In the spirit of the June Challenge...warning female issue!!!

[Missy]

I'm taking up the challenge to learn about diabetes and menstruation!...sorry guys...:(

I noticed that my blood sugars "spiked" along with my cravings during my 10 day's worth of pms this past month...and all of the symptoms that it entails.

Since tracking my blood sugar is new to me, I thought I needed to learn about the correlation between these subjects.

So, the first site I found was this:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-management/DA00005

Perhaps I need to contact my Dr? Perhaps I may need to adjust some medication during bad pms's till I get my body in line?? ~ perhaps this is only SOME months???

I'd greatly appreciate anyone else's experience or knowledge or guidance on this issue??

[Mitra]

I'm sorry I can't help with any knowledge, but I think it's a great subject to research. Since many women have trouble with weight control around the menopausal years, you may find that books/sites focussed on that have some info about hormones and blood sugar control. I'll look forward to hearing what you can dig up.

[cmcole]

Don't know if this is any help - haven't read them in any depth

http://www.project-aware.org/Experience/perimenopause.shtml

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/menopause/a/premnhorbal3050.htm

http://www.heartspring.net/perimenopause_symptoms.html

http://www.johnleemd.com/store/premenopause_chp.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=search&db=PubMed&term=Premenopause

http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/lifestages/premenopause/index.shtml

http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/A_Menopause_phases.htm

http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Cancer-Weekly/2002-10-22/102220023334CW.html

[Billie]

Grreat going Missy and wow CMCole what a lot of sites to visit! That's exactly what I was hoping for, responses, question and lots of information. You guys rock!

[Missy]

Thanks Cmcole....I checked out your links..and those are mostly about hormone replacement...which, of course is a related subject to what I'm trying to pin point....but I did read through those sites "briefly" and didn't see anything specific to menstruation and diabetes. So, I "googled" it..and found these:

http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/centres/diabetes/reproductive/menstruation.html

http://health.ivillage.com/diabetesthy/di/0,,8rfdkbhc,00.html

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?SID=2&AID=522&SSL=n&TID=50&page=4 ~ this one had loads of information about the whole "cycle" of events! I linked this to page 4 of this site due to it directly relating to this subject...but the whole article from page 1 is well written.

Heck...this last link...I like their whole site for information on diabetes:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/index.cfm?sk=9AAM

This one (below) is quite interesting...but I don't completely understand it? :o

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/409544_14

These are some that I came accrossed that I had the time for today. I'm pleased with myself rationalizing that this too is a "connection" that I need to figure out for myself in my situation..and get a better understanding about it...so I can ask further questions to those people that can help me, help myself...ie, my Dr. and my Compounding Pharmacist! ~ but...how do you know how to ask for help till you understand that something is going awry?

Yes, the more I read, the more I want to make sure I do a better job "tracking" myself by writing it all DOWN to analyze! :D

[Missy]

Today I went and picked up this months prescriptions for my hormones..progesterone capsules (that I take day 11-28 of my cycle) and naltrex, ergocalciferol and metformin cream that I take daily. And while I was there, I asked to see the owner/pharmacist man that has been so helpful to me in the past. He's the one whom you sit down with intically to have him go over your extensive blood values and analyzes a rather large packet of information you fill out about your "symptoms" of pms. This happened a year or more ago, and I haven't needed to speak to him additionally...till today.

I asked him several questions..I explained that I was on PP and asked if he was familiar with it? He was..and thought it was a great plan. :D I figured he would, as he and my family Dr seem to get along well, and share information freely with one another. Anyways, I asked him about my "pre"diabetes situation and that I've been learning more about that..and insulin resistance...and that I've been taking my blood glucose numbers for a few weeks, and range between 102 and 115 most of the time...BUT during PMS I noticed it would go to 125-127 range, and my cravings would kick in. He said the best "range" is between 90 - 110...with 90 being "optimal"...even though he said HIS wasn't at 90...but that I'm doing good....and during my pms we can help my body do better with the progesterone.

He said that we could "up" my progesterone for the last "week" before my cycle begins...and see if that curbs the cravings. Right now, I take 100mg of progesterone days 11-13 of cycle, then 200mgs 14-28, and his suggestion is to bump it up to 300mgs days 21-28!:D He said the difference for me is due to the fact that fat has alot of estrogen in it, and I'm "dumping" alot of it into my system...therefore keeping me out of balance therefore causing the swing during pms. I think I got that right from him? But, I'm going to look up this information to make sure I got that right and/or learn more? Seems to make sense to me???

That's what the cravings are about....due to the fact that my body is responding....it's going out of balance during pms time.

He's also going to contact my Dr. about adding a suppliment, and I forgot what he said it was...HCLD?? or something??? (I have this detail wrong! sorry.) To boost my metabolism....COOL!!! I'll take whatever HELP I can get!!!!

I also asked him about the ammonia smell to my urine that I continue to have happening to me..and he just shook his head and said, yep, that means your on the right track, and your body is burning up fat!!! :D Even though others here have responded to me on this very issue....to talk to another independent source helps me to just relieve my mind.

I love my compounding pharmacy....such wonderful, helpful, informative people there!!!

[banshee]

I've read in a lot of places that there is estrogen stored in fat and when you start losing weight/fat, that estrogen gets dumped into your system as the fat is broken down. Of course, at the moment I can't remember exactly where I've read it.

[Missy]

I had read that too Banshee...but somehow it always hits home greater for me 'listening" to someone knowledgeable explain it too, you know?

It certainly makes sense why this would get me out of balance as I'm losing...and explains why my second month I had vicious cravings that I didn't experience in the first month. Anyways, I'll be curious to see if I can remain in control on the 300mg days?


At the time I wrote the last post above...I wasn't clear on this:

"He's also going to contact my Dr. about adding a suppliment, and I forgot what he said it was...HCLD?? or something??? (I have this detail wrong! sorry.) To boost my metabolism....COOL!!! I'll take whatever HELP I can get!!!!"

I couldn't for the LIFE of me figure out what it was he said at that time....so I called and asked again what he said...it was DHEA. And I had forgotten about his additional suggestion of iodine. I live near the great lakes in Ohio..and I've also read places that I live in the "goiter belt" and that our soil is known to be iodine deficient?...I don't know if that is truthful or what...but I find it interesting that I live here...and I have a goiter problem. Or did have.


Anyways, I just wanted to clarify what I miswrote.