Hello,

I am just really having a hard time with this, am a new Diabetic since October. Am now taking Glucotrol, 2.5 mg for a week and this morning started 5mg. Previously on Glocophage and then Actos, but the side affects made my Dr change them.
I take my meds at 6am, when my sugars are usually around 170, by noon they are up close to 300. Then by 4pm they have dropped down to the low 70's when I finally eat a quick fix of sugar. I took a couple drinks of a coke one day, another day I ate a small bite size candy bar. I've never experienced lows before and don't really understand why they happen or how.
I have asked my Dr to refer me to a specialist, I've just been sick for too long and need to get a grip on this.

Hi Sandy,

It's too bad that you had to stop the first two meds, they are designed to increase your body's sensitivity to insulin. They are a far better option long term.

Glucotrol is designed to make your body produce more insulin. I'm not surprised that you are having stability problems. Having too much insulin (for years) in the first place is what caused your condition. Glucotrol is more like a band aid than the others. That's probably why your doc made it your third option.

To really help you, I need more info. I'm assuming that you're taking glucotrol xl (extended release). What are your meals like? How often? What specifically were your side effects on your first two meds? Are you exercising? What type? How much are you willing to change your lifestyle?

Post again and be as detailed as you can, I'm sure that I can help you.

Hi,

The other meds, I took Glucophage for 6 weeks and had severe diarrhea the entire time and had quite a bit of blood in it. Dr. then put me on Actos, at first I was ok, racing heart all the time but then I started retaining water real bad. Let me back up and tell you, I also had a heart attach back in October as well as high BP and high Cholesterol. Am on meds for those also.
I am 43 yrs old and was VERY active. I was about 20 lbs over weight when this all happened but very muscular. When this all happened, I had just finished putting in a 5000 ft water system, worked on it all summer.
I've always eaten pretty healthy, but carbs were my downfall. Now a typical day consists of maybe a boiled egg and piece of toast in am, lunch will be a sandwich with maybe a protein drink. Dinner will be chicken or pork, green salad and vegetable. I try and get an additional protein drink in there somewhere. I drink water and diet soda, no alcohol.

Sandy

Hi Sandy,

OK, the first thing that really pops out at me is that you don't seem to be eating enough fiber during the day. If you really don't want to give up your bread, you need to consider reducing it or at least read the nutrition labels under carbohydrates and find the ones with the most fiber. Additionally, you definitely should add fibrous vegetables to every meal. Look at some of my other posts for examples of these. You could also use soluble fibers like metamucil. You should eat about as much fiber as your digestive system will let you get away with. You won't be adding much calorie-wise because fiber is difficult to absorb (only a small fraction gets fermented).

If you are not taking a multimineral supplement, it is a good idea, although I'm a little concerned about your kidneys since you've had high BP and you're on several meds. Any minerals to one degree or another assist in glucose disposal, even sodium. Also, some BP meds can cause potassium to build up, so that could be an issue when choosing a supplement.

Concerning BP meds, many have a positive effect on blood sugar levels (ACE inhibitors). If you are not using that type already, ask your doctor about switching.

As far as exercise, you didn't say what you are doing now. However, assuming your doctor approves. I recommend that you start training with weights in a very specific way. You specifically want to exhaust your glycogen (sugar found mostly in muscle and liver). Choose one large muscle group and pick a weight that you can lift 20 times. If you feel like you could lift it 7-10 more times it's too light. Do ten sets of ten repetitions using that weight with about a minute rest in between sets. Do this nearly every day, but switch muscle groups so that the same exercise is done every third or fourth day.


There is more that can be done, but I think that I've handed you a pretty good sized project already for now. You can probably start with adding veggies and fiber immediately. As far as everything else, you should just print this and bring it to your doctor to make sure that there are no issues which should be addressed. I think that he would agree with me, I'm being pretty conservative here.

If you do nothing else...fiber fiber fiber. That alone may stabilize you.

These are tools, one may get you where you want, all of them combined may still not (though I guarantee an improvement). If they don't, there's still a lot left in my toolbox. I have gotten people off meds completely, and I have never had to use every tool.


Good luck and let me know how everything's working for you.

Hi Again,

I have had diarreah since October, so I really watch my fiber close. I keep talking to my Dr about this, I think it's all the medication I am now taking. I have never taken anything and all of a sudden I'm a drug store.

I am taking a multimineral supplement as well as multivitamin, flax oil, chromium picolinate, coenzyme q10 and meds, 25 mg Atenalol, 40 mg Zocor, 20 mg Lexapro, 5 mg Glucotrol and a water pill. Oh, I also take Potassium.

My excercise has been very limited, but am now back on the treadmill and will add weights as soon as my rump heals from the diarreah.

Sandy

Ouch! Since October? no wonder you're watching your fiber!

OK, first if there's a chance that Zocor could be causing your diarrhea, you can stop taking it for a couple of days without effect. Just to see if that could be it.

Atenolol is a beta1 blocker. That class of meds can make insulin resistance worse. Ask your doctor if an ACE inhibitor like Captopril could work for your blood pressure. It has helped me, but since I already had my glucose under control, it has only let me cheat more often ;) Oh, and if you do switch, stop or reduce taking potassium. ACEi's increase potassium accumulation.

Try not to vomit here, how do you feel about buttermilk? I've found that if I pretend it's liquid cheese it's not so bad (I actually love it now). The reason I mention it is because it has a great sugar profile with lots of lactic acid. Lowfat cultured buttermilk also has bacteria which can help your...liquidity issues. In fact, if you took a lot of antibiotics back when things went downhill, it could be a significant source of your problem. Seriously consider it, there's more to its benefits than what I've mentioned here.

I hate to tell you to give up bread, but in all honesty anything that I can think of that prevents or slows its absorption can cause you more diarrhea, sorry. Buttermilk is your best overall choice for carbs for breakfast at this point.

For the rest of the day, fructose sweetened hard candy evenly spaced all day long until you reach your typical carb gram count (or maybe a little less and make up the difference with unsaturated fats or protein) would be a great choice. There are better and easier choices, but the diarrhea is a restrictive issue, unfortunately. Or buttermilk.

Fruits can be good, but the good ones have a lot of fiber...boo!!!

Start off with the buttermilk in the A.M. instead of toast (but same amt of carbs) and asking your doctor about Captopril. Who knows? that may do the job alone...you'd be really lucky though.

There are many many more things that you can try, but these look like a good starting point to me.

Be patient...this thread will probably be a long one depending on what you eventually want to accomplish. I just don't believe in drastic changes in this type of situation...baby steps.

If there's a reason that you can't do this stuff, let me know...I like being stretched, anyway.

Good luck!!

David,

I will be talking with my Dr today and will ask about the Atenelol. And the Zocor, I will certainly try stopping that for a few days, I have also developed a tickle in my throat that I think may be from Zocor.

Buttermilk, oh my, I love buttermilk, lol.

Thank you so much for taking the time, I will certainly give these things a try and let you know.

Sandy