SCARY! Read This!!

[Gonna Be HUGE]

Alright bros, for those of you who don't know, I am diabetic. Officially diagnosed late last year (November I think...). I am getting Humalog prescribed to me (I was using R before that just because, and NO the insulin wasn't why I turned diabetic, I have a whole family history of it). Well, because I am diabetic, and because I am heavy (230 when this happened), and because of my higher bodyfat (18% when this happened), I am VERY unsensitive to exogenous insulin. I have taken as much as 30-35ius of log and only barely could feel the onset of hypo which immediately went away with some sugar. Well, this is pretty rediculous, so I started researching ways to increase my insulin sensitivity and I came across Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). So I went to my local GNC and bought a couple bottles of the 100mg pills. I started taking them throughout the day (I think I took 3 or 4 before my insulin shot). When it was time to take my shot, I thought to myself that "oh, these little pills can't make that much of a difference, I'll just go ahead run 30ius again (which is what I had been running all week) and maybe I might actually feel a few symptoms of hypo... but I got 2 cans of pop, a candy bar, and 2 tubes of glucose tabs sitting here, no biggy...".

I was dead wrong. After about 45 minutes after the shot, I started to pour sweat like there is no tomarrow, my whole shirt was soaked. I started feeling my heart race, and body get really cold. My lips and tip of my tongue went completely numb and I started getting very faint. I pounded down the 2 cokes, candy bar, killed both rolls of glucose tablets, and ran downstairs and started chugging orange juice, ate 2 slices of bread and took my blood sugar reading..... 37!!!! I started panting harder, and feeling colder..... then I fell down and passed out! I woke up about 10 minutes later and felt a little better. I took my blood sugar reading again... 190. I guess it took the food a few minutes to digest and get my blood sugar rising. I took my shot today, only 10ius and still felt very light hypo symptoms.

Moral of the story: Alpha Lipoic Acid is VERY effective at increasing insulin sensitivity, and ALWAYS be careful with insulin as it is EXTREMELY dangerous even for people who use it every day with a prescription (me), there are still times that even we screw up and I am definitely not a newbie with this. I am lucky to be alive today. A blood sugar reading of under 30 and I could have had permanent brain damage, under 25 I could have died.

Just had to get that off my chest..... I feel better now. Bros, its a dangerous game. Don't ever underestimate the shi* we put in our bodies....... Later

[Psycoswole]

Glad youre ok bro

[Billy Boy]

Holy Cow!!

Glad you are OK

[PaPaPumP]

Glad you're still here brother. We need ya.

[TNT]

Glad to hear you survived, GBH! I'm afraid your story won't convince a lot of guys not to fuck with slin and ALA, but if it reaches even one person, you've done a great job.

A few quickie observations/questions. It sounds unusual to go straight from no diagnosis to insulin injections; did you do any oral diabetic meds prior to going on slin for medical reaons? And how's your HbA1C doing at this point?

Second, I realize that this question is obvious, but you never know . . . Do you see an endocrinologist? If you're clinically overweight, diabetic, and have done AS cycles, I hope you're touching base with an endo specialist and not just a family practitioner and that your doctor is hip to your cycles, which will have an effect on your glucose levels.

Final thought which might open a can of worms, but I can take it . . . Lose weight, bro! Once you've been diagnosed, you should no longer want to be "huge" - the price is too high. Seriously, take off some poundage, start on the cardio if you haven't done so, and you'll find that your glucose will improve big time. And, if you have been doing so, immediately stop using any supps that have ephedrine or pseudoephedrine - they zonk your sugar up big time.

I realize that you're only 21, but you know as well as I do that it's a pretty young age to be diagnosed with NIDDM. Most guys your age who are into working out want to be huge, but when something like this pops up, your priority should be maximizing your health, not the size of your bod (unless it's downward).

Now, the good news . . . Next time you see your doctor, if he or she hasn't yet done so, get labwork for total testosterone and prolactin levels. With your diabetes, weight, and insulin dependency, you may find your level low enough to warrant supplementation.

[Gonna Be HUGE]

TNT,

It sounds unusual to go straight from no diagnosis to insulin injections; did you do any oral diabetic meds prior to going on slin for medical reaons? And how's your HbA1C doing at this point?

First of all, I have been diabetic for almost 9 years. I guess I worded my message wrong. I got diagnosed as insulin -dependent late last year (meaning I need exo slin). And yes, I was on an insulin like pill (I don't have the container anymore, so I can't tell you the exact name... but gluco- something, maybe glucophage?). I don't recall my HbA1C at this time, next trip to the doc, I'll get it for you if you are interested.

Second, I realize that this question is obvious, but you never know . . . Do you see an endocrinologist? If you're clinically overweight, diabetic, and have done AS cycles, I hope you're touching base with an endo specialist and not just a family practitioner and that your doctor is hip to your cycles, which will have an effect on your glucose levels.

