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Pre-diabetes / PCOS / Thyroid / Metformin?

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Hi Folks

New here, although well versed in internet forums for my thyroid problems. I had a total thyroidectomy two years ago for very serious autoimmune thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. I was also diagnosed with PCOS in 2008, and gynae investigations ordered my endo confirmed this last year. I'm still a bit hypothyroid and working to get my sluggish metabolism back on line. Just recovered from another bout of aneamia, am celiac and have horrible gut problems as a complication of my thyroid problems etc, getting better is a full time job!

I eat Paleo but lower carb - no starch, no grains, no dairy, no sugar, no dried fruit, no legumes, only low sugar fruits once or twice a day and nothing with a carb content of more than 10% - so I eat butternut squash, carrots, swede, celeriac but no spuds, no sweet potato lots of salad, veg, and good fats. I eat 12 oz of lean protein a day. This suits my autoimmune issues, my gut problems and most thyroidless people tend to do better on a low starch / carb diet. However I can't budge an ounce of the 4 stone weight gain despite exercise. I am tired ALL the time. I seem to need to pee more. I have thyroid eye disease which complicates things but I do get blurry vision sometimes and dry eyes all the time.

I know about insulin resistance and once I was diagnosed with PCOS (but before the thyroid stuff started) I worked with a nutritionist and ate low GI. Although have had terrible sugar cravings (is this part of diabetes) and would binge on sugar, and then feel TERRIBLE. Huge thirst, very shaky etc. Never connected it to blood sugar. i also have systemic candida infection, so diet is part of treating that.

Anyway, a friend of mine who is an insulin dependent v serious diabetic has been nagging me about my sugars. So I bought a meter. Bearing in mind I eat very low carb, and I eat no sugar AT ALL, no juices, nothing with a high GI I'm wondering about my levels.

Fasting/waking BG is about 6.1 to 6.8
Pre meals is 5.7 to 6.4
2 hrs Post meals 6ish to 7.9ish
Bedtime 6ish to 7.7
Only been tracking a few days.

A couple of my thyroid forum buddies have PCOS and only really turned a corner once they'd sorted thyroid status AND insulin resistance with metformin. My diabetic friend (who now eats paleo and find it lowers her numbers beautifully) said that she felt these numbers were significant given my diet, and given I exercise (I crossfit four times a week, my coach is a metabolic conditioning expert and he's mystified why I'm still fat and knackered!) and do everything to tackle insulin resistance through diet. I dont smoke or drink alcohol.

I have an appointment with my GP booked and the nutritional medicine GP who helped me before but just thought I'd checkin here.

Thanks for reading

Rebecca
 
Yep. Your numbers are on the higher side of normal whilst being on that very healthy diet, so god knows what you'd be if you ate normally!

I also have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and despite a family history of T2 and blood sugar hitting 19.4 my GP thinks all is fine. Doctors need to realise PCOS is a major risk factor and Metformin may be of use to preserve your pancreas. Maybe more as a preventative measure because you are just about holding up below the damage level (7.8) now with the diet but what about later?My levels were more like yours only 6months ago for instance and I do a lot of exercise. Look where I am now. Things change, though I don't wish to scare you!

It helps that you at least see an endocrinologist who can advise further. I got absolutely no treatment or follow up. @_@

All is not lost, you haven't had any majorly concerning numbers just yet.

You are doing all the right things and I wish you well- keep it up! Keep monitoring and on your healthcare team to monitor your levels and stave off any progression of diabetes xx




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