Jo’s Cafe

I had a friend tell me the other day that the doctor told her she was insulin resistant, but not a diabetic. She was prescribed metformin (glucophage). Then I find out she also has Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). So I did some research and since the two are closely related to diabetes, I thought I’d put out some information on them.

Insulin Resistance Syndrome

Insulin resistance is an impaired metabolic response to our body’s own insulin so that active muscle cells cannot take up glucose as easily as they should. In that situation, the blood insulin levels are chronically higher which inhibits our fat cells from giving up their energy stores to let us lose weight. This disorder is associated with obesity, hypertension, abnormal triglycerides, glucose intolerance (syndrome ‘X” and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Many women with polycystic ovaries have this as well as women who have gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Up to 50% of patients with hypertension are estimated to have insulin resistance. The main problem is that this condition can exist unrecognized and metabolic damage can occur before a full blown Type 2 diabetes is finally diagnosed. Insulin resistant diabetics are 2-5 times more likely to die from heart attack or stroke than are non diabetics.

=> Read the rest of the article at the link above.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a health problem that can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. Women with PCOS have these characteristics:

* high levels of male hormones, also called androgens
* an irregular or no menstrual cycle
* may or may not have many small cysts in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs.

PCOS is the most common hormonal reproductive problem in women of childbearing age.

=> Read the rest of the article at the link above.

I am a Type II that is also insulin resistant, so I thought my friend was also a Type II, but I also have too much glucose in my system, which my friend doesn’t. She takes the metformin to assist her body in using the insulin she has. So, I was wrong Melissa — you aren’t Type II. She went to the doctor because she had lost 30 pounds (congrats) and stopped. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get any further.

Both articles are very informative. Read them if you think you or a loved one may have these conditions and then get to the doctor to be sure.