Keeping blood sugar under control while on Zyprexa...

[netsavy006]

I know I have another thread on Zyprexa but I figure these issues are separate entities.

What I'd like to know in this thread is:
(w.o meter)
What can I do to help monitor my blood sugar while on Zyprexa so I don't get the spikes so that I may not get the high blood sugar that comes with taking the medication?

I ask because I'm already predisposed due to family history and if I can monitor my blood sugar, I might have a good fighting chance.

Thanks,
Andy...

[BlueSky]

You can get a blood glucose monitor and test your blood glucose, after meals. But what will you do if your blood gluose goes up? You could stop taking Zyprexa, but you may find that the the high blood glucose stays. Stopping Zyprexa when blood glucose is high is a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted. It makes more sense to find an alternative medication that doesn't cause insulin resistance, and to do that now.

[netsavy006]

Makes since, but I've tried other medications and they weren't as helpful. I've tried Depakote and they couldn't stabilize the blood levels, and I'm already on another mood stablizer (Topamax). It's just unfortunately not enough to control the mood swings anymore. That's part of the reason I'm on Zyprexa. I also take it for visual hallucinations. I tend to see bugs on the floor for example or spiders on the walls, or I see things/people walking past my peripheral vision and there's nothing there. So, I know I need some form of antipsychotic medication to help control something like that.

I spoke to my doctor a long time ago about how often the tests are done on her part for the blood sugar monitering and she said once every 6 months. I'm comfortable with that but I don't have the money to buy a meter and test myself. That's why I ask if there are things I can do that don't require the meter to help keep my blood sugar from spiking.

[yannah]

get a meter, get the cheap walmart meter and take your fasting blood sugar 2 x a week.

I have diabetes from zyprexa. I gained 70 lbs on zyprexa and got diabetes.

you are in a tough spot, I have been there, I also have bipolar with phychotic symtoms.

are you gaining wieght from it?

how long have you been on it?

havn't seen your other thread, I will go look.

[netsavy006]

This is my 2nd time taking Zyprexa Zydis. I started it again on 2/19/2009. I was having problems stabilizing on other medications. The other atypicals were all causing other side effects so now I'm back to this one. At least the only side effect I remember from this one was weight gain. I had gained 24lbs in a 6month period last time and that was back in 2007 when I was on the drug.

I wasn't active the last time I took it. I was just from the bed to watching TV most of the day to being on the computer, to back to bed, to following the same routene the next day. At least, I'll be more active this time so I won't be like that this time.

Here's some of my stats:
I'm male, 148lbs, 5' 8", average build, non-athletic

[yannah]

Have you tried verapimil? it is a calcium channel blocker.
it is working for me.

I would not want to see bugs, I understand where you are at with this. try the zyprexa, if you feel it is helping, I am not sure it ever helped me, but make sure your phychiatrist is checking your LIPIDS!!!! as well as your blood sugar, liver enzymes. zyprexa can cause a metabolic problem called syndrome x - I have that too.

have you tried lithium?

they all have bad side effect potentail. if your fasting blood sguar is 100 or over, there is a problem. my phychiatrist told me 108 fasting as normal, it is not. I have diabetes.

If you feel you have tried everything, and this is working,
then if I were you I would move forward, reduce my carbs, excersize, monitor my wieght and get a meter. the gaining wieght and diabetes thing is NOT uncommon with this med.

afford the meter, it will be ten bucks. if you don't have insurance the strips will be more, but I would only use them 2x a week fasting. they would last a long time.

let me know if I can help further.

and remember, this is just my opinion.

[netsavy006]

Well I've had blood work done just last month and my psychiatrist informed me that my blood work is all "within normal limits" whatever that means. I assume that means that my blood glucose is fine. Of course that's not a fasting blood glucose, but they told me Oct 27, 2008 that my fasting blood surgar was 93 I think so I'm still ok for the moment but that's pre-Zyprexa. Like I mentioned I haven't been on it that long and I do plan on asking the doctor when I see her about the lipid testing because I saw that on the website for Zyprexa.