Actually, no. I know I should, but I just can't bring myself to fess up to a medical professional about AS use. My overweight problem wasn't bad until my last two cycles. I used to be able to keep bf around 10-13%. I am cutting as we speak and expect to see myself at 12% by march without too much problems. This means I have already layed on the cardio hard and cleaned up my diet. Now I am just waiting for the weight to come off (and it has, I am down from 245 last post-cycle).

Final thought which might open a can of worms, but I can take it . . . Lose weight, bro! Once you've been diagnosed, you should no longer want to be "huge" - the price is too high. Seriously, take off some poundage, start on the cardio if you haven't done so, and you'll find that your glucose will improve big time. And, if you have been doing so, immediately stop using any supps that have ephedrine or pseudoephedrine - they zonk your sugar up big time.

See above. Also, I don't really like running ephedrine products as they make me feel like shi*. I am on clen and t3 right now though, although I take ketotifen so I don't have to cycle off the clen to an ECA. Maybe I should drop the clen?

Thanks a lot for your concerns. It feels very reassuring to see someone with a good knowledge of what I am going through. If you can think of any other advise to give me, please do. I am very open to criticism and improvement. As for AS, I don't think I can stop as I am addicted, but I haven't had any problems yet (on fourth cycle) that directly are influenced by my diabetes.

Oh, I almost forgot...

Now, the good news . . . Next time you see your doctor, if he or she hasn't yet done so, get labwork for total testosterone and prolactin levels. With your diabetes, weight, and insulin dependency, you may find your level low enough to warrant supplementation.

I already tried that, and my test levels naturally are at the upper limit of the normal range. HOWEVER, my growth hormone levels are almost below the acceptable range, and my doctor told me if it drops further, he may have to prescribe me growth!

[Scorpion]

I'm glad you're okay and wrote about your experience here. This is the kind of posting that people need to read before taking certain supplements or any gear. We should all be aware of any pre-exisiting conditions we have and any medications we take before we supplement with anything. We should all do as much research as we can and consult a doctor if possible.

Being asthmatic, I'm aways careful before taking any ECA products. I take no more than half the dose because my asthma medicine exacerbates the effects of an ECA supplement.

Since many of us are self-medicating, we rely on posting boards for dosage-advice. But also remember that we should always factor in height, weight, age, experience, AND any medicines we might be taking for ANY illness.

[heavyonly]

That's some scary shit, glad to hear you're doing O.K.

Thanks for posting your experience, this kind of information is very valuable to the rest of us.

[Boston]

Glad your ok bro... at least we know some of the things we buy at GNC actualy work!

[CYCLEON]

good advice

[Cali]

Glad to hear you made it through that!! My grandpa had diabetes but I don't know which kind...but I have a question, if there's diabetes in my family is it a risk to use clen /t3? I've used the clen two weeks/eca two weeks and the t3 I used in a pyramid from 1/2 tab to 2 1/2 and back to 1/2 now for the last couple days of the cycle.

[RUSSIANBEAR]

Glad to hear you are ok. I had a cousin who died from his blood sugar going extremely low no one was around to help him.
Take care of yourself bro and whenever you feel like that make sure you have someone there to look out for you.

[Gonna Be HUGE]

Cali, clen and t3 shouldn't be too much a problem. Its the ephedrine in the ECA that can cause blood sugar problems in diabetics. I am actually not too sure what it does, I don't use it for other reasons. Maybe TNT can explain this better? If you aren't already diabetic I wouldn't worry about it.

[gixxerboy1]

Gonna be huge i know how you feel. I've been daibetic for 14 years. I really have a hard time telling if im hypo also. Last week i felt alittle hypo so i figured id test. I was 34 thats the lowest i've ever been. Well i started getting faint and couldnt get of the bed to go get something good thing my girlfriend came in. She went and got my stuff. I really dont rember much of that part i rember her crying thinking i was going to die. Be careful bro and if you ever have any question let me know maybe we can help each other out since we are in the same boat

[scruffy]

glad to here your ok

[Cali]

Originally posted by Gonna Be HUGE
Cali, clen and t3 shouldn't be too much a problem. Its the ephedrine in the ECA that can cause blood sugar problems in diabetics. I am actually not too sure what it does, I don't use it for other reasons. Maybe TNT can explain this better? If you aren't already diabetic I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks! I really am glad to hear you're ok. That had to be scary. I was kind of freaking just reading it...

[Jarhed]

Dude, I'm glad you are ok. Thank you very much for the scare.

(Jarhed makes mental note to never, NEVER, EVER fuck with insulin !!!)

[Gonna Be HUGE]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I just hope my experience will help the rest of us realize that these drugs we put into our bodies shouldn't be taken for granted. They are very dangerous if misused or abused, and could cause your life. So everyone, be careful!