Insulin & glucose question?

Jello Jiggler · 12-01-2004, 03:02 PM

I went to the endocronologist to find out why I have been stalled for so long, I am tired all the time and my hair was falling out. I went specifically to have my insulin tested. In my discussion with the dr I thought I made that clear but when I got my results back I found out he did not test my insulin levels. My question is......My glucose was normal ( I hade a 2 hour OGTT).........Is it possible to have normal glucose but to have my insulin out of Whack and perhaps even Insulin Resistance? I know that DR. A encourages getting a OGTT WITH insulin. Why does he recommend the 5 hour, is the 2 hour not as reliable? I go back next week to see the endo and is necessary to push for the insulin test?
Thanks for any advice

Atkins_Nutritionist · 12-02-2004, 08:18 AM

First, let me clarify one comment you made. If your insulin is 'out of whack', it is likely not insulin resistance by what you described. Insulin resistance is when your cells don't recognize that insulin is the key that opens up the lock to let glucose into your cells. If your glucose is normal, than you are not insulin resistant. I am speaking very generally because I don't know your medical history. But if your glucose is normal, you can still have high insulin which could be caused by your pancreas putting out too much insulin.

If you are tired all the time and your hair is falling out, these are much more serious problems than only being stalled. Your endocronologist knows what he is doing, this is his specialty. He wants to find out what is wrong that is causing all this to happen. He orders tests to rule out certain diagnoses that he suspects could be the root of the problem. However, you do have the right to ask him to test your insulin.

Jello Jiggler · 12-02-2004, 10:52 AM

Would high insulin then be hyperinsulinism? And would that make losing weight difficult? My son's dr has used both terms Hyper and resistant with him so I am not sure what the difference is although I know they are different stages of diabetes. If my glucose is fine what benefit could testing my insulin have as far as diagnosing a problem? In other words if I have high insulin levels what symptoms would that create and what would the treatments typically be? I guess my question is If my glucose is normal although I have the right to have my insulin tested is it really necessary or would there be a point in it? I don't need to waste any more money if it is not necessary.
You would like to think that the Dr. knows what he is doing but I have had trouble with dr's who are working in there "specialty" being wrong in the past.
Thank you for your help.

Atkins_Nutritionist · 12-03-2004, 10:22 AM

Hyperinsulinemia means high insulin in the blood (hyper=high, emia=in the blood). That would make losing weight difficult. A person can be both hyperinsulinemic (pancreas may be putting out too much insulin) and insulin resistant (cells don’t recognize insulin, and don’t allow cells to take up glucose from the blood). These two things, along with the liver putting out too much glucose, are ways that diabetes can develop. They are not necessarily stage of diabetes, the diabetes may not have been developed yet, but if one, two, or three of these things gets worse, than diabetes can develop. Ways to keep it from developing would be weight loss and medications.

If your glucose is fine, you can still be hyperinsulinemic if your pancreas is putting out too much insulin. There may not be any symptoms specifically, but it could make weight loss difficult, and additionally if it gets worse, could lead to diabetes. Medications would be the treatment. These medications may be the same that people who already have diabetes take. Only you would be taking them for prevention and diabetics take them for treatment. I am saying ‘you’ in the general sense, I am not diagnosing you or suggesting that you should be on these medications.

I advise you learn to more about these conditions so that you know exactly what to ask your doctor and so that you understand how he replies. There’s lots of good info on the web, just make sure you go to a source you can trust. Here’s a good one:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/56/65902

inatic · 12-08-2004, 01:07 PM

I would ask him to run a FREE T3, FREE T4, TSH and the antibodies for thyoid disease.. fight tooth and nail for the above tests and accept no less or any variation of it. Also you might want to read the VERY, LONG, INFORMATIVE thread on thyoid disease..

Thyroid tests are normal?? Are you sure?

I bet you find some answers there

Jello Jiggler · 12-08-2004, 07:52 PM

Thank you Ileen. I have had my thyroid tested 3 times this year and all 3 times it was fine. I had total t3 and free t4 and my tsh tested. The only one not tested was my antibodies. I think I have been tested to death. I saw the dr today and he ordered more test. Wants to test me for PCOS and check my insulin. I will have to wait till the first of the year as I used up my lab allowance and as it is I already owe $300 for my last labs this year.
Thanks for the info.

inatic · 12-09-2004, 03:23 AM

Total T3 is NOT the same as FREE T3, which would plays the biggest role in metoblism.

My tests were all in normal range BUT my free T3 was low(and i had antibodies)

Hope you find the answers you search for.

