Wondering if anyone else has this issue?? How do you manage? My BG is governed by my hormone levels. It is pretty normal most of the time.. but very high spikes a week prior to menstration and very low during flow. I was on metformin but I found it was just messing me up even more. Is there anything else i can take when I spike dangerously high?
I eat very heathy and excersize at least 3 x per week. I am 5'9 and 160lbs. Getting frustrated!!!!
That is due to the fact that in the monthly hormone cycle estrogen is predominant in the first two weeks and progesterone in the second two weeks. Progesterone is nicknamed the pregnancy hormone because it is high to keep things in order for the development of the child. When progesterone suddenly drops each month that is what causes the uterus lining to flush out and give you menstruation.
Remember that there is gestational diabetes...that is because progesterone is active during the whole pregnancy and also the doctors want the baby to develop in normal blood sugar levels in the mother's body or else the baby will get fat as it's own body starts to handle the mother's glucose. That is why babies born to diabetic mothers can be quite large and fat. So during pregnancy of all mothers they check for any sign of high blood sugar and put the mother on insulin for the pregancy. When she is not pregancnt and not so large in body, the body can hadle the insulin levels needed on it's own, but perhaps some doctor will say otherwise and put them on a drug that contains a class of drug to stimulate insulin prodcution and that just causes weight gain in the long term, until the insulin resistance becomes so bad that....and the story goes on....
When I had my period, I had to adjust my insulin level each month...I went reading about this so long ago that I can't refer you to which doctor's book set me straight, but it was before the Internet was running for the general public.
It means you need more insulin during the 2 weeks after ovulation and before the menstruation. I bet you usually feel better in the first two weeks of each month and the pre menstrual time that all men like to blame for the reason they can't get along with their women...all the extra emotions, etc.in the time just before the menstruation...that is the progesterone hormone at work.
However, I don't recommend anyone take more insulin than they need to keep blood sugars in line with what they eat because if you gain weight that in itself would disturb anyone and promote depression.
Take it from me who is a person who has used about 15u TDD on average of insulin and I am totally dependent on insulin for 30 years.
I can tell that you have fallen into the clutches of not understanding diabetes. What you need are supplements and exercise only, plus a wise diet of proteins and vegetables.
There is so much more I could tell you from my 30 years of reading and being type 1 diabetic and 10 years of helping others.
If I asked God to strike down every doctor who has incorrectly advised people that they are diabetic, we would have close to no doctors.
One fellow I advised for 1.5 years lost over 20 lbs and his A1c dropped to just 1 point over the normal range. He gave up alcohol and eating candy....which is wise to begin with and should have been the first recommendation by the doctor.
While he was on metformin, I researched metformin for MANY hours. I am dead set against it for many reasons, but it depletes B12...and that causes depression as all doctors should know.
I suggest you get a B50 B vitamin complex and take it twice a day with meals and you will be a lot better. It will be a lifelong thing to take B vitamins...I do and that is one reason I take so little insulin..
Do not be concerned about the yellow urine that results....that is just the excess going down the toilet, which is why I feel B50 twice a day is more useful than B100 once a day.
I am sure you could learn how to stay NOT diabetic. First, do you have any gold coloured dental work? That is what gave me diabetes 30 years ago, but it took 17 years for me to find out and then it was already too late.
Hi Janina!
No I do not have any gold dental work. I am not on insulin..yet. I do take vitamins and suppliments including the B"s
I was diabetic during pregnancy...my doc was a quack and I was not informed I had gestational diabetes until 2 days before my son was born. My enitire family on my father's side are all diabetics so I beleive my condition is more genetic than anything. I eat right and excersize regularly. I am just new to all this and feel like pulling my hair out some days. I am on meds for type 2 bipolar and they seem to be working well. 300mg of welbutrin, 5mg of ritalin and 100mg of lamactocil (not sure if the spelling is correct) I am beginning to think that I may need a fast acting med to be taken only when i need it most.. right before my period. once I start flowing.. I am usually crazy low. it is frustrating to say the least!
