Well, it's kinda depressing to see the BG numbers starting to reflect my having come off of Metformin. My good sense knew there was a very high probability this would happen, but my questionable sense held onto the hope that we actually caught my Diabetes and got it in control quickly enough that maybe my body would have forgotten that it was suppose to have Diabetes. I mean, I've seen people post things in discussion boards to the effect of "use to have Diabetes" or "once had" and such as that. And, every time I would see this I thought to myself that this/these person/people are delusional. All of the medical information I have read says that there is NO cure for Diabetes. That's the part my good sense was always referring back to. But I guess my questionable sense kept pushing it's naive wonderings (yeah, that may be one of my made up word) in there by saying that maybe, just maybe that really only applies to Type 1 Diabetes since that seems to actually relate more to a non-functioning pancreas whereas Type 2 Diabetes seems to relate more to an insulin resistance (and I will disclaimer here: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, REGISTERED DIETITIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. THAT STATEMENT IS SIMPLY MY THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS, MISALIGHNED OR NOT, REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN T1 & T2 DIABETES). But anyway, my questionable sense kept saying that maybe, just maybe, if caught early enough, and quickly gotten in control, T2 could actually reverse and the body's cell would actually accept and use insulin correctly again.
Well, I reduced my Metformin last Monday to 500mg per day. I took the last 500mg dose Sunday morning. I am not taking any Metformin at this time . . . and my BG numbers are starting to show it.
Good Sense knew this was a possibility, so why does it make me feel depressed when I see it in my meter? I sure wish Questionable Sense would not be so naughty!!
Showing posts with label hair loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair loss. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
#Diabetes - Day 215
I have been having an awful lot of hair loss since being put on Metformin. Now, none of the literature that comes with Metformin says hair loss is a side effect, but if you search "Metformin and Hair Loss" on the internet you will finds tons of discussion boards where many many people have this same complaint.
I pretty much decided that if I have to choose between my health or my vanity, I will go with my health. If I lose all my hair I will just buy a wig and move on. Heck, I could buy two wigs and have fun with the second one by going completely different than what my hair color really is.
Well, that's all well and good, but there is another issue with this massive hair loss . . . I can no longer go in the kitchen and prepare a meal without constantly removing hair as it visibly drops off my head. It is very annoying. And even though hubby and I both know it is clean hair, really, who wants o pull hair out of their food - clean or not?!?!?
I thought I would have to get a hair turban and before going into the kitchen just wrap my head in a turban and change to a clean shirt, but I also thought my BG numbers are all so good - some almost too good, like a BG89 an hour and a half after lunch on one occasion - that I thought I would just call my doctor and see about getting off the Metformin for a while and see if the hair loss backs off.
Doctor's office of course suggested perhaps it is the thyroid and not the Metformin. Lets check that first. No problem - all it requires is a vial of my blood and a little time out of my afternoon to run down there.
Done.
And, as a bonus, when I was at the doctors office he had the front desk send me up for a quick look at me and another weight check (lost another 3 pounds - not super great, but considering I had seriously neglected my exercise schedule during the summer while grand-kids were in and out (my justification - they came and went on different days so I was thrown off the "Monday - Friday then a weekend" concept and half the time I wasn't sure what day of the week it was.)). Anyway, I digress, back to the doctors office . . .
He agreed that my number control had been very good and that I could come off the Metformin and we would see how that went. (Day 211)
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon - The nurse called to tell me that the thyroid test was negative. She said they look for a number between 0 and 4 and my test was a 2 - smack dab in the middle.
Now that thyroid is ruled out the only culprit left is the Metformin. Monday I reduced my daily dosage from 1000mg per day to 500mg per day. I have about 10 tablets left in this prescription and as soon as these run out I will be down to no Metformin at all.
I realize it took a few months to build up the Metformin to the level that caused the hair loss, so likewise it will take a while for the hair loss to return to what would be (at least in my opinion) normal.
Now the bigger task at hand to to be even more vigilant in my diet & exercise adherence to be sure I keep my glucose numbers in check. I really want to be able to keep this in control without going back on Metformin, or any meds, for as long as possible. *crosses fingers*
I pretty much decided that if I have to choose between my health or my vanity, I will go with my health. If I lose all my hair I will just buy a wig and move on. Heck, I could buy two wigs and have fun with the second one by going completely different than what my hair color really is.
Well, that's all well and good, but there is another issue with this massive hair loss . . . I can no longer go in the kitchen and prepare a meal without constantly removing hair as it visibly drops off my head. It is very annoying. And even though hubby and I both know it is clean hair, really, who wants o pull hair out of their food - clean or not?!?!?
I thought I would have to get a hair turban and before going into the kitchen just wrap my head in a turban and change to a clean shirt, but I also thought my BG numbers are all so good - some almost too good, like a BG89 an hour and a half after lunch on one occasion - that I thought I would just call my doctor and see about getting off the Metformin for a while and see if the hair loss backs off.
Doctor's office of course suggested perhaps it is the thyroid and not the Metformin. Lets check that first. No problem - all it requires is a vial of my blood and a little time out of my afternoon to run down there.
Done.
And, as a bonus, when I was at the doctors office he had the front desk send me up for a quick look at me and another weight check (lost another 3 pounds - not super great, but considering I had seriously neglected my exercise schedule during the summer while grand-kids were in and out (my justification - they came and went on different days so I was thrown off the "Monday - Friday then a weekend" concept and half the time I wasn't sure what day of the week it was.)). Anyway, I digress, back to the doctors office . . .
He agreed that my number control had been very good and that I could come off the Metformin and we would see how that went. (Day 211)
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon - The nurse called to tell me that the thyroid test was negative. She said they look for a number between 0 and 4 and my test was a 2 - smack dab in the middle.
Now that thyroid is ruled out the only culprit left is the Metformin. Monday I reduced my daily dosage from 1000mg per day to 500mg per day. I have about 10 tablets left in this prescription and as soon as these run out I will be down to no Metformin at all.
I realize it took a few months to build up the Metformin to the level that caused the hair loss, so likewise it will take a while for the hair loss to return to what would be (at least in my opinion) normal.
Now the bigger task at hand to to be even more vigilant in my diet & exercise adherence to be sure I keep my glucose numbers in check. I really want to be able to keep this in control without going back on Metformin, or any meds, for as long as possible. *crosses fingers*
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