Please help me.. iam new.. need advice

[Tamanna]

Hi friends... i recently have joined this forum.. i am known case of PCOS since 2012. But am not taking any treatment for that because my body was not showing any symptoms for that my period cycle was normal everything was fine. In 2016 i got married and now after marriage in 2018 we are planning a baby for this purpose i went to doctor to follow up about my PCOS. He gave me few tests which says:
Fasting insulin: 12ulU/ml
HBA1C : 6.8%
Cholesterol : 233
Triglycrde : 169mg/dl
LDL : 175mg/dl
SGPT: 40
eGFR : >60
CR : 0.6mg/dl
Fasting sugar : 104mg/dl
TSH : 2.434ulU/ml

I get scard from all this results as everything is deranged.
Initially few days i remain in denial phase and was not accepting this results later on with the help of this forum i started to looking at things in a positive way. I started measuring my random and before breakfast blood sugar tests. My randoms are always in a normal range whereas before breakfast results are slight high like 102mg/dl or 104mg/dl.
After collecting alot of courage i took appointment from endocrinologist he said that i am not diabetic but i am pre diabetic as my fasting insulin is 12ulU/ml he put me on glucophage 750mg twice a day. Moreover he asked me to dl cushion test. Am scard if he is saying am not diabetic am pre diabetic than why he is doing investigation for cushion syndrom.

Furthermore he advice me to lose weight. I already started my weight lose journey before making appointment with him. I lose 7kg in a month. From 96kg to 89kg. I am 28years old i dont want to end up in this such serious illness. After all this i just have started blaming myself that i am a ICU nurse i know alot about medical still i didnt took care of myself its all because of me. I should control my weight earlier. Am scard am i on this glucophage life time? I want to plan a baby i want happy normal life how can i help myself for this ?

Am sorry for this long post actually i am having a mix feelings i need some support some motivation although i am a nurse but right now am totally confuse and scard. Plz frds help me out.

Thanks.

 

[Rachox]

Hi Tamanna, I’m a retired nurse and when I was diagnosed Type 2, I was shocked by how little I knew about the finer details of diabetes. Our lives as a nurse doesn’t help with the risks of weight gain with unhealthy snacking, grabbing food when you can, along with an increased risk of impaired glucose regulation from shift work, especially nights, so please don’t blame yourself.
It’s brilliant that you have started loosing weight and testing your blood sugars. I think you might find it useful to do some before and 2 hours after meals blood test comparisons to find what particular meals do to your blood sugar levels. Can I ask are you lowering your carbs?
I can’t comment on PCOS but from a diabetes point of view it is quite possible to lower your HbA1c to a level where you can reduce or stop your Metformin. I choose to stay on it for it’s other benefits.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi friends... i recently have joined this forum.. i am known case of PCOS since 2012. But am not taking any treatment for that because my body was not showing any symptoms for that my period cycle was normal everything was fine. In 2016 i got married and now after marriage in 2018 we are planning a baby for this purpose i went to doctor to follow up about my PCOS. He gave me few tests which says:
Fasting insulin: 12ulU/ml
HBA1C : 6.8%
Cholesterol : 233
Triglycrde : 169mg/dl
LDL : 175mg/dl
SGPT: 40
eGFR : >60
CR : 0.6mg/dl
Fasting sugar : 104mg/dl
TSH : 2.434ulU/ml

I get scard from all this results as everything is deranged.
Initially few days i remain in denial phase and was not accepting this results later on with the help of this forum i started to looking at things in a positive way. I started measuring my random and before breakfast blood sugar tests. My randoms are always in a normal range whereas before breakfast results are slight high like 102mg/dl or 104mg/dl.
After collecting alot of courage i took appointment from endocrinologist he said that i am not diabetic but i am pre diabetic as my fasting insulin is 12ulU/ml he put me on glucophage 750mg twice a day. Moreover he asked me to dl cushion test. Am scard if he is saying am not diabetic am pre diabetic than why he is doing investigation for cushion syndrom.

Furthermore he advice me to lose weight. I already started my weight lose journey before making appointment with him. I lose 7kg in a month. From 96kg to 89kg. I am 28years old i dont want to end up in this such serious illness. After all this i just have started blaming myself that i am a ICU nurse i know alot about medical still i didnt took care of myself its all because of me. I should control my weight earlier. Am scard am i on this glucophage life time? I want to plan a baby i want happy normal life how can i help myself for this ?