Well, rapid acting insulin is a very good way to control post-meal spikes. Does your BG stay down when you are not eating? NONE of the oral meds work as well as insulin does, but many people are concerned about weight gain (which is also a problem with the oral meds). But if you do not overeat (and it looks like you don’t), especially carbs, you will not gain weight.
The doc COULD put you on a sulfonylurea, which stimulates insulin production, just for the part of the month that you are high, but they take time to start working, and time to stop working, and that’s not what you need, as far as I can see. Insulin is in and out of your body much more rapidly.
If I sound like an insulin advocate, I am – that’s what it took to control my diabetes, and I’m so glad I went on it earlier rather than later – metformin and other oral meds were not available at the time, only sulfs, and they didn’t work.
You need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your doc – if he doesn’t understand what you are suffering, then you need a new doc, but I hope the old one comes through for you.
Thanks Natalie… that does make sense. So does the insulin work for the lows too? Once my period starts its flow… I get very low and feel like crap. I do not work out during this time as I can barely make it out of bed for the first 2-3 days. I had gestational diabetes 20 years ago… and was supposed to be tested for it every year since… I thought I was with my check up every year… but since found out that I wasn’t. So who knows how long I have had this! All I know is if I can figure out this cycle thing… I am pretty sure I will have a good handle on this. The type 2 bipolar, my period, and the diabetes all seem to be on the same page so it SHOULD be fairly easy to manage. Just had no idea that type 2’s could use insulin! so… I guess I just want to know if it can be used for lows and highs. thanks!
How much B vitamins…is it only in a multi? Try going fully low carb during the two weeks before your period.
I recently read something that says diabetes is more environmental than genetic. I’ll have to search for it.
I’m glad you don’t have gold…just never get it…luckily the price is so high and white composites are used these days. Two of the women I help did have gold in their mouth and both dentists had suggested it be replaced without even bringing up what I am saying. My own dentist realizes the problem of heavy metals. So don’t even allow any amalgam in your mouth, the silver coloured fillings.
Are you someone who avoids red meat… because that is a fallacy. I live on red meat but cook off the saturated fat, as I believe everyone sensible does any way.
I am sorry your doctor did not know. Does that mean your child was larger than usual at birth?
So what does the metal fillings do exactly? I have never heard of it before. And My son was 1 month premature( according to the doctor but I think he was right on time according to my calculations) He was born at 7lbs 12 oz he was not fat at all. He will be 20 yrs old next month and had been fairly healthy up until now. I do believe he is also type 2 bipolar but he refuses to look into it… he was diagnosed with ADD when he was younger but now that I know more about type 2 bipolar… I think it makes maore sense than ADD. Other than that… he has been a model of good health. I do eat red meat, white meat, fish… all that good stuff. I just make sure everything is lean. I usually stick to the plate rule… 1/2 veggies not cooked too much, 1/4 protien, 1/4 starches or grains. I do add a few extra carbs if I am going to go to the gym as my BG drops like crazy in only an hour.
Insulin is for bringing down a high blood sugar level…I suspect that there is something much more complicated by the fact that you were on Metformin which inhibits an enzyme to stop the liver releasing glucose from glycogen stores in the liver…that is actually what you don’t need now…the opposite effect of insulin.
Your body is still not releasing glucose from the liver when it should…it is as if you do still have metformin working in one of the meds you are taking…
When you say type 2 bipolar…does that mean type 2 diabetes with bipolar depression, or is it a sub category of bipolar…if by any chance the meds you were put on have any form of metformin mixed in with them then that is the problem for the low blood sugars. Insulin is definitely not the solution for low blood sugars.
I didnt know there was a type 2 bipolar either until recently… but yes that is a sub catagory of bipolar.Google it… there is many great explainations available. I do not believe that any of the meds I take have metformin already in it. The frustration about my condition is… i only get really high spikes once a month ( around ovulation time)… and get really low for a week during my flow.
