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  #1   ^
Old Tue, Feb-03-09, 10:31
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default Bitter Melon and Gymnema

Just curious what the dose is that people use. Time to try something new, the Milk Thistle was a bust.
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  #2   ^
Old Tue, Feb-03-09, 15:38
eddiemcm's Avatar
eddiemcm eddiemcm is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,191
 
Plan: south beach
Stats: 225/170/165 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 92%
Location: Houston,Texas
Default

Nancy
I use 600 mg(two pills) of Natrol gymnema a day and 900 mg
of NSI bitter melon(two pills) before carby(>20 grams).
For me these supplements work as follows:
Gymnema has completely destroyed my desire for sweet stuff
and appears to have lowered my triglycerides.
Bitter melon lowers my post prandial BG.
I take bitter melon and gymnema 15 minutes before meals.
Eddie
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  #3   ^
Old Tue, Feb-03-09, 16:46
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Default

the bitter melon I'm taking now is not working either. I don't know if it's the brand or if it just is not working anymore. I'll keep taking it and see. One bad reading shouldnt' discourage me but I didn't get any bad readings with the other brand.
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  #4   ^
Old Tue, Feb-03-09, 17:29
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

What brand do you recommend, Becky?
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  #5   ^
Old Tue, Feb-03-09, 21:34
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Default

I answered that wrong. It's not the bitter melon that isn't working but the milk thistle. The brand milk thistle I took before was from vitacost. The brand I"m using now is called Nature's Answer.

I'm taking the vitacost bitter melon and it works. But I have been on it for almost two months and want to try banaba as soon as I'm done.
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  #6   ^
Old Sat, Feb-07-09, 19:28
Cajunboy47 Cajunboy47 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,900
 
Plan: Eat Fat, Get Thin
Stats: 212/162/155 Male 68 "
BF:32/23.5/23.5
Progress: 88%
Location: Breaux Bridge, La
Default

I've not eaten bittermelon in a while now, but it is available in asian supermarkets. It is bitter, