Hormonal

Over the past 6 months my endocrinologist has mentioned that I should ask my diabetes educator about this new stuff called symlin. She said it helps gets better blood sugars and helps lose weight. All I heard her say initially was you need to lose weight. I went home all distraught cause I was convinced my doctor thinks I'm a chubbo. Possibly, but how rude!

This week I had an appointment with the diabetes educator. I decided I would just ask, see what it is and then decide no thanks.

She seemed thrilled that I asked. Shes a real brutally honest kind of doctor and always pushes me about my blood sugars. Shes right to, I have terrible ups and downs at times, my A1C is nothing to be proud of and yeah, I could stand to lose some weight.

She pulls out all this info on it and dives in. She proceeds to tell me that it is not an insulin but a hormone. Research has recently discovered this hormone that the pancreas puts out. I do not make this hormone cause my pancreas don't make shit. This hormone, amylin, is so what I wish I had. Listen to what it does. It helps the food you ate move slower through your stomach after meals, lowering the amount of sugar released into your blood. It also sends a message to your brain telling it you are full. It also communicates with the liver and tells it send out less sugar. Without it, I digest too fast and I am never full. Well not never, but it really answers a lot of questions. Like why, why, why am I always hungry? It also explains the crazy high blood sugars I had after meals.

I initially thought I would not do this but now it was sounding so awesome. Not only would it fix all that blood sugar mess, it also boasts help losing weight. Since I will be full sooner, longer, I will be eating less calories. Wooooooooo Hooooooooooo!

So she said it comes in a pen, which is a prefilled cartridge of this stuff and you just change the needle every time. Yeah, its a shot, something I long gave up, but it seems like its worth it. I would take it before every meal. I am going to start with just breakfast and dinner.

The pen

Sounds so great right? Whats the down side? Well one is its a shot. The other is a strange one. She told me that the part of the brain that says "hey I'm full", is right next to the one that says "hey I'm nauseous, I might vomit". So I have to start out on a little amount and if I don't feel nauseous then I increase. I keep doing this until I reach the max amount. Some people can never get to that amount cause they will indeed vomit. Its not a lot, 10 units, but that means nothing to you I'm sure.

Anyway, I get some free samples on Friday and then I can get started. Its going to be a hard change, but I cant wait. Id be lying if I said I'm most excited about getting better blood sugars. Nope, I'm most excited to eat less and lose some frickin weight.

I will keep you updated on how it goes. I hope I don't vomit, I hate vomiting.

-Nina