I have bpd which is a bipolar thing. When I am in my worst state, my numbers are higher and I want to eat over and over again. I need to be able to stay within the calmness of life, and not jump into craziness. There are many meds for diabetics, and we just have to be able to be patient with ourselves and give our bodies time to adjust to the meds and how they react with out body. Are you following other parts of your plan, eating, exercising, etc? Make sure that you are doing the other things besides medications, and then work with your docs to find a med that doesn’t mess you up.
The metal wears off as you chew and drink hot liquids. It gets into the pancreas in tiny amounts and the immune system sees it as foreign matter to get rid of and hence your own body gets destroyed in the process. Type 1 diabetes is often an autoimmune reaction and that is what I have. Autoimmune means my own immune system destoyed the pancreas, but it was happening over many years.
I am so sad about what looks like you have a problem almost as if the metformin is still working, but you said you stopped it…so I wonder if they gave you a different med that still has it in there, as the medical community loves metformin. Nine years ago my GP suggested metformin to me, but my endo said NO and I am so glad, as I have researched metformin a lot, while helping someone else in the past 2 years.
Yes I eat right and excersize all that stuff. The doctors here are only able to give out meds… I go to a clinic which has dieticians and nurses for education purposes… if they feel I need my meds changed they inform my doctor. I am going to see them again this thursday as I did last thursday… and they looked at my log book and scratched their heads! LOL They are just as puzzled as I am! Thats why she told me to stop taking my meds and document EVERYTHING that goes in my mouth and test my BG 8 times a day for the next month. Just to see if there is a pattern. I guess what I am really needing from others right now is if they too have had this issue and what successes they had dealing with it.
That advice given to you was good…but what numbers are low???
How about having a very small piece of fruit.
I can guarantee you that depression is a symptom of low blood sugar, but that doesn’t mean that high is good either. I am not familiar with many types of drugs, but they can have such negative effects that I am basically not in favour of them. I have used prozac years ago with no problem, but I use just B vitamins now in addition to my other supplemennts. I inject B vitamins. It helps depression. But I mix all of them with B12.
I suggest you try increasing magnesium. Just a simple multi VitMin is not enough.
Buy the on sale $6 book Dr Atkins Vita-Nutrient Solution on amazon.com and add in another book or two you wanted to get to $25 for free shipping.
Make a study of supplements and follow his approach…he said he takes 60 vitamins…and when I am doing things at my best I am taking about 35…I have such high regard for Dear Dr Atkins that I am sure he will be rewarded in heaven when the time comes. Suzanne Somers uses a lot of supplements and she is a good example of a healthy person.
I will look into more of the suppliments…I prefer that approach as well. However… if simply eating a piece of fruit when I am low??? I mean no disrespect but …are ya kidding me? If thats all it would take I would in a heartbeat!! I could eat an entire chocolate cake with ice cream and it would come up alright… but it wouldnt stay up for long…and then I would crash like a racecar driver… no thanks! And as for the highs… I could eat nothing but hay and be at 18.9
I didnt know suzanne Somers was a diabetic…or did I misunderstand?
No she is not diabetic that I know of…just a wise supplement taker.
My boyfriend is not diabetic but he has lows too from overdoing high sugar items.
That is why I suggested a very small piece of fruit, maybe like a few grapes.
I don’t even buy fruit any more, as I am a complete 30 year type 1…I do have grapefruits in the fridge waiting for me to do the liver cleanse which I have done only 3 of since I was 24 years old but they all were a great success.
My boyfriend will go low after having had a bag of candy…I keep asking him if he is trying to become diabetic like his father…he certainly used to be 30 lbs less when he lived with me for 10 years, but we have been separated for 7 years and he visits twice a week and we talk several times a day. I have known him 20 years.
I am known for my emphasis on supplements, but the depression often leaves me doing nothing about it…and that is when I realize that the supplements are so useful.
The most effective for me is DHEA. and it helps with the depression extremely well and I feel like a new person and younger.
I have had a collection of 80 opaque pill jars that I line up and “spread out my supplements into” and them recap them and place them in a bag on the drawer knob in the kitchen…but as I fell out of doing that a few weeks ago, I am basically down to just wondering when I will follow my own advice…maybe tomorrow. They are all up on the master bed waiting for me to do the spreading out, as I call it.
