Have You Heard of Symlin?

I am hearing a lot about this new drug for diabetics called Symlin. I first heard about it from one of my diabuddies, but wasn’t sure of how I felt about it right away. Then we had another group meeting and another diabetic is now going to go on Symlin. I decided to look more into it. Apparently, this new drug helps you to gain better control of your glucose levels and also helps the promotion of weight loss. It sounds fine and dandy, and I mean the doctor is prescribing this, how bad could it possibly be? After looking into it on the computer and talking to people who are currently on Symilin, I might want to consider talking to my doctor about this at my next appointment.

To be honest, the fact that this drug helps with weight loss has me sold. It’s not that I am looking for an easy way out, I have been working hard to lose the excess weight I put on with the pump, but have not seen the results I should be seeing. I have cut down the amounts of food I eat, how often I eat out, and have tried to up the healthier options on the menu. Along with changing my eating habits I have also been going to boot camp and running for a little over a year and a half now. Don’t get me wrong, I am finally seeing some of the results, but not quite as drastic as I should be. What this drug does, is helps a diabetic feel full! Can I get an AMEN! My diabetes group and I talk about how we can just eat and eat and eat. Not to be glutinous, but because for some weird reason our bodies just don’t register that we are full which makes it easier for us to eat more food, more calories, and so on.

Then, when I spoke with a friend who uses it she mentioned that some of the pros to using Symlin have been that it reduced her insulin intake by a third, was very helpful with controlling her appetite, and it lowered her sugars. But her cons were that it is an expensive product, she had a lot of lows in the beginning, as well as it made her nauseas. The nausea thing makes me hesitate about Symlin. I don’t do well with nausea and it’s the first listed side affect on with product. Could it be that it’s not controlling her diet after all, could it be that you just feel too sick to eat? I wonder.

Another thing I would like to talk to my doctor about this this product is could this be something to help me get my chaotic numbers under the tight control I need them to be when I decide to start a family (I know awkward, I hate talking about it). But for most diabetics, when you decide to get pregnant or start thinking about getting pregnant you need to have an A1c around 6%, you have the strictest diet of your life (thank you diabetes for ruining the one time I can eat the most random things), need to check more often then normal. Maybe this drug would be helpful when I get to that point in my life. It’s worth discussing right?

I am still trying to decide how I feel about this drug, so far, the two cons that are making me hesitant are the nausea and the costs. Living with diabetes is expensive enough adding another expensive drug might not be the way to go. But better blood glucose control and weight loss are the two pro’s that are making me seriously consider it. Look, I take care of myself I have a good A1c, not a lot of crazy high’s or low’s, but my numbers are not always in that perfect straight line the achiever inside of my lusts after. What are some of your thoughts on this new drug?