Insulin Resistance

[Suzy Grace]

Hi All, I'm new to the forum
I have had diabetes type 2 since July 2005, I was caught early with an A1C of 8.2.
I took Metformin at first but couldn't tolerate it so doc switched me to Gliclazide.
To cut a very long story short since early 2006 I have been controlling my diabetes with exercise and diet alone. I did lose an initial 6 stone and exercised for 2 hours daily.
2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with a substernal goitre ( the goitre is growing down into my chest), since then I have had many thyroid hormone tests and they have all come back normal so according to the thyroid doc I don't have an over or under active thyroid ( I have other probs related to the goitre)
Anyway I have been putting on unexplained weight which I originally thought was my thyroid, my doc sent me to an endocrinologist and she has suggested that I may be insulin resisitant and that's why the weight has been piling on. I have put on 1.5 stone in the last 6 months despite all the exercise I do and a very strict diet. My question is .. I thought I had diabetes very well controlled and could insulin resistance be the cause of weight gain and could it show itself after many yrs of tight control, my doc has started me on 500 of metformin ... thankyou

 

[Suzy Grace]

Just like to add that my cholesterol is 7.1 and that I have high tryglicerides, also have high blood pressure reasonably controlled with meds. Also when I was first diagnosed I had proteinuria, at first I was under the kidney specialist but my protien has calmed down, still have protein in my water but the nurse monitors it now. I also use very good fats eg coconut oil and olive oil and follow a low carb diet ... as I said in my earlier post I just don't understand how I can be insulin resistant this far down the line with well controlled numbers

 

[markd]

Firstly, I'm sorry to hear of your problems, I wish you the best of luck.

From my entirely non-medical viewpoint, you've been doing all the right things; weightloss, diet and exercise.

It doesn't sound as if you've slacked off any since you lost the weight so I'm sure this comes as a blow to you.

Have your Drs given any explanation for your high BP and trigs - having lost all that weight, I'm assuming that you got your BMI down into the normal range of less than 25? Did they ever give you any explanation for the initial proteinurea - any meds for that?

Did you come off the Gliclazide because you felt you no longer needed it, or did you have some unacceptable side-effects?

Sounds a complex problem and I suspect you'll only be able to get answers from your healthcare providers.

As I say, best of luck with getting it sorted.

mark.

 

[Suzy Grace]

Hi Mark I got my BMI to 22 .. when I went to the specialist re proteinuria, they did all the tests and a 24 hr urine clearance twice and they could find no reason as to why my protein was so high, I had normal kidney function, they saw me a few times at the hospital then signed me off as my protein was dropping to more better levels, so an explanation was never given.
I stopped gliclazide to see if diet and exercise would work and it has been so far, my last a1c was 5.4 the one before was 4.9 ... so good numbers.. as for the high bp and cholesterol all my docs have said is that it's down to my diabetes ... and I have tried stopping bp meds and my bp just goes sky high ...
I'm thinking maybe it's my thyroid goitre messing all of my endocrine system up ... as you said it's complex and it's ever so frustrating knowing that all I'm doing eg diet and exercise and the weight never stops going on, I am hoping an answer is found soon .. got an army of specialists onboard so hopefully things will start getting better

 

[markd]

Most people do very well once they get their lifestyle under control like that (and a big WELL DONE! for getting down to such a good BMI).

As complex as your problem looks to be, at least you may have the satisfaction of having a new syndrome named after you...


mark.