Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 At 07:14 AM 1/2/06 -0500, Sandy wrote: >I would like to know why some of you feel that Metformin is the least >harmful of all the diabetic meds long term... [snip] He doesn't feel I >would use insulin either. There are too many needle-phobic health practitioners out there and they seem to want to use insulin as a *threat* instead of as the most natural resource for DM. I finally dropped my PCP (for DM management) in favor of an endo who was willing to prescribe insulin. The PCP was offering all kinds of orals instead and kept saying that insulin would give me hypos, make me gain weight and, generally, not do the job. Wrong on all counts! The case for metformin: If your digestive system can be made to accept it, it does NOT give you hypos, moderates the hunger pangs as you ease yourself into the LC WOE, and does not cause edema (water retention) or weight gain, at least for *me,* and I have been on it for over 3 years. Others have had different experiences. A definite YMMV. Nora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I might add to Nora's comments about her former doctor's reluctance to prescribe insulin. The way most doctors prescribe insulin (the way most of them are taught in medical school) is to prescribe a " set dose " without regard to how many carbs are being eaten. This rarely works optimally, since we don't eat the same thing every day and in fact can - and most often does- cause hypos, weight gain, and generally does not work. However, dosing insulin based on carb intake - like pumpers do -- works very nicely and there are many on this list who do take insulin but are not on a pump and are in excellent control. It amazes me that the vast majority of doctors continue to prescribe a set dose of insulin. The result can be seen in the huge numbers of patients hospitalized for diabetic-related complications. You'd think they'd figure out it didn't work well and look for the more obviously efficient model of MDI (multiple daily insulin) dosing. Vicki Re: Metformin - Sandy > At 07:14 AM 1/2/06 -0500, Sandy wrote: >>I would like to know why some of you feel that Metformin is the least >>harmful of all the diabetic meds long term... [snip] He doesn't feel I >>would use insulin either. > > There are too many needle-phobic health practitioners out there and > they > seem to want to use insulin as a *threat* instead of as the most > natural > resource for DM. I finally dropped my PCP (for DM management) in favor > of > an endo who was willing to prescribe insulin. The PCP was offering all > kinds of orals instead and kept saying that insulin would give me > hypos, > make me gain weight and, generally, not do the job. Wrong on all > counts! > > The case for metformin: If your digestive system can be made to accept > it, > it does NOT give you hypos, moderates the hunger pangs as you ease > yourself > into the LC WOE, and does not cause edema (water retention) or weight > gain, > at least for *me,* and I have been on it for over 3 years. Others have > had > different experiences. A definite YMMV. > > Nora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 And I wish to add that my endo *seems* to be of the more progressive frame of mind. He asked *me* if I wanted a mixed insulin, to which I shook my head, NO! Then he just sat there and fleshed out a scheme for setting my dose of Lantus depending upon my FBG average of the 3 preceding days. ly, I am going for a lower FBG than what he indicated was the optimum range but making sure I do not go low pre-prandially. I expect he will prescribe a fast-acting insulin for meals on my next visit in February (after my 3-mo. A1c, which I expect to have dropped like a rock). Will let you know. BTW, I recently read an excellent book on insulin use (mainly for pumpers but very edifying for me) that Paice forwarded to me... " think like a pancreas " by Scheiner, MS, CDE, where he discusses the action of the different insulins and outlines formulas for determining dosing. Thanks again, ! *smile* Nora At 06:30 AM 1/2/06 -0800, Vicki wrote: >I might add to Nora's comments about her former doctor's reluctance to >prescribe insulin. The way most doctors prescribe insulin (the way most >of them are taught in medical school) is to prescribe a " set dose " >without regard to how many carbs are being eaten. This rarely works >optimally, since we don't eat the same thing every day and in fact can - >and most often does- cause hypos, weight gain, and generally does not >work. > >However, dosing insulin based on carb intake - like pumpers do -- works >very nicely and there are many on this list who do take insulin but are >not on a pump and are in excellent control. > >It amazes me that the vast majority of doctors continue to prescribe a >set dose of insulin. The result can be seen in the huge numbers of >patients hospitalized for diabetic-related complications. You'd think >they'd figure out it didn't work well and look for the more obviously >efficient model of MDI (multiple daily insulin) dosing. >Vicki > > > Re: Metformin - Sandy > > > > At 07:14 AM 1/2/06 -0500, Sandy wrote: > >>I would like to know why some of you feel that Metformin is the least > >>harmful of all the diabetic meds long term... [snip] He doesn't feel I > >>would use insulin either. > > > > There are too many needle-phobic health practitioners out there and > > they > > seem to want to use insulin as a *threat* instead of as the most > > natural > > resource for DM. I finally dropped my PCP (for DM management) in favor > > of > > an endo who was willing to prescribe insulin. The PCP was offering all > > kinds of orals instead and kept saying that insulin would give me > > hypos, > > make me gain weight and, generally, not do the job. Wrong on all > > counts! > > > > The case for metformin: If your digestive system can be made to accept > > it, > > it does NOT give you hypos, moderates the hunger pangs as you ease > > yourself > > into the LC WOE, and does not cause edema (water retention) or weight > > gain, > > at least for *me,* and I have been on it for over 3 years. Others have > > had > > different experiences. A definite YMMV. > > > > Nora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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