Am sorry for this long post actually i am having a mix feelings i need some support some motivation although i am a nurse but right now am totally confuse and scard. Plz frds help me out.

Thanks.

With PCOS, usually comes insulin resistance. Because of that, you can't process glucose out of your body properly anymore, and couldn't, for years. What doesn't get processed out, gets stored in fat cells. And if you don't KNOW that's what's happening, then it's hard to lose weight. It's practically all carbs that turn to glucose, and if you follow the usual dietary advice, you cut fats, not carbs... While it's the carbs your body has a problem with! Now, you may be a nurse, but a lot of full-blown T2's here find the people in the medical profession aren't actually aware of all this... So don't blame yourself. You didn't know, just like a lot of specialists, dieticians and doctors don't know. (Thanksfully, some do, but it's a lot to keep up with the latest developments). So please, please, don't blame yourself. You know what's going on now and you're willint to do something about it, and that's smart and brave. Hold on to that. And hey, if you're a prediabetic, you can still become a NON-diabetic. You haven't crossed the point of no return, and that's a good thing! So you cut carbs, lose weight which'll help with the PCOS, and hope all goes well if you put in the effort! (Check this: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos ).

Don't give up just yet. If you go low carb you could well be rid of the glucophage in a month or so. Just keep in mind you don't handle carbs well, and that's a lifelong thing... So keep an eye on your intake, always.

Be good to yourself!
Jo

 

[Rokaab]

HBA1C : 6.8%

In the UK HbA1c's at 6%(42) or above and less than 6.5%(48) are considered to be a pre-diabetic level, 6.5% and above is considered to be diabetic, or did you have a second test that was lower than the 6.8%?

Moreover he asked me to dl cushion test. Am scard if he is saying am not diabetic am pre diabetic than why he is doing investigation for cushion syndrom.

Do you mean Cushings Syndrome? If so it's nothing to do with diabetes, but it is something that endocrinologists deal with, maybe you are showing signs of it.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

In the UK HbA1c's at 6%(42) or above and less than 6.5%(48) are considered to be a pre-diabetic level, 6.5% and above is considered to be diabetic, or did you have a second test that was lower than the 6.8%?


Do you mean Cushings Syndrome? If so it's nothing to do with diabetes, but it is something that endocrinologists deal with, maybe you are showing signs of it.

@Tamanna Rokaab mentioned Cushing's; if that is what you meant, I have to wonder.... Do you use steroids? Because there's only a couple of ways you can get this, and steady (years of) steroid use can also push your bloodsugars up. People with Cushing's, like my mom, have a very typical body type, usually something an endo would recognise at a glance, so that might be the reason why he's checking for that as well. Nothing to do with diabetes, technically, but it is his/her area of expertise and would merit a check.

 

[Tamanna]

@Tamanna Rokaab mentioned Cushing's; if that is what you meant, I have to wonder.... Do you use steroids? Because there's only a couple of ways you can get this, and steady (years of) steroid use can also push your bloodsugars up. People with Cushing's, like my mom, have a very typical body type, usually something an endo would recognise at a glance, so that might be the reason why he's checking for that as well. Nothing to do with diabetes, technically, but it is his/her area of expertise and would merit a check.

What type of body does people have with cushing? Is it curable? Am sorry for asking a lot of silly questions. U must be thinking what kind of nurse i am but belive me my mind is full blank now am acting like a normal lye man

 

[Tamanna]

In the UK HbA1c's at 6%(42) or above and less than 6.5%(48) are considered to be a pre-diabetic level, 6.5% and above is considered to be diabetic, or did you have a second test that was lower than the 6.8%?


Do you mean Cushings Syndrome? If so it's nothing to do with diabetes, but it is something that endocrinologists deal with, maybe you are showing signs of it.