I don’t know how people would bother if they had to open a lot of separate containers. So that is why I spread them out and then taking a whole handful at once is easy with my main meal. I use Vit C separately and in larger amounts, and VitB I inject, but I don’t always remember for every day, but that is not a problem…probably it is…better go take it now.
During the time you are having lows, all you can do is stop the insulin and eat small amounts of carbs (or glucose tablets) to bring your BG up. So I’m saying insulin for highs (amount to be determined by your doc), and carbs for lows.
What I am suggesting is NOT standard medical treatment, but you don’t sound like you’re a standard diabetic, either, although many women experience BG variation caused by the fluctuation of hormones associated with the monthly cycle.
I can’t say anything about bipolar disorder, except that you need to talk with your psychiatrist, and make sure he knows about your BG problems.
Low BG does NOT cause depression. Low BG may result in feelings of sadness, but they go away when the BG comes up again. Depression is another thing entirely, and bipolar disorder is a very serious, chronic disease NOT related to diabetes.
Vitamins only help if you are vitamin-deficient. Suzanne Somers would have been healthy anyway.
The best place to get vitamins is by eating a variety of healthy foods; supplements are NOT necessary for people who do, UNLESS they have some genetic vitamin or mineral deficiency disease. You can seriously harm yourself by overdoing vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements.
It’s like, either supplements are effective or they are not. If they are not effective, you are wasting your money. If they are effective, they can be dangerous, and should be used with extreme caution – not much is known about what they can or can’t do, and what the overdose level is.
Karebear is best off working with her medical team, and not willy-nilly consuming tons of vitamins and supplements.
now see… THAT makes sense to me! As for the shrink… no worries they all have eachother on speed dial! lol kiddin!
Type 2 bipolar is just as weird as my diabetes…it is something that most people refuse treatment for…there are two sides to it the one side is very productive… I can multitask and get things done like no one else can…which most of us type 2 bpd’s do…we run successful businesses, are incredibly creative (most are in the tv and film industry or CEO’s of major corp’s)
We can run a business… or two sometimes three…and still make time for the kids and family… with little or no sleep. the downside is… deep depression… kinda like being hit by a bus…again this is governed mostly by hormones… so because the highs can be financial very lucretive… not many people will take the meds… as the highs can last for quite some time. And the lows are usually few and far between. However… throw diabetes into the mix…and well put your seatbelt on cuz its gonna be a bumpy ride! I am taking my meds for the T2bpd which levels me out much like insulin does for diabetics.( although I miss the highs!) Now I just need to get straighT with the T2D so I can get on with my life…
Janina wrote: I recently read something that says diabetes is more environmental than genetic.
I know what you read, and it is wrong. Type 2 is highly genetic, but only occurs when the environment pulls the trigger. It’s actually MORE genetic than Type 1, which also requires the environment to pull the trigger.
The idea that gold is destroying the pancreas is a myth – there has NEVER been any scientific research to document that. Gold is even used to treat some forms of arthritis! There is no evidence that amalgam damages the body, either. While there is some mercury measurable from amalgam, it is well below the standards for assessing possible mercury damage.
I’m sorry, but I believe in scientific evidence based medicine, not something someone just made up. Snake oil belongs in the 19th century.
I do use vitamins and suppliments… I take a very good multi and add a glucosamine tab which lubricates the joints and prevents damage later on. I often take a probiotic as I get urinary tract infections often and it counter acts the antibiotics I take for that. Everything I put in my body… my team is aware of…that is very important!! I feel that when it comes to that… I am covered… but am always willing to read about other suppliments…I like to learn as much as I can about healthcare for me!
I do concur with you Natalie about the T2bpd and the T2D being separate entities… they surely are… but they seem to be in sync with eachother in the hormonal aspects…which… from what I gather is quite rare… as my team is scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do with me!
I do think they are leaning towards the fast acting insulin as a treatment for me…I have everything else under control so hopefully it wont take long to figure out! I figure by the time I am all set up on this…I will have become an expert! hahahahaha