July 16, 2005
Diagnosis and Symptoms, Type 2
Question from Columbus, Ohio, USA:
Twice in the past year, I have joined a health/wellness program to lose weight. Each time, I overhauled my eating and exercise habits and gained weight each week. My dietician finally suggested I get tested. My family doctor took blood tests which showed I was not yet diabetic, but referred me to an endocrinologist.
It took four months to get that appointment and I was told I was insulin resistant, but there was nothing the doctor could do. I have since taken a fasting glucose test but have no results yet. So, now a total of six months have passed since I saw my family doctor, which seems an extreme time to wait if there’s a problem.
Does insulin resistance equal diabetes and are there things one can do?
Does this sound like standard operating procedure for an endocrinologist or should I seek a second opinion?
Any thoughts on seeking opinions from a naturopathic doctor?
Answer:
I have a few thoughts for you. First and foremost, did the endocrinologist also check your thyroid function? Depending on your blood work, it may be helpful to try a medication called metformin which could reduce the insulin resistance and your weight. Why don’t you talk to the endocrinologist about this or perhaps get a second opinion?
JS
