I know that you guys are not doctors or anything, but you seem to know a thing or two about insulin resistance...so here goes.

(I would go to the dr. very soon, but insurance is an issue for me, and I am trying to work it out)

1) I was born 9.5 lbs to a mother with gestational diabetes
2) I have been very over weight my entire life (peaking at 265 at the age of 19) while eating generally the same as my slender peers
3) I had/am having a really hard time losing weight...and the only thing that seems to work is having almost no carbs.
4) I become really really enraged if my blood sugar drops too low...I mean like murderous!

Could Insulin Resistance be a possibility?
I intend to go to the Dr. as soon as possible, but what type of Dr. should I go to?

Thanks for all the help ~Sara

It's hard to say.. I recommend you find a good endocrinologist though.

Sounds like you fit the criteria. An endocrinologist is the ultimate choice, but a good GP or even an ob/gyn can help. Gynecologists are pretty familiar with it because insulin is a hormone, and it runs along with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (which shares the same symptoms as you mentioned, along with a lot of others). They can do bloodwork for it. Good luck!

Thanks Jennifer, I know a little bit about PCOS too...and I don't think I fit the criteria...I don't have any abnormal hair growth, I have a relatively flat belly, and I do not have acne. I do however, have a general depressed mood, and terrible painful and irregular periods when I am not on the birth control pill.

I don't have PCOS, but I do have insulin resistance (suspected by my gp, and confirmed by an endocrinologist after a glucose tolerance test).

I have very regular periods (but only 24 to 25 day cycle) and extremely heavy, long and and painful periods (8 to 9 days, 3 days of very heavy bleeding and cramping, and severe PMDD - hubby would call me werewolf) unless I'm on birth control.

I also have extreme difficulty losing weight on even very low calorie diets. Only on a diet low in calories and carbs result in any weight loss at all, it seems.

I don't know if the hormonal stuff and the insulin resistance are related, but it does seem than many women who have problems with one have problems with both.

Thanks for the insight Kaplods! It seems like we have a lot in common...I am def. going to the endocrinologist as soon as I can afford it. Are any of you on any medications for IR? And if so, do they seem to help?

I'm on metformin ER (ER for extended release). Only 500 mg, which I understand to be a low dose.

I don't know whether or how much it helps with the weight loss. After I first started taking it, it did seem to help the first few pounds come off easier, but it hasn't been dramatic for me to be sure. Of course, I don't know how much weight I would have lost if I never took it, so it might be helping and I might not be realizing it. It certainly doesn't seem (to me anyway) to result in any effortless weight loss.

However, it has worked in getting my blood sugar levels down to the normal range. My doctor says that has health benefits, with or without weight loss.

I lost my appetite (for a short period) when I started taking it, but I wasn't exactly nauseous. Many people do experience nausea though when they first started taking it (hubby is diabetic and takes a much higher dose) and he was extremely nauseous for the first couple weeks (the doctor kept assuring us that the nausea would go away, but it took about 2 weeks. The first week was the worst).

Sara...there is a really good book The Insulin Resistance Diet by Cheryle Hart MD, that has alot of really good information.

Money being an issue you can go to your GP first and at least get the prelim testing done. Fasting blood glucose higher than 100mg/dl, waist girth higher than 35", blood pressure greater than 130/85 and HDL cholesterol over 50 are the 4 big indicators, then more testing can be done but there is no one test that is used for diagnosis. IMO its the best place to start.