my previous doc and I couldn't see eye to eye when it came to drug use and what drugs were a necessity. He didn't much appreciate it when he pushed statins and I asked him to show me just one study that showed anyone was living longer taking them. Considering that I now know 3 people personally that have had very negative reactions to statin drugs (one now has serious and possibly permanent liver damage), I told him I needed a da** good reason to take them and 'protocol' didn't count. Know what? He couldn't but still wanted me to take them. :p

[jennlee]

I would try to find another doctor, and read everything you can get your hands on about being a diabetic. It’s very strange to give you the meter and not tell you to use it unless you feel unwell. As others have said, if you’re diabetic you HAVE to test period. Your body won’t always tell you what’s going on till it’s too late.