Also I've been on antipsychotic medications (including a 6month Zyprexa history) for a little over 2 years now and my blood sugar has been fine.

The only thing is how can I limit my carbs without it affecting the rest of the family. My mom is the one who does all the cooking for the family.

Here's my daily meal:
AM: cereal (store brand corn flakes or something similar)
PM: sandwich (either cheese or peanut butter and jelly) or somethin else if there is something else available but usually the sandwich
Dinner: Is whatever Mom cooks for the evening. I can't tell her to make something different for me. I know it's for my health and I make her aware that Zyprexa does carry the diabetes and lipid warning so she does modify my plate a bit so I guess that helps.

Thanks for helping me and I hope I'm not going in circles with this but I want to make sure I'm getting things right.

[yannah]

If you had diabetes I would suggest a huge limit on any carbs,
but you don't and are just trying to stay healthy.

so i would eat healthy, i would not eat processed food, I would not eat much white food (pasta, white bread, rice, potatoes) I would eat some whole grain. I dunno, I am not much of a dietician, but I would do some healthy lifelstyle changes. maybe go look at the ADA guidlines, or the Glycemic index. but if you ever have diabetes, chuck the ADA guidlines.

get active.

and I wouldn't rely on my phychiatrist to monitor blood sugar every 6 months. that is not enough. because with zyprexa, if you get a rise, and catch it, it is possible to fix it. not always.

again, this is just what I would do, this is just my opinion, good luck.

it is a bad med, and I wish you didn't have to take it. but I know the choices you are looking at. and you are smart to be asking about this on a forum. I trusted my doctors, and kept my head in the sand, that did not work for me.

at diagnosis, my AC was 10.5, my blood sugar in the 300-500 range. they missed the diagnosis and didn't test me again for months, by then it was too late for me. I didn't get to make an informed choice.

[netsavy006]

Well the big problem is I have money in the bank but I have bills I have to pay with it. I have credit card bills that I have to pay because of the over spending from when I was in my manic highs (pre-dx). One of my credit cards has almost $2,000 left to pay off. While the meter may be $10 and easy to obtain, I can't keep charging the stripts. It might be wroth saying here that I'm a recent college drop out. I don't have employment right now so I'm just relying on what little bit of money I have left to cover the bills that I'm getting from month to month.

I do get Social Security and SSI but that goes to Mom to cover the Rent, Gas/Electric, and the phone, plus the monthly expenses for my care. Luckily thanks to medicare savings program, I have 3 insurances that will pay for my prescriptions so I have a very small copay on my medications that I currently take.

Plus I'm trying to get a forbearance on my loans and one I can't figure out the paperwork. It's all just getting frusterating.

I know I shouldn't give out so much info on a webforum but I wanted to let you know the situation on why I can't afford the meter and strips right now and learn of other ways of keeping myself in check.

Thanks for all your help and I'll be sure to follow a balanced diet and excersise as best I can. I have the yoga stretches and the walking that I do each day so I know that will help keep my weight in check.

[yannah]

well, if your blood sugar rises, the strips would have been a good investment, i wish I had it to do over again.

Andy- good luck to you. even if you are diabetes free, you can message me anytime.

I give out all kinds of info on this forum!!! these people know me better than Mom. :)

again, good luck with everything. phychosis is no fun. keep your chin up, I have found a way to get through life and have a part time job now. it took me yeeeaaaarrrsssss I know, but I did get to a good point. of course that could change at any moment, but you know how it is, stay in the moment, right?

[netsavy006]

have a part time job now.

I don't think I'd be able to handle a job right now. I'm still going through anxiety and restlessness/akathisia from the Abilify still being in my system and I tried to get a job a short while ago and didn't get one anywhere. I'm a rapid cycling bipolar 1 patient with mixed episodes. It makes things more difficult because I continously cycle. At least on the Zyprexa @ the right dosage it stops. That's why I took the plunge to go back on it when I found that my other meds weren't working very well. (I use to be on 7 or 8 medications in total prior to my last hospitalization last month and they weren't working very well).