Yes i mean cushing syndrome. No he didnt asked me to repeat my HBA1C he said ur fasting blod sugars and blod sugars before breakfast are above 100mg/dl and below 125mg/dl so you are pre diabetic

 

[Tamanna]

With PCOS, usually comes insulin resistance. Because of that, you can't process glucose out of your body properly anymore, and couldn't, for years. What doesn't get processed out, gets stored in fat cells. And if you don't KNOW that's what's happening, then it's hard to lose weight. It's practically all carbs that turn to glucose, and if you follow the usual dietary advice, you cut fats, not carbs... While it's the carbs your body has a problem with! Now, you may be a nurse, but a lot of full-blown T2's here find the people in the medical profession aren't actually aware of all this... So don't blame yourself. You didn't know, just like a lot of specialists, dieticians and doctors don't know. (Thanksfully, some do, but it's a lot to keep up with the latest developments). So please, please, don't blame yourself. You know what's going on now and you're willint to do something about it, and that's smart and brave. Hold on to that. And hey, if you're a prediabetic, you can still become a NON-diabetic. You haven't crossed the point of no return, and that's a good thing! So you cut carbs, lose weight which'll help with the PCOS, and hope all goes well if you put in the effort! (Check this: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos ).

Don't give up just yet. If you go low carb you could well be rid of the glucophage in a month or so. Just keep in mind you don't handle carbs well, and that's a lifelong thing... So keep an eye on your intake, always.

Be good to yourself!
Jo

Thank u so much for your motivations and supporting words. Does it mean to cut even 1 chappati also ? Am taking 1 chappatu or 1 brown bread per day should i cut that also ?

 

[Tamanna]

Hi Tamanna, I’m a retired nurse and when I was diagnosed Type 2, I was shocked by how little I knew about the finer details of diabetes. Our lives as a nurse doesn’t help with the risks of weight gain with unhealthy snacking, grabbing food when you can, along with an increased risk of impaired glucose regulation from shift work, especially nights, so please don’t blame yourself.
It’s brilliant that you have started loosing weight and testing your blood sugars. I think you might find it useful to do some before and 2 hours after meals blood test comparisons to find what particular meals do to your blood sugar levels. Can I ask are you lowering your carbs?
I can’t comment on PCOS but from a diabetes point of view it is quite possible to lower your HbA1c to a level where you can reduce or stop your Metformin. I choose to stay on it for it’s other benefits.

Yes i have reduces my carb intake but am confuse that i take 1 chappati per day or 1 brown bread per day should i cut that as well from my diet

 

[Tamanna]

With PCOS, usually comes insulin resistance. Because of that, you can't process glucose out of your body properly anymore, and couldn't, for years. What doesn't get processed out, gets stored in fat cells. And if you don't KNOW that's what's happening, then it's hard to lose weight. It's practically all carbs that turn to glucose, and if you follow the usual dietary advice, you cut fats, not carbs... While it's the carbs your body has a problem with! Now, you may be a nurse, but a lot of full-blown T2's here find the people in the medical profession aren't actually aware of all this... So don't blame yourself. You didn't know, just like a lot of specialists, dieticians and doctors don't know. (Thanksfully, some do, but it's a lot to keep up with the latest developments). So please, please, don't blame yourself. You know what's going on now and you're willint to do something about it, and that's smart and brave. Hold on to that. And hey, if you're a prediabetic, you can still become a NON-diabetic. You haven't crossed the point of no return, and that's a good thing! So you cut carbs, lose weight which'll help with the PCOS, and hope all goes well if you put in the effort! (Check this: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos ).

Don't give up just yet. If you go low carb you could well be rid of the glucophage in a month or so. Just keep in mind you don't handle carbs well, and that's a lifelong thing... So keep an eye on your intake, always.

Be good to yourself!
Jo

Does it means that i will be insulin resistance for a life time now because of this PCOS

 

[JoKalsbeek]

What type of body does people have with cushing? Is it curable? Am sorry for asking a lot of silly questions. U must be thinking what kind of nurse i am but belive me my mind is full blank now am acting like a normal lye man

Cushing's curable, depending on what the cause is. Like I said, there's a couple... One cause is either operable or inoperable, as it could be caused by a tiny little benign tumor near the pituatary gland. Depending on where it's at it could be operated upon, or not. Then there's the use of steroids (Mom needs those for her lungs, so she can't stop taking/inhaling them.). Stopping steroids could fix it, from what I understand, but like mom, for some people that's just not an option. As for the body type: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Signs-and-symptoms-of-Cushings-disease_fig1_259700558
Not the most flattering drawing, but it's exactly what my mom looks like. Her "buffalo hump" and the fat around her neck is very pronounced, she bruises easily, her skin is thin... I could go on, but you get the idea. If that's recognisable for you, be glad it's being looked at.
As for chapati and bread, you might want to ditch those too. Whether white or brown bread, doesn't really make a difference. It's the amount of carbs that are a problem. So that goes for white and brown rice or pasta and such too. And cereal/muesli... It's still carbs, regardless of the colour. You might want to check dietdoctor.com for recipies as well, they have alternatives and the like which could help get you started.

