[BeyondtheRainbow]

I have been taking metformin (Glucophage) for a year to help control my weight. A year ago when I started it my fasting blood sugar was a little low so my doctor was cautious about using it.

I had fasting blood sugar done a few weeks ago and it was high even with the metformin. Not so high that we're panicking but high enough to earn a diagnosis that means pre-diabetes and more labs in a few months. I was already dieting on a basically diabetic diet so I just have to keep that up and increase my exercise and I'll have done all I can do.

I'm trying to stay calm until the next labs since I'm definitely doing my best. but I'm scared. Lethal diabetes runs on both sides of my family and all 3 of my father's brothers died of it. I was high risk and monitored for it before bipolar or I ever touched an AP and I'm at the age where my family is diagnosed.

What happened when you were diagnosed? Did they stop the AP? Were they willing to work with you?

[raspberrytorte]

I don't know, rainbow, but that sounds scary! I hope everything turns out okay. Big hugs.

[Northchild]

Zyprexa gave me diabetes, (or sped up the process of me getting it).

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Are you still on the zyprexa?

[AspiringAuthor]

Risperdal made me pre-diabetic. Luckily I noticed it early enough to switch to Geodon and my sugar went back to normal. Geodon presented a TD risk and also I was not sleeping enough, so I am now on Seroquel. We will see what it does to my blood sugar.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Oh yeah, and I can't really switch APs. I've been through all the atypicals that I can afford and tried a typical but I've had big problems with EPS and my pdoc doesn't want to risk another typical. Plus clozapine works for me better than anything else and it took 14 years to find that so taking it away would be devasating.

This is going to be so tricky......

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm the odd duck here. I was diagnosed with diabetes a year before being diagnosed with BP. For some reason I've been able to lose almost 100 lbs. even on Zyprexa, and my A1C is perfect. I was taken off metformin about 6 months ago and my average fasting blood glucose is 88 (normal range is 70-99). Of course, I'm sure the weight loss is responsible for my success in getting rid of the diabetes, but I also don't drink soda anymore or even eat much in the way of sweets, which helped with the weight loss in the first place.

I’m all over the board today with this, but anyway, try eating a low carb diet! My a1c was over 9 and it dropped below 7. My doc put me on the diet

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Originally Posted by key tones

I’m all over the board today with this, but anyway, try eating a low carb diet! My a1c was over 9 and it dropped below 7. My doc put me on the diet

I already am. I started it just about 2 months ago. It's not as effective as it might be because trying to lose weight on clozapine is extremely difficult. I'm losing about 1.5 lbs per week but this week maybe nothing. I am working on increasing my exercise.

Glad it worked for you! Hope it does for me with longer usage.

[stopchewinggum]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

I have been taking metformin (Glucophage) for a year to help control my weight. A year ago when I started it my fasting blood sugar was a little low so my doctor was cautious about using it.

I had fasting blood sugar done a few weeks ago and it was high even with the metformin. Not so high that we're panicking but high enough to earn a diagnosis that means pre-diabetes and more labs in a few months. I was already dieting on a basically diabetic diet so I just have to keep that up and increase my exercise and I'll have done all I can do.

I'm trying to stay calm until the next labs since I'm definitely doing my best. but I'm scared. Lethal diabetes runs on both sides of my family and all 3 of my father's brothers died of it. I was high risk and monitored for it before bipolar or I ever touched an AP and I'm at the age where my family is diagnosed.

What happened when you were diagnosed? Did they stop the AP? Were they willing to work with you?

I've heard that you are less likely to get diabetes from clozapine than from the other APs in the first place, and if it's the only one that works for you I'm not sure they CAN take you off it. I think you said you have a family history of diabetes? Is that true? The thing with these meds is that, yes, weight gain from them can increase the possibility of getting diabetes. However, if you have a family history, there is good chance, no triggering intended, you were going to get anyway. I'm no doctor. I can't restate that enough. You may just have to work harder than the average person, and you may have to take more diabetes medication than the average person. I've seen people on both APs and insulin, for example. Switching would be ideal, but if you can't, you can't. Plain and simple. Be your own advocate here. Whatever you do don't drink any alcohol. Monitor your blood sugar like your getting paid for it. Remember your PREdiabetic that's not nearly the same as being diabetic.