Also, getting a job could affect the benefits I get because that means I have to report I'm working and I have to send in my pay stubs monthly to Social Security and they may take out a portion from my check so I don't really get ahead by working. And I may risk loosing one of my insurances if I work and I don't want that to happen either if I get a job because that one insurance is all I have to pay for one of the meds I'm on and I don't have the money to pay for it out of pocket.

I know I'm making it more and more difficult to get support but I'm just trying to explain my situation as best I can. In addition to being Bipolar 1, I have Asperger's (a milder form of Autism) and a history of anxiety/panic attacks. So all this together makes things very, very difficult.

I hope I can get some more help now that I've explained a little more. I will talk with the doctor when I see her about the Zyprexa and diabetes/lipid risks and see what she has to say about it. I hope it's something positive and I hope to get back with you. Keep the feedback coming as I do read and do my best to absorb the information that I am receiving.

Thanks again for all the advice and assistance you've given me thus far.

[myfranz]

I know I have another thread on Zyprexa but I figure these issues are separate entities.

What I'd like to know in this thread is:
(w.o meter)
What can I do to help monitor my blood sugar while on Zyprexa so I don't get the spikes so that I may not get the high blood sugar that comes with taking the medication?

I ask because I'm already predisposed due to family history and if I can monitor my blood sugar, I might have a good fighting chance.

Thanks,
Andy...

Hi Andy,

If it were as easy as stopping the med we with bipolar or schizophrenia or another MI would have done that a long time ago. I have been all the anti psychotics but for me it was seroquel that pushed me over the edge-800mg/day.

No one would suggest going off a cancer drug, and out disease is just as deadly.

Here is my suggestion as someone with bipolar and diabetes and a nurse for 30 years. Ask your Dr about going on
glucophage to prevent diabetes--a prophylactic measure. Psych docs are even putting children on glucophage as a prevenitive for diabetes and the wt gain from the psych meds.

To see this talked about in black and white check out... http:
//www.psycheducation.org (http://www.psycheducation.org)

This site is all about bipolar, is extensive in info and is written by Psychiatrist Jim Phelps, a **** of a guy! Search metformin or glucophage (same med) and you will find good info with references/citations.

Good luck a year or so after my diabetes diagnosis I insisted my internist double my glucophage dose. To late to prevent but I got a better hold of that demon.

[myfranz]

I know I have another thread on Zyprexa but I figure these issues are separate entities.

What I'd like to know in this thread is:
(w.o meter)
What can I do to help monitor my blood sugar while on Zyprexa so I don't get the spikes so that I may not get the high blood sugar that comes with taking the medication?

I ask because I'm already predisposed due to family history and if I can monitor my blood sugar, I might have a good fighting chance.

Thanks,
Andy...

Hi Andy,

If it were as easy as stopping the med we with bipolar or schizophrenia or another MI would have done that a long time ago. I have been all the anti psychotics but for me it was seroquel that pushed me over the edge-800mg/day.

No one would suggest going off a cancer drug, and out disease is just as deadly.

Here is my suggestion as someone with bipolar and diabetes and a nurse for 30 years. Ask your Dr about going on
glucophage to prevent diabetes--a prophylactic measure. Psych docs are even putting children on glucophage as a prevenitive for diabetes and the wt gain from the psych meds.

To see this talked about in black and white check out... http:
//www.psycheducation.org (http://www.psycheducation.org)

This site is all about bipolar, is extensive in info and is written by Psychiatrist Jim Phelps, a **** of a guy! Search metformin or glucophage (same med) and you will find good info with references/citations.

Good luck a year or so after my diabetes diagnosis I insisted my internist double my glucophage dose. To late to prevent but I got a better hold of that demon.