Tag Archives: metformin

To Drug or Not to Drug…..

Posted in pregnancy by

I went for a follow up appointment today. Just your run of the mill, here is the medications you can take, here are some pamphlets and magazine articles to read, to do’s, don’t do’s and on and on. At one point the lpn  started to explain that at some point in the future I will need to take a glucose test. To which I think I might have audibly snorted. Glucose? I can already tell you that my body does a shit job of glucose management. So I asked her if there was anything that I should be doing to control my pcos…she scrunched her nose and said she didn’t know but she would go ask the ob/gyn. She returned a moment later with a smile and told me that no, there was nothing that I should be doing. I know in my heart that I need to do my own research, but sometimes it is just easier to listen to what the professionals say. So I relaxed a little bit. Maybe 15 minutes later on my way home the phone rings from the dr’s office. The lpn calls me to tell me that she realized I had been on Metformin and was going to encourage me to go back on it, at least until the 12 week (which is 3 weeks away).

 

So now I face the dilemma. Do I go back on Metformin? This means being sick because of the meds and being sick from pregnancy. It means dumping chemicals into my blood stream and into the blood of my forming baby. The effects to the baby have not been studied fully, some drs’ say stop as soon as you figure out you are pregnant, some say take it until you are 12 weeks and some encourage women to continue to take it throughout the whole pregnancy. What will happen if I start taking it again after being off for 3 weeks, will the change in blood sugars disrupt the fetus?

 

And if I don’t go back on to Metformin, will there be a higher chance for miscarriage? I already feel in these past few weeks I have lived a life-time with this little bean. And if I do lose it, I will always wonder….what if I had just taken the drug?  I can’t imagine losing it, I have already devoted enough ill feeling, low energy days to the cause. Will I develop gestational diabetes and need to take insulin?

 

Anyone with any advice is welcome to chime in, in as far as I have read it seems the general consensus is to take the metformin as the benefits outweight the risks. But we live in a drug crazy society, where the answer to everything is to take a pill, and I just can’t get behind that philosophy. I am sure that diet has a lot to do with it, and lately being unable to eat anything but high carbohydrates I have certainly fallen off the plan.

 

My intuition tells me to not take the drug and modify with a healthy diet. My dr. says otherwise.

Frittata with Red Pepper, Onions, Bacon and Goat Cheese

Posted in Eggs by

We have our milk delivered to our house by a local dairy. A milk man comes to our house in the middle of the night, and when you wake up there are beautiful glass bottles of milk. In addition to the milk, the dairy will also deliver cheese, butter, and eggs. For the past year or so I have been ordering eggs  bi-weekly from the dairy and last week was no different. Do you catch the irony? Now that we have a chicken that is laying an egg a day, I really have no need for a dozen eggs. Face to Palm.

So what do you do with a dozen eggs you can’t possibly eat in addition to the fresh eggs from the backyard? When life hands you too many eggs, make Frittatas. Now if you read my past post, you know I am not a fan of eggs but figured that if I loaded it with enough things that I did like I might not notice the dozen eggs.

Frittata with Red Pepper, Onions, Bacon and Goat Cheese

  • 12 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons half-and-half
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 3 ounces of bacon cut into small pieces
  • half a red pepper
  • 4 ounces goat cheese , crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1.  Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 5 inches from heating element; heat broiler. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until well combined, about 30 seconds. Set eggs aside.
  2. Render bacon until crisp. Add onions, red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt; reduce heat to low and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir half of goat cheese into eggs; add egg mixture to skillet and cook, using spatula to stir and scrape bottom of skillet, until large curds form and spatula begins to leave wake but eggs are still very wet, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to distribute eggs evenly; cook without stirring for 30 seconds to let bottom set.
  3. Distribute remaining goat cheese evenly over frittata. Slide skillet under broiler and broil until frittata has risen and surface is puffed and spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes; when cut into with paring knife, eggs should be slightly wet and runny. Remove skillet from oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking; using spatula, loosen frittata from skillet and slide onto platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

 

 And  you know what? I enjoyed it very much. And that is saying a lot from a girl that doesn’t eat eggs.
For anyone out there struggling with Metformin and the side effects: This morning I had another blood sugar crash at school. I decided to start documenting how I am feeling and the things I do to try and alleviate the symptoms.  I felt very very tired and lethargic, unable to concentrate. I felt nauseous, my stomach was upset and my back ached. I found a loose piece of hard candy, a mint to be exact, ate it and went for a very brisk walk.  I moved my arms and got the blood flowing and you know what? I was fine after that. I will try it again next time and see if the same  thing works and will let you know!