Posted by mtdewcmu on May 4, 2011, at 11:51:16
In reply to Re: Mirtazapine and blood sugar » mtdewcmu, posted by Dinah on May 4, 2011, at 7:55:30
> I have diabetes and have been researching it recently.
I am truly sorry to hear that. What a pain, and what a burden on your mind it must be.
> I'm not sure if I remember what I've been reading, but I think that insulin resistance is a major cause of weight gain as the body doesn't properly metabolize the glucose. One sign of insulin resistance is a big belly, particularly if that's not your previous body type.
It's a sign of metabolic syndrome. I'm not sure what it says specifically about IR.
A basic explanation for what insulin and glucagon do is that insulin is a major anabolic hormone, meaning it builds up (fats, and proteins, and other body structures), and glucagon is a major catabolic hormone, meaning it breaks down (fats, glycogen, etc). So if you favor having lots of insulin around, it tends to make you gain weight.
> I also think I remember that not everyone develops diabetes with excess food consumption.
It's not very well understood what causes type II diabetes. For obvious reasons, you can't do an experiment where you ask a group of people to eat too much for 20-30 years, and another group to eat a moderate amount for 20-30 years, and see what it does to diabetes rates. Even though a lot is said about it at present in a confident tone, there is a sore lack of proof. I will consider it a major breakthrough if/when the pathophysiology of type II diabetes and insulin resistance becomes well understood.
The proof that not everyone with excess food consumption develops diabetes is simple. Start asking fat people who are old enough if they have diabetes, and as soon as you find one who says no, you have proved it.
> It depends on your genes. Does your family have a history of diabetes?
One of my grandfathers died of complications of diabetes. Fortunately, I don't think he developed the disease until he was in his 80s, or nearly so.
> If so, it might be wise to be extra careful. I'm really iffy on this part, but I think that even nondiabetics with the gene for diabetes have a difference in their mitochondria and glucose processing.
>
> I've also gotten a continuous glucose monitor this year, and it's clear that stress and anxiety is worse for my blood sugar than *anything* I eat. In periods of high stress, even with diabetic medication, my blood sugar hovered at 200-300+, while in low stress as now, it runs from 120 to spikes of over 200 depending on what I eat.That's interesting. I haven't seen a continuous glucose monitor.
Your blood sugar spikes are due to adrenal stress hormones, especially cortisol.
>
> So I'd be tending to say that, for me, stress and anxiety may play more havoc with my blood sugar than what I might take to lower stress. But I could be wrong, even about myself. And certainly about others with different genes.
>You're right. Any effect of Remeron is probably peanuts compared to stress and other factors.
> Do you have a meter? They finger stick kind are pretty inexpensive, and would give you a practical idea of your blood glucose under various conditions.
I'm not going to start pricking my finger :). I had the opportunity to try it in nursing school, but I chickened out. But in a different frame of mind, I probably could do it.
Real psych patient. Not a real doctor. Contact a doctor for medical advice.
40mg citalopram, 20mg ish d-amphetamine, 15mg mirtazapine
poster:mtdewcmu
thread:984165
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110502/msgs/984539.html