Monday, November 24, 2008

Metformin, Week 1

So it's been a week! I haven't updated because it has been a great week, issue free. Today is another great Metformin day. I can not believe how different this time has been from last.
I have not had ANY bad GI issues aside from some nausea a few times from eating too much popcorn. I have actually LOST about a pound a day since starting the Met again. I know it's not water weight because I am drinking about 48 ozs of water a day, at minimum. I was having problems with cravings in the evenings and started to take my pill when those cravings hit, and they are gone! The cravings have left. When they start back, I take my pill. I haven't had any of the diarrhea like the previous time I was on met, but I think that is also because I have drastically changed my diet- I mean drastically.No carbonated beverages, no alcohol, no sugary sweets. I haven't been eating greasy fatty foods, and I haven't been loading up on carbs. I feel wonderful, really. I haven't had a period yet, since the beginning of September, but I am thinking that I might have ovulated. The "atmosphere" down *there* has changed which means some hormones are actually working for once. I also had some cramping which leads me to think that in about 2 weeks, I may be able to circle another date on the calendar. I see the doctor on Dec 3rd and will be asking for a refill of the Met. I am so happy to have control over my appetite, to actually see the numbers going down on the scale, and to not have the GI issues from last time, that I plan on staying on the medication. I haven't gotten up to 1500 mgs a day, but right now am at 1000 mgs, and am handling it just fine.

So far, no hair loss either. Maybe the key to Metformin working properly is in diet. I think it works it's best when the person taking it works *with* the Metformin to help it fix what needs fixed. Because I am not eating the wrong foods, the Metformin is working better than last time I was on it.

So far, I am sure I made the right decision to start taking the Met again. I will update soon after I begin the third pill.

I hope this blog helps some of you in your own Metformin experiences.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Day 1, again

What a day, What a day.
I took 500 mgs last night at bed time. I usually stay up to read for an hour or two, usually with a rumbling tummy demanding food, but I took the pill and about a half hour later, my stomach was not growling and I was tired. I guess this is why the bottle says "May cause drowsiness" :)
I woke up this morning and my stomach feels a little queasy, but nothing too bad. I actually felt a little hungry upon waking so I decided to do something I never do- have breakfast. I am not a good breakfast eater, never have been, so this morning I had a turkey on whole grain sandwich, banana, and water. The bakery here has some really nice seeded wheat rolls with flax seed which I love. I just hope that I don't end up "paying" for eating the sandwich later on after I start to digest. Time will tell. I know better this time than to eat lettuce, but I've forgotten many of the foods that I don't do so well with. I guess it's trial and error.

On a side note, I would like to list some of the reasons why I decided to start the Metformin again. Well first, I am getting a mustache. Yes, as in hair on my upper lip. It isn't black hair, still light but it is very noticeable. My testosterone levels are high enough that I pulled a hair off my chin a few weeks ago, had one on my chest, and my facial hair is growing longer. Embarassing as that is, I have vowed to put my ego aside and to tell the truth on this blog. I also have only had one period over the last 4 1/2 months. I am currently over a month late which means that I probably haven't even ovulated in quite some time. My weight has blossomed to an all time high and my BMI actually made it to 36.5. I started working out and cut out the horrible foods in my diet a few weeks ago, but my cravings are so out of control that my will power is weakening and I find myself craving salty chips, fried chicken, soda, and candy. Healthy food doesn't appeal to me, but I could eat an entire bag of chips. The cravings for junk are so strong that I think they are worse now than they were when I was pregnant. On the Metformin, I notice that my cravings greatly diminish. I just wish that with insulin resistence, that my body would crave HEALTHY things but it's always the bad things for some reason.

My husband, right now, is away on Military orders so my options are limited on exercise because I do have two children. But when he gets back, which is very soon, I plan on going to the gym and searching out some support groups on base so that I don't make these changes alone this time. My husband is supportive and plans on helping me by not bringing junk food home himself, but I need to start going to the gym too. The Metformin helps me in that because it should help make my exercises more effective. It does me no good to work out for an hour and then come home and fall slave to my cravings.

So if you are reading this, and you are feeling any of what I have been feeling, please feel free to comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Today is day one, but hopefully it is a great beginning.

Off the Wagon but trying to board the train. Nov. 17, 08

I am ashamed to admit that I gave up. I gave up on myself, I gave up on my husband, I gave up on my kids, I gave up on my future. I let discouragement and the first bump in the road to knock me out of the wagon and I laid on the ground feeling sorry for myself. Today I begin anew, ready to move forward and to see where the journey takes me.

I am going to try the Metformin again starting this evening. I don't care if I feel sick at first. I don't care if I can't order the chicken wings and the burgers that I so crave. I have decided that the cravings are not my friend- they are my own personal sabotage. I miss having the lack of hunger pangs on the Metformin. I miss sitting at night and being able to focus on my book rather than the growling stomach I KNOW I just fed an hour beforehand. It is out of control. My weight is out of control and I want to take it back.

So what if I lose hair? I have decided being bald is better than being overweight and unhealthy. I may be a bald lady, but I'll be the bald lady without insulin resistance and without the muffin top on her jeans. Ha, I can't believe I just admitted that.

So here we go again, and this time, I think since it is "my" idea and not some arbitraty thing I was going to "try" that I want to just test out, that I will be successful. I figure, unless it kills me, any progress is worth it.

I will post tomorrow how the day is going. 500 mgs of Metformin, ORDER UP! I'm sorry I let all of you down as well and just gave up. I want this blog to help others and all's I did was focus on myself.. well no longer. This blog WILL be a success story and I am not going to give up again. :)