The spectre of diabetes recedes somewhat

[randy_byers]

My mother just learned that she may not have diabetes after all. Her blood sugar had gone down far enough that she stopped taking Metformin a month ago, and her blood sugar has remained low since then. The doctor now thinks that the spike in blood sugar may have been the result of a low level bladder infection. All things considered, a much preferrable problem!

As Mom said, "Medicine is a practice." The subject-line of her message: "Bring on the Crown Royal!" Well, let's hope the understandable thirst for whisky isn't making her over-optimistic.

Comments

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Not unlike blood pressure medications, I've seen stories that the drugs companies in the US have had a lot of luck persuading doctors to pescribe diabetes medication to people with what, a few years ago, would not be high blood sugar levels. It makes more money for them.

Even then, most diabetes type 2 can be controlled through diet and, I understand, if you're overweight, you'll frequently, through diet get the pancreas to recover and lo! technically you're not going to be diabetic anymore.

Not, probably, that you were in the first place.

Similarly, they're calling 120/80 "pre hyper tensive" and suggesting people take blood pressure medications. Typically my bloody pressure lurks around the 140/70 to 130/80s ranges, and, while, I almost certainly will need beta blockers at some point in the next few years (if the family is anything to go by) it's probably not worth medicating me at the moment. Unless, I were to move to the US...

D'oh!

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm so glad that I'm livin' in the USA
You'll need beta blockers if you're livin' in the USA ...

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

Antidepressants are also being prescribed for more and more general conditions. The same thing for Lipitor.

Randy: Glad to hear your mom's not diabetic!

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

My doctor definitely pitched Lipitor as a sort of preventive maintenance. And yeah, I'm glad my mom doesn't have diabetes to worry about on top of her thyroid problem.

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

Knowing how heart disease works, I'd be tempted to put Lipitor in the water supply!

But steer clear of the beta blockers. Latest studies are showing they don't do much in helping reducing the risk of heart disease, and may in fact increase it. As well as reduce exercise tolerance, muck around cholesterol and blood sugar.....There are much, much better blood pressure meds out there these days.

[(Anonymous)]

Have to say it's nice to have an actual medical doctor reading this LJ! (My doctor made the same crack about putting Lipitor in the water supply.)