Let them eat cake (except Liz, she gets spinach)

Oy vey. There is a difference between knowing you should do something and being told to do so by a doctor, as I learned yesterday at my appointment: you feel more pressure to actually do it when told by a medical professional.

As previously mentioned, I am insulin resistant. That means that my body secretes extra insulin (apparently a LOT of extra in my case) to help break down glucose and stop my blood sugar from becoming too high. Again, she reassured me that I am not diabetic, as my glucose was in the normal range. In order to manage my insulin levels, I have been placed on a strict diet, exercise and medication regimen:

• No white flour products, potatoes, rice, etc.
• Carbs are OK only if they are whole wheat and high in fiber
• Sugars and sweets are off limits
• Only certain, less sugary fruits allowed (goodbye, watermelon and pineapple!)
• Lots of lean protein and veggies
• Eat every four hours
• 20-30 minutes exercise, 3x week

None of this is rocket science; it’s the way we should all eat in the first place. Only difference is that now I know the “bad” foods affect me more severely than someone without insulin resistance. The interesting thing to note is that insulin resistance and being overweight is almost like a chicken and the egg kind of scenario: being overweight can lead to insulin resistance and insulin resistance can lead to being overweight, etc. Even when I was skinny I had a horrible diet so I’m not sure which was first for me.

In addition to the new diet and added importance of exercising on a regular basis (btw, we’re rejoining the gym this week — ugh), I have started a medication called Metformin, which, along with the other healthy behaviors, can help lower insulin levels, increase your ability to lose weight and get rid of other factors related to insulin resistance like acne and cycle irregularities. I’ll be following this routine for about three months and during this time J and I are advised to continue to try and conceive on our own. Then, I’ll be retested and whether I need any additional fertility assistance will be evaluated at that time.

Keeping up with diet and exercise have always been a really hard thing for me to do, so support is key right now. Even yesterday when we were picking up stuff at the grocery store, walking past the bakery and all the cookies, cakes and pastries was painful. I can’t tell you how bad I wanted something ... anything! But that’s not to say I will cut out absolutely every sweet — it’s just not possible — because at some point, I’ll break and binge. So this week’s indulgence will be a Gigi’s cupcake for J’s birthday on Sunday. I am already salivating.

And the culprit is ...

Insulin resistance, as the doctor expected! I heard back from Dr. K’s office today and my initial blood work showed that to be the one problem that could be affecting our ability to conceive. I was relieved to hear that nothing more serious reared its ugly head.

The nurse explained that this is not diabetes, BUT it does put me at risk for one day becoming diabetic and chances that I will have gestational diabetes are increased. My body's cells have a diminished ability to respond to the action of the insulin hormone. To compensate for the insulin resistance, the pancreas secretes more insulin. Apparently that affects a woman’s cycle and all sorts of other stuff that can make getting pregnant more difficult.

I go in on August 4 to meet with a nurse to discuss some dietary changes (read: cutting out carbs and sweets) and get a prescription for a medication that should help regulate everything that is out of whack. I have heard that this medicine can also help you lose weight, clear up any blemishes and some other good stuff like that. Sign me up!

I’ll learn more about what exactly this means and how long before things should get back in the groove and we’ll be back to a high probability of conceiving naturally. I'm not sure how long they will suggest we continue trying on our own without luck before they search out any further issues. Let’s hope it ends up being as simple as getting on this medicine and changing some dietary habits so I can be happily impregnated in a few months!