Blood sugar levels urgent matter
Dear Dr. Gott: I was just diagnosed as having type II diabetes. I am a female, 57 years old, and as far as I know there is no history in my family. I weigh 155 pounds, and I am 5 feet 3 inches tall. My blood results are glucose, fasting, 135 and hemoglobin A1c 6.8.
I am presently taking Coreg twice a day and triamterene/HCTZ once a day to control my blood pressure. I also take Zocor once a day.
Since I found out about the diabetes, I have started taking cinnamon, chromium and magnesium, which were recommended by my doctor. I have committed to a low-carb, low-sugar diet to help get my blood sugar down. My doctor has prescribed metformin, but I have read about the side effects of this medicine and am not sure I want to begin taking it. I have none of the symptoms of diabetes, and I feel great. I am exercising to the extent of riding a bicycle anywhere from five to 10 miles at least every other day. Do you feel I have any chance of lowering my blood sugar by doing everything except taking metformin? I am concerned I will feel worse after taking the medication. What are your thoughts? I read you column daily and would value your opinion about my predicament.
Dear Reader: Permanent heart, kidney and eye diseases are accelerated in people who have diabetes, even a moderate case such as yours. I strongly urge you to take the metformin under your doctor’s advice. If you can bring your blood sugar into a normal range, you might be able to avoid the complications I mentioned. If the exercise, cinnamon, diet and metformin lower your sugar to the normal range (fasting less than 110), you might then stop the metformin as an experiment.
To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Living with Diabetes Mellitus,” “Hypertension” and “Understanding Cholesterol.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 for EACH report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
Dear Dr. Gott: My husband and I are always at odds when I tell him he should take his medication with water or juice instead of with a sip of hot coffee. He feels it all goes down the same way, but he will abide by your response.
Dear Reader: Medicine can react in strange ways with what we eat. For example, it should never be taken with grapefruit juice. I am not aware of any interaction with coffee, however, so I believe that your husband is right on this one.
Nonetheless, it’s probably safest to take medicine with plain water. In this way, people can avoid unusual reactions with edibles – and you and your husband can pay attention to more important issues.