Metformin

The medication I’ve just started for my insulin resistance is called Metformin.  I just started it about three weeks ago and didn’t know a lot of the side effects.  It was interesting, when I finally looked it up, to see that there were many more side effects than I’d realized.  Check it out:

Metformin helps to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It decreases the amount of glucose you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your body's response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Metformin is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood).

This medication may cause changes in your blood sugar. You should know the symptoms of low and high blood sugar and what to do if you have these symptoms.
You may experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) while you are taking this medication. Your doctor will tell you what you should do if you develop hypoglycemia. He or she may tell you to check your blood sugar, eat or drink a food or beverage that contains sugar, such as hard candy or fruit juice, or get medical care. Follow these directions carefully if you have any of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia:

·         shakiness

·         dizziness or lightheadedness

·         sweating

·         nervousness or irritability

·         sudden changes in behavior or mood

·         headache

·         numbness or tingling around the mouth

·         weakness

·         pale skin

·         hunger

·         clumsy or jerky movements

If hypoglycemia is not treated, severe symptoms may develop. Be sure that your family, friends, and other people who spend time with you know that if you have any of the following symptoms, they should get medical treatment for you immediately:

·         confusion

·         seizures

·         loss of consciousness

Call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):

·         extreme thirst

·         frequent urination

·         extreme hunger

·         weakness

·         blurred vision

If high blood sugar is not treated, a serious, life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis could develop. Call your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms:

·         dry mouth

·         nausea and vomiting

·         shortness of breath

·         breath that smells fruity

·         decreased consciousness

Metformin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe, do not go away, go away and come back, or do not begin for some time after you begin taking metformin:

·         diarrhea

·         bloating

·         stomach pain

·         gas

·         constipation

·         unpleasant metallic taste in mouth

·         heartburn

·         headache

·         sneezing

·         cough

·         runny nose

·         flushing of the skin

·         nail changes

·         muscle pain

Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any of them or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

·         chest pain

·         rash

Some female laboratory animals given high doses of metformin developed non-cancerous polyps (abnormal growths of tissue) in the uterus (womb). It is not known if metformin increases the risk of polyps in humans. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.
Metformin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
(this information was taken from PubMedHealth.com, revised April 15, 2011 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000974/)

Introduction: My Body is Trying to Kill Me

                I’m seriously a big fat mess.  There’s no other way to describe it (as much as loved ones try, which I truly appreciate).  I’m 28 and I’ve had some interesting things happen to me and I haven’t found the best way of dealing with them yet.  I’m not angry right now, but sometimes I do get that way.  I’m also not depressed right now, but I have issues with that as well.

                I’m starting this blog to be up front about everything.  I want this to be a place where I can lay out exactly what I’m feeling without being self-conscious; without worrying what others will think of how I say something or how I’m dealing with something at the moment.  I just want to deal with it.

                I also want to state right off that I know I’m not that only one going through crap. In this day and age, people go through mental and physical anguish all the time.  A lot of people have it worse than me.  Yet for my own safety, this is a place where I don’t want to have to beat myself down for feeling the way I feel and bitching about it occasionally because I don’t have it as bad as some people.  I want to be in the moment and work at what I’m feeling when I’m feeling it; not run away from it or act like, because I don’t have it the worst, that I’m not going through anything.  If you can’t handle it, then don’t read it.  This is the one place where I’m not going to care.

                For just a little background, here’s a list of the things I’ve gone through in the past…oh…three years.  These are all the things I’m going to be touching on (and possibly others, if they come up) in my posts.

-Hodgkins Lymphoma

                -Resulting in chemotherapy.

                -Caused weight gain (go freaking figure).

-Ectopic pregnancy

                -Resulted in a surgery to remove the still living fetus.

                -Resulting in depression and medication.

-Polycystic Ovary Syndrom (PCOS)

                -Resulting in blood test.

                -Causes high testosterone.

                -Causes weight gain.

                -Caused backed up periods and vaginal bleeding/cramps/tissue expulsion when exercising.

                -Causes infertility.

-Insulin Resistance (NOT DIABETES)

                -Causes weight gain.

                -Resulting in taking medicine to process sugars correctly, which causes weight loss.

                My family is full of different kinds of physical and mental medical mischief as well.  I feel bad for my husband having to put up with all of this and the cost of it all, but he is a peach and says that I’m worth every penny (what a sweetie, eh?). 

                So, there’s my background!  Welcome to the Whitney Lea Morse ride!