No question is silly. The quest for knowledge is always admirable.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Does it means that i will be insulin resistance for a life time now because of this PCOS

You have a genetic predisposition for insulin resistance... I know some people manage to improve it, through diet and excersize, but I don't know of any people (as of yet though they might be here) who got rid of it entirely. For me, PCOS was a factor, but also, T2 runs in the family. Plus, I have 2 other auto-immune diseases, and those usually don't come alone as it is. So it was pretty much unavoidable. I don't know how it is for you, but you'll probably need to watch what you eat in the long run, yes. Though I sincerely hope someone'll tell me I'm wrong.

 

[torchman2]

TSH : 2.434ulU/ml

While the current "OK" range is up to 4 for TSH, many thyroid specialists say below 2 is optimal.

You should get your total T3, total T4, free t3/t4, and reverse t3 measured.

In another post, you wrote your current diet which showed you eating about 500 calories per day at the moment, with about 20grams of protein per day. This is a sure-fire way to completely tank your thyroid production, and ruin your liver.

What was your diet before you started to lose weight? This will give some hints as to why you had problems in the first place.

Did you eat a lot of vegetable oil in your food?

 

[torchman2]

i am known case of PCOS since 2012.

PCOS means low progesterone: https://www.sepalika.com/pcos/progesterone-pcos/

 

[Member496333]

Without wishing to nitpick, I respectfully disagree that there is a “point of no return”. This imaginary leap from prediabetes to diabetes is literally just a change in numbers. Given the same intervention, diabetes is not necessarily any less reversible than prediabetes. The latter may take longer to reverse due to the greater level of insulin resistance, but they are the same condition with two different names. There is no switchover point whereby you’re guaranteed a life of medications and complications.

Just a point that I feel is always worth repeating in case there are newly diagnosed type 2s reading

 

[Bluetit1802]

@Tamanna

Are you sure your HbA1c was 6.8%? I ask because here in the UK that is within the diabetic range, not pre-diabetic. Because your fasting glucose was low enough for a pre-diabetic diagnosis, your doctor should have done a second HbA1c to confirm matters. I don't want to panic you even more, but this really needs checking.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

PCOS means low progesterone: https://www.sepalika.com/pcos/progesterone-pcos/

Actually, PCOS means polycystic ovarium syndrome... Water-filled cysts on the ovaries, where the eggs should be. (We have less fertile eggs) It throws your hormones out of whack though, yes, but it's not a simple matter of one means the other.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Without wishing to nitpick, I respectfully disagree that there is a “point of no return”. This imaginary leap from prediabetes to diabetes is literally just a change in numbers. Given the same intervention, diabetes is not necessarily any less reversible than prediabetes. The latter may take longer to reverse due to the greater level of insulin resistance, but they are the same condition with two different names. There is no switchover point whereby you’re guaranteed a life of medications and complications.

Just a point that I feel is always worth repeating in case there are newly diagnosed type 2s reading

Well, as long as you're respectfully disagreeing, haha. (Better than calling me an idiot. ) Seriously though, it's still a learning curve, and you throw a lot of useful info into the forum, so I'm happy to learn. Thanks!

 

[Member496333]

Well, as long as you're respectfully disagreeing, haha. (Better than calling me an idiot. ) Seriously though, it's still a learning curve, and you throw a lot of useful info into the forum, so I'm happy to learn. Thanks!

Haha I wouldn’t ever stoop to calling anyone on here an idiot. I’m not a world authority, but I do like to share information as I understand it. It’s how we all learn from each other. Half the time I’m probably wrong anyway

 

[xfieldok]

You may want to look at Headbangers kitchen.com. This may give you some ideas on low carb cooking and there are possible replacements for naan, roti etc.

If you read Dr Jason Fung's book The Diabetes Code, I am sure he mentions that PCOS can be improved by low carb diet.