12-01-2004, 03:02 PM	#1
Jello Jiggler MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,532 Gallery: Jello Jiggler Stats: 290.5/220.5/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 8/11/03	Insulin & glucose question? I went to the endocronologist to find out why I have been stalled for so long, I am tired all the time and my hair was falling out. I went specifically to have my insulin tested. In my discussion with the dr I thought I made that clear but when I got my results back I found out he did not test my insulin levels. My question is......My glucose was normal ( I hade a 2 hour OGTT).........Is it possible to have normal glucose but to have my insulin out of Whack and perhaps even Insulin Resistance? I know that DR. A encourages getting a OGTT WITH insulin. Why does he recommend the 5 hour, is the 2 hour not as reliable? I go back next week to see the endo and is necessary to push for the insulin test? Thanks for any advice __________________ Leah [size=2][color=DarkSlateBlue][font=Comic Sans MS] People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost. H. Jackson Browne, P. S. I Love You

12-02-2004, 10:52 AM	#3
Jello Jiggler MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,532 Gallery: Jello Jiggler Stats: 290.5/220.5/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 8/11/03	Would high insulin then be hyperinsulinism? And would that make losing weight difficult? My son's dr has used both terms Hyper and resistant with him so I am not sure what the difference is although I know they are different stages of diabetes. If my glucose is fine what benefit could testing my insulin have as far as diagnosing a problem? In other words if I have high insulin levels what symptoms would that create and what would the treatments typically be? I guess my question is If my glucose is normal although I have the right to have my insulin tested is it really necessary or would there be a point in it? I don't need to waste any more money if it is not necessary. You would like to think that the Dr. knows what he is doing but I have had trouble with dr's who are working in there "specialty" being wrong in the past. Thank you for your help. Last edited by Jello Jiggler : 12-02-2004 at 11:45 AM.

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12-02-2004, 08:18 AM	#2
Atkins_Nutritionist Nutritionist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atkins Health and Medical Information Services Posts: 684 Gallery: Atkins_Nutritionist	First, let me clarify one comment you made. If your insulin is 'out of whack', it is likely not insulin resistance by what you described. Insulin resistance is when your cells don't recognize that insulin is the key that opens up the lock to let glucose into your cells. If your glucose is normal, than you are not insulin resistant. I am speaking very generally because I don't know your medical history. But if your glucose is normal, you can still have high insulin which could be caused by your pancreas putting out too much insulin. If you are tired all the time and your hair is falling out, these are much more serious problems than only being stalled. Your endocronologist knows what he is doing, this is his specialty. He wants to find out what is wrong that is causing all this to happen. He orders tests to rule out certain diagnoses that he suspects could be the root of the problem. However, you do have the right to ask him to test your insulin.

12-03-2004, 10:22 AM	#4
Atkins_Nutritionist Nutritionist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atkins Health and Medical Information Services Posts: 684 Gallery: Atkins_Nutritionist	Hyperinsulinemia means high insulin in the blood (hyper=high, emia=in the blood). That would make losing weight difficult. A person can be both hyperinsulinemic (pancreas may be putting out too much insulin) and insulin resistant (cells don’t recognize insulin, and don’t allow cells to take up glucose from the blood). These two things, along with the liver putting out too much glucose, are ways that diabetes can develop. They are not necessarily stage of diabetes, the diabetes may not have been developed yet, but if one, two, or three of these things gets worse, than diabetes can develop. Ways to keep it from developing would be weight loss and medications. If your glucose is fine, you can still be hyperinsulinemic if your pancreas is putting out too much insulin. There may not be any symptoms specifically, but it could make weight loss difficult, and additionally if it gets worse, could lead to diabetes. Medications would be the treatment. These medications may be the same that people who already have diabetes take. Only you would be taking them for prevention and diabetics take them for treatment. I am saying ‘you’ in the general sense, I am not diagnosing you or suggesting that you should be on these medications. I advise you learn to more about these conditions so that you know exactly what to ask your doctor and so that you understand how he replies. There’s lots of good info on the web, just make sure you go to a source you can trust. Here’s a good one: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/56/65902

12-08-2004, 01:07 PM	#5
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 12,582 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/126.2 5'4 46!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LC since 2/02 B'building since 10/15/02	I would ask him to run a FREE T3, FREE T4, TSH and the antibodies for thyoid disease.. fight tooth and nail for the above tests and accept no less or any variation of it. Also you might want to read the VERY, LONG, INFORMATIVE thread on thyoid disease.. Thyroid tests are normal?? Are you sure? I bet you find some answers there

12-08-2004, 07:52 PM	#6
Jello Jiggler MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,532 Gallery: Jello Jiggler Stats: 290.5/220.5/135 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 8/11/03	Thank you Ileen. I have had my thyroid tested 3 times this year and all 3 times it was fine. I had total t3 and free t4 and my tsh tested. The only one not tested was my antibodies. I think I have been tested to death. I saw the dr today and he ordered more test. Wants to test me for PCOS and check my insulin. I will have to wait till the first of the year as I used up my lab allowance and as it is I already owe $300 for my last labs this year. Thanks for the info.

12-09-2004, 03:23 AM	#7
inatic Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alpharetta,Ga. Posts: 12,582 Gallery: inatic Stats: 182/126.2 5'4 46!yo 16/4 5 kidlets later! WOE: Coach Supervised Start Date: LC since 2/02 B'building since 10/15/02	Total T3 is NOT the same as FREE T3, which would plays the biggest role in metoblism. My tests were all in normal range BUT my free T3 was low(and i had antibodies) Hope you find the answers you search for.