Slow and Steady

Life with Diabetes sucks. At first, I only felt thirsty and sluggish. Otherwise, I felt okay. Normal even. Then, I started the Metformin. I was prescribed to take 500mg once daily for two weeks and then twice daily starting on week three. My doctor wanted to ease me into the medicinal regimen since Metformin tends to wreak havoc on the digestive system. I took the drug as prescribed, and I fortunately didn't have any issues. My blood sugar also didn't drop below 200.

Frustrated, I talked with my doctor. I didn't feel bad but I knew fasting blood sugars over 200 weren't good. My doctor decided to increase my dose, and I started taking 2,000mg of Metformin daily. At first, I didn't notice the change. Then, about two weeks into the medication change, my stomach turned upside down and fell out my butt. It didn't matter what I ate or how much I ate. Everything made me sick.

Everything is STILL making me sick. Now, I don't even want to eat. I think about food and my stomach starts rolling. I talked to my doctor and he explained that his goal is to drop my blood sugar levels over time. He wants to control the reduction and keep it slow and steady. He explained that any doctor can plummet blood sugars to the right levels, but that is a shortsighted approach. Slow and steady is the answer because this is not a 50 yard dash, but instead a neverending marathon.

The problem is I hate running. Always have, and that might never change. I've also had a very passionate (and rather slovenly) love affair with food. But that's all over now, and that's not something I ever thought I'd say. My lips might still love food, but my stomach is a total hater. Hopefully, that will get better. You gotta walk before you can run, right?

Now, I'm trying to increase my water intake, which is a challenge since I hate water. I've stopped drinking milk, cut out the white stuff (sugar, bread, most dairy, rice, and pasta), and am doing my best to get my wide load moving. For maybe the first time in my life, I'm not focusing on weight loss. Instead, I'm focusing on nourishment and energy. And it's made me realize that maybe this little pony has a little race in her after all.

So, here's to slow and steady.