Insulin Resistance, thyroid, hypertension, and more ..

Hello,
I am trying to get some suggestions for treating insulin resistance. I am 45 year old female, currently in the US (of Indian

background).

I was recently given metformin to help with insulin resistance, but the side effects are too much to bear (nausea, fatigue,

sore aching muscles all over). With a strong family history of diabetes on both sides of my family, and the fact that I am

currently overweight and unable to lose the weight, I really need something to help with preventing the onset of diabetes

while I find solutions to my other issues.

First, some of my other health background issues:

1) Hypothyroidism (Hashimotos) diagnosed 18 years ago after the birth of my 2nd child. Levels have been stable on synthroid

(T4) alone according to my primary physician. They did, however, add provigil (a narcolepsy medication) to help with my

constant fatigue. But my new endocrinologist seems to think we can increase my T4 and add T3 to see how it can affect my

issues (extreme fatique, inability to lose weight). This adjustment is currently in process

2) Hypertension. Diagnosed off and on for about 15 years, put on medication (lisinopril) 10 years ago. Toprol added as

needed for rapid heart rate. Endocrinologist has also added calcium channel blocker recently. Under control, however ...

had an odd situation: I quit smoking about 3 years ago (after 25 years). Even though I exercised fairly frequently before

then, i noticed after that i would have a quick fast rise in heart rate after starting activity, and a VERY slow decline in

heart after stopping activity. Saw a cardiologist for this, he increased my toprol, and that seemed to help the problem. A

year later, I no longer take the toprol, and the rapid heart rate no longer seems to be an issue.

3) Weight management - has always been an issue for me, but I have usually managed to get weight off when needed, until the

past year or two, where everything seems impossible. I have tried all types of diets, all types of foods, many levels of

calories. nothing seems to take the weight off. Weight is pretty much distributed through the whole body (wouldnt say that

it tends to go to one area or another)>

4) Have been on depo-provera (now stopped 5 months) for the past 9 years.. Doctors say this has supressed my hormone levels,

and they are retesting in jan to see how they look. Because of this they are not sure if my hormone levels are abnormally

low, or due to the depo. My bone scan also came back with bone loss, again not sure if this is due to the depo or other

issues

5) Back- though not necessarily related, had a back issue, which I am fairly sure originated from an injury, causing trauma,

and then causing disc herniation. In treatment of the pain for this (one year ago), i was given several rounds of cortisone

shots, which caused a weight gain of 25-30 pounds, which I have not been able to get off. This is increasing my health

issues, and I am unable to get the weight off no matter what I try. One of these discs had broken and damaged the nerve

going to my leg, causing muscle loss. Without knowing this, I took a step and had a severely sprained ankle (which is still

inflamed a year later). Still working on regaining muscle endurance (strength seems to be significantly better) in my right

leg.

6) Sleep Apnea, diagnosed a year ago, and have been put on a machine. Was told it would most likely go away if I lost

weight. Also have recently had a deviated septum corrected which will hopefully help with the issue as well.


In the past, I was treated for Guilliam Barre Syndrome (my endocrinologist also seems to think I may have immune system

issues, which seems to make sense given my history). I have been (recently) tested for HIV, and the results are negative.

As a child, into college, I had severe stomach pains, which were cured with xantax, but have not had any issues since then.

As a child, I also had asthma, but I believe they were related to one particular house which we lived in at the time (no

other issues outside of that house). Seasonal allergies in the spring, and occasionally the fall.

Allergic reaction to Zyban (smoking cessation medication) after taking it for about 2-3 months, with hives, itching and

inflamation.

Other current symptoms include
- very small comfortable temperature range - get cold very quickly, cant stand too hot (causes dizziness and heart

palpitations)
- VERY hungry when waking up in the morning, regardless of what I ate the night before, or when. Often I wake up

just to get some food, sometimes even in the middle of the night. This had stopped when I was taking the metformin, but is

coming back now that I am no longer taking it. Not so hungry the rest of the day, but starving in the early mornings.
-

- tired always, particularly in the afternoons, often ready to nap
- high LDL, I can get it down a bit with extreme diet modifications, but it goes up quick with any high cholesterol

foods.
- tendency to have low iron counts, have often needed to add iron supplements, currently taking slow fe
- tendency for hyperpigmentation
- not too many issues with acne, even as a child, but had some acne breakouts when I had added DHEA supplements (from

what I read it might have been too much dhea)
- tendency for water retention, particularly in legs.

I see a few other questions on some of the posts, so let me answer those as well:

- Mind-Anxious : pretty easy going, very little anxiety. Have alot on my plate, but try to break it down into lists and work

through it all. Working to try to simplify responsibilties

- Aggravation & Amelioration : was difficult to wake up in the mornings, but that seems to be better, even thought I am still

tired and could still turn around and go back to sleep. Extrememly fatigued by afternoon, often need to take a nap.

- What mental sufferings / feelings do you have associated with your physical sufferings. Frustrated because I have so much

to do, and I am always tired. Also, I know that more exercise would help with all aspects, but I am often too tired.

- Describe your general mental set up? Are you Moody, Arrogant, Mild, Agreeable Changeable, Nervous, Suspicious, Easily

offended, Quiet, Arguing, Irritating, Lazy etc.
not really moody, though I can be when extremely tired: moody and easily annoyed. pretty mild, agreeable changeable.

sometimes suspicious, but not in general,


- How do you feel before or during a thunderstorm?
Generally I do not have issues, but there was one storm where I believe there was a quick change in pressure that

caused a severe headache. I also scuba dive, and the change in pressure can sometimes cause issues, as well as a plane

descent. Sinus medication seems to help with this

- Are you sensitive to external stimuli like smell, noise, light etc?
not really

- Do you have any typical habit or gesture like nail biting, causeless
Weeping, talking to one self etc?
not that I can think of ?

- What do you crave for in food items and what are your aversions?
dont crave sweets often. And if i do, one bite is sufficient ( i generally keep a few low glycemic sweets around). Instead

crave salty, spicy, flavorful. No aversions really ?

- How is your thirst: Less, Normal or Excessive?
normal to excessive, depending on body hydration levels I beleive

- How is your hunger: Less, Normal or Excessive?
this can also vary from less to normal, often not excessive i believe

- Is there any kind of food which your body can’t stand?
not that I am aware of

-Is your sweat normal or less or more? Where does it sweat more: Head, Trunk or Limbs?
I have always sweat alot. I think I sweat more now due to medications. i think the sweat is most on the head and

trunk. I have also noticed that the sweat is different during times that I would have a period (but since i havent had one

for a long time, I do not notice it that often).

- How is your bowel movement and stool type? varies from one extreme to the other, I think usually dependent upon the foods I

have eaten

- How well do you sleep? Do you have a particular posture of sleeping?
This has also varied quite a lot lately. A few months ago I was not able to sleep at all, constantly would wake up,

and wouldnt be able to go back to sleep (this happened for about 6-9 months, progressively getting worse). I started taking

DHEA (just one month), which helped, but then I stopped taking everything to check all my actual hormone levels, so the sleep

has no longer been an issue. Sometimes i get up to go to the bathroom (1-2 times max). Otherwise I tend to sleep well. I

tend to sleep on my side, normally left side, but lately right side due to some muscle pains, and that sleeping on my right

side helps with stretching out the muscles.


major diseases in family:
- allergies (mother side)
- diabetes (mother and father)
- heart issues (mother, but mostly father)
- metabolic syndrome (father)
- thyroid (father)
- pancreas (mother)