Hello,
For the last two years I've been trying to convince doctors that there's something wrong with me. They've dismissed me either by trying to put me on anti-depressants or just telling me to lose weight first, then we'd address my other problems. By problems, I mean:

• Inability to lose weight even with frequent exercise (I went to the gym for 5 months 4-5 times a week and only lost 4 lbs in 5 months and I don't eat hardly any junk/fast food or drink)
• depression/moodiness/extreme mood swings/irritablity
• inability to focus at work and home/can't remember things
• fatigue
• frequent urination
• total loss of sex drive
• achy joints
• sinus/allergy problems (even in winter)
• throat pain
• low immunity (I had colds and sinus problems almost entirely from January to the end of April. I would feel better then go back to the gym, where I believe I would pick up more germs and start all over again)

About a month ago things started getting worse and my emotions were really beginning to take over. I called to try to make a dr. appt and when they couln't get me in for 3 weeks and almost cried on the phone... that's how bad it was. Anything would set me off at that point so I made an appt. with another dr I hadn't seen before.

I had 28 or 39 symptoms for thryroid problems and I was armed with my checklist of thyroid symptoms and the last 6 years of health fair (blood test) results. My good cholesteral was low, my bad cholesterol was high, my trigycerides were high and my blood pressure is moderately high but I don't smoke and I'm moderately active.

I went to my appt that day ready to be put on thryoid medicine and become normal again. When the doctor told me he thought I had metobolic syndrome (aka syndrome X) I had a complete emotional breakdown right in his office. He asked me to trust him, so that's what I'm doing. He gave me a prescription for anti-depressants to get me back onto a level that I could cope with things and also gave me something for anxiety with instructions to lay off the high carbs and we'd talk more later.

He then scheduled me to come in for a 3 hour glucose (challenge) test just to be sure. And, sure enough, I have insulin resistance. I started at 91 after fasting for 12 hours (normal) then jumped to 141 (hour 1) then to 128 (hour 2) then dropped to 68 (hour 3). I've done a lot of searching online about insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome and everything makes perfect sense. Since then, my mom gave me the book, "The Carbohydrate Addicts guide to heart Health" (by Keller... and someone) and I've met with a nutritionist.

I feel like a completely different person. I think I might have even become halfway decent to be around now. The biggest change I've made had been to not eat anything high carb by itself. I still eat high carb foods, but ONLY in combination with about the same amount of protein. This keeps my body from over producing the insulin that's been causing me so many problems. So far I've lost 7 pounds in the first two weeks, my moods have stabilized, I can focus, my body pains are gone, I'm happy and I don't have to pee ALL the time. My sex drive... well, it's coming around a little more all the time, getting friskier by the day... my lucky husband.

I've been tired this week so, by advice from the Carb Addicts book, I'm cutting about diet pop for 4 days. That could also stem from the hectic 2 weeks I've had around graduation last weekend, but I have a feeling by the time this weekend rolls around I'll be doing even better yet!

If this helps even one person to get out of the nasty insulin resistance cycle I was caught in then it's worth it. Good luck and take care of yourself!

Tina