My name is Carole and I have Type 2 diabetes

[michelle23464]

Originally Posted by Chef Kevin

But metformin really alters the way carbs are used and absorbed. It makes getiing into ketosis easier (not as many carbs around for use) but there must be something else happening because I am not losing as fast as the last 2 times on Atikins.

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Ok.. this is a new one for me. I was under the understanding that metformin has to build up in the body for a few weeks to get the body saturated with it as it helps your cells better open up to the insulin your body produces. As your cells are little walls and the insulin cant get in since you are resistant to the insulin. So it alters the cells so they let in the insulin. So in essence you are helping the body use the insulin it produces not helping the carbs absorb.

Michelle

[michelle23464]

Ok.. here is what I found. I think this is what you are talking about.. It also includes what I was saying about making the body respond to its own insulin. So we are both right!

How Does It Work?

Metformin is part of a class of diabetes medications known as biguanide medications. The drug works in several ways. For example, it decreases the amount of sugar (glucose) made by the liver. It can also decrease the amount of sugar absorbed into the body (from the diet) and can make insulin receptors more sensitive, helping the body respond better to its own insulin. All of these effects cause a decrease in blood sugar levels.

[Chef Kevin]

yep, it is a multi faceted drug. Does several things which makes dieting a wee bit trickier, but also manages blood sugar well.

Good stuff.

[imagood1]

Hey Chef -- I like the analogy about a Ferrari engine compared to a Ford engine. I've always thought I was different.....now I know it's because I'm a Ferrari...LOL!!! Thanks.

I need to get some extra food in me today -- I have zero energy today.

Carole

[willyb]

Thanks for all those details, Michelle! Yesterday I overdosed on insulin (BG was 57) and had to eat some fruit and chocolat before passing out! My strips barely showed ketosis but it was still there. So today is a fresh start in a sense but it is still week 4 of my plan. So here are my probable issues:

1 - Not enough water consumption
2 - Not enough protein and fat consumption
3 - Too much splenda, I probably have 6 - 7 packets a day.
4 - Too much diet Coke
5 - Jello with aspartame rather than Splenda (will try homemade)
6 - Nuts!
7 - I have had some breading with fried shrimp and chicken on some days.

Well, doing without the above makes the plan quite challenging. I will try the next two weeks as strictly as possible, but even so, the last 3 weeks has definitely caused some notice around my waistline and face so my efforts are for sure making a difference. The thing is stickability and migration to a balance. But first, the weight and body fat have got to come off if i am ever to get off the insulin. So there is the resolve.

[Chef Kevin]

getting off caffein will help your blood sugar level out. I wrote about my cafffein withdrawl in the addictions section. It was a toug 4 days, but my sugar is much more stable.
That also makes drinking more water easier, since I still get thirsty!

Nuts come back soon enough, they are high in mold and you might have an allergy to them, that's why you want to cut them out for a while.

and breading, well, use soy flour of flax seed instead.
Or parm cheese as a breading. (please don't say you are buying them pre-breaded..... all you get is breading. there is no food there!)

[imagood1]

just wanted to update what's been going on with my Type 2....I was diagnosed in July or August (don't remember exactly) -- to begin with I was taking 2-glyb/metformin 5/500 each day -- because my numbers were still high she added 500 mg of metformin at bedtime.

My morning and evening numbers before the first of the year were always in the 130- 140 range but once I started Atkins they started coming down in the evening. Last week (last of February) I had an appointment with my endocrinologist. She looked at my numbers for January and February and felt my fasting numbers were still too high but my evening numbers were great. My medicine has changed - now I take 1 glyb/metformin 5/500 in the morning and 1 1000 mg metformin at bedtime. We'll see if this makes a great change. So far (7 days) my numbers have been under 100 on 1 morning but not more than 116 in the morning...will update next time.

Ooops -- had to edit this post. I forgot to say my doctor was very happy with my 16 pound weight loss (according to her scales) since I had been there 3 months ago. I have lost more than that (according to my household scale and with considerably less clothes than at the the office) but I'll take 16 pounds on her records....next time (4 months from now) that number will be higher and hopefully my meds will be adjusted again!

Carole

[LadyT]

Hi Carole and all other newbies. Great going with your weight loss and lowered BGL's. I've been on atkins for 9 weeks now and have had great success. My Hb1ac was 12 when I started and I'm sure it'll be heaps lower when i have the next one done in a few weeks time. My blood sugar readings used to be any where between 15mm/l and 20mm/l. They are now always between 4 and 6mm/l (recommended to be between 4-8mm/l)
I've lost 10kg (22lbs) over 8 weeks which isn't the fastest but it's been steady at 1 kg/week. Yes Carole I do think that diabetics do loose slower. Without Atkins I would definately be on insulin instead of Metformin. I went on that stuff once and put on 7 kg in one month. Not good. Anyway keep up the good work and with your new found lifestyle.

Therese

[imagood1]

Thank you for posting LadyT. I'm happy for the changes in my meds so far and I'm hopeing there will be more changes in my future. I take meds for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglicerides plus my diabetic meds. I go back to my Internist in 4 months and he ordered blood work before I go next time. I decided since I haven't been on the program very long to wait a month or so before I have the blood work done because I want to give myself the best results I can get.

I've lost 21 pounds so far, I'm hoping to add a few more pounds to that total before I go back to the doctor again. When I first started I thought I'd have 30 or more pounds gone by now -- I soon changed that thinking!!! I'm happy with the progress I've had so far and have no problems losing slowly.

Hope to see you around more!

Carole

[imagood1]

When I went to the endocrinologist she changed my meds (see above) and until 2 days ago I didn't see any change in my fasting numbers - they actually were higher than they had been for a week...but yesterday I was 94 and today 98 in the mornings. This is where my doctor wants me.

The past 2 days I've been working in the yard raking, so I don't know if the extra exercise has anything to do with my numbers being lower, but I'll take it. Because I have low numbers in the morning I have had low sugar in the afternoons and have had to sit down and have a snack to get my sugar out of the low 60's.

I am feeling better since I went back and started induction again - this is day 3 for me.