disorder and medicine ~ not so good news for Diabetics

Asoformin; Avimet; Conformin; dibimet; formet ; Glumet ; Glyciphage ; Glycomet ; Insumet ; Metformin ; Metlife ; Obimet ; Omet ; Walaphage and more………  most likely that you can identify what this is easily as many Indians are buying this daily……..  For decades, patients have managed their type 1 diabetes by injecting themselves with insulin to regulate the glucose in their blood. Initially it was painful ~ now there are fine needles available, still…….. it never is a happy state of affairs…. They say Diabetes is not a disease but only a disorder – howsoever you name it, one has to simply live with it… it is killing mentally ~ as you cannot eat what you want to and would start feeling that the whole World exists to eat ! and you are denied that pleasure.  Injecting insulin addresses the immediate danger of low insulin levels.

Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced.   Untreated, diabetes can cause many complications. People would immediately start advising on remedies and the way to control (without ever having to control by themselves) ……. Some fruits are often written as possessing magical wonders.  The fact that there cannot be a simple remedy and one should alter their lifestyle, engage in physical activity and have a diet pattern that suits the individual.  

This is no post on the ‘disorder’ but something interesting on ‘medicines’ and their effects :

Alcohol isn’t the only substance that could get you in trouble behind the wheel — your medication could put you over the limit, too. In UK, a Department for Transport study found drug driving (due to legal or illegal drugs) was responsible for up to 200 fatal accidents every year. From next month, new legislation will set limits for certain prescription medicines, such as the painkiller morphine, and drugs for anxiety or insomnia, such as diazepam, clonazepam, oxazepam and temazepam.

 Experts warn that many motorists are not aware that seemingly innocent over-the-counter drugs such as hay fever remedies can also have an effect on driving and get you into trouble with the law.  It’s already illegal to drive if your reactions are impaired by medication — the new law is designed to bring drug driving into line with drink driving, with clear limits on prescription medications.  The message is loud and clear - Just because they are legal and widely available, if taking them affects your driving you could end up with points, a fine, disqualification from driving or even worse if you have an accident.’

Over-the-counter medicines to treat diarrhoea may cause drowsiness as a side-effect.  This is linked to the ingredient loperamide — found in products such as Imodium — which slows down the digestive process.  Anti-allergy drugs are divided into sedating and non-sedating medication. Nearly one in seven motorists who has taken cold or flu medication containing codeine has suffered side-effects, such as lethargy, behind the wheel, according to a 2014 survey by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Codeine, a painkiller, can slow reaction times and has been linked to low concentration levels and blurry eyesight.  The anti-depressant amitriptyline is routinely prescribed for chronic pain, such as severe arthritis or a trapped nerve.  However, the drug can affect nerve receptors in the eye, causing blurred vision.

If that is not enough, this report in TOI is sure to frighten you more -    Metformin  is an oral antidiabetic drug.  It is the first-line drug of choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in particular, in overweight and obese people and those with normal kidney function.  Metformin works by suppressing glucose production by the liver.  The TOI report states that prolonged use of frontline blockbuster diabetic drug metformin can lead to side effects, including reduced mental abilities, depression, breathlessness and extreme fatigue.

A latest government-funded study on Indian population shows the drug triggers deficiency of vitamin B12 leading to neuropathy and microvascular complication and in the absence of regular nutritional diet and supplement, patients can suffer serious side effects. According to doctors and researchers, Vitamin B12 deficiency is common among Indians, who are mostly vegetarian or do not have animal products as part of regular diet. “Intake of metformin further reduces the absorption of Vitamin B12. A prolonged B12 deficiency can cause mental disabilities, slowness, forgetfulness etc,“ Dr Atul Gogia, research author and consultant, Internal Medicine at Ganga Ram Hospital said.

While metformin is the first drug prescribed to more than 90% of type 2 diabetics, doctors say there are over 500 brands of the drug available in various combinations.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

25^th Feb 2015.