Re: Tess - Diabetes

[Guest guest]

on 11/19/02 4:43 PM, tess_northwest@... at tess_northwest@...

wrote:

> I saw my new PCP today she seems great, and up on all the new

> things. She does say that my using insulin will fight against weight

> loss, but since my diabetes is in such good control, she wants to first

> approach weight loss without lessening the insulin. She also said that

> my weight loss so far is evidence that losing weight can be done on

> insulin even if it takes a bit longer,

Tess, have you ever taken metformin? Ask your doctor about taking that

instead of the Actos. Metformin is about the only diabetes drug that doesn't

have weight gain as a side effect. In fact, it helps some people lose

weight.

Sue

[Guest guest]

Tess,

I also get gastric distress from metformin, but since I know it's a good

medication for us, I keep taking it. And my diarrhea is the kind that

doesn't always let you get to the bathroom in time. I was taking Glucophage

XR, and I had the problem under control by eating some yogurt every day. Now

I'm trying the generic, and it's worse than the XR. But the XR is no longer

on my insurance company's preferred list, which means that I would have to

pay $40 for a 34-day supply instead of $10 for the generic. I'm still

struggling with it and don't want to give up on it, and some days I'm okay.

I also take Prandin before as needed, usually before supper but other times

if I'm going to eat very many carbs.

As you lose weight, your diabetes hopefully will improve. Mine did, but it

didn't go away. Good luck to you with that. You just have to keep at it and

not give up. " Yard by yard, life is hard; inch by inch, it's a cinch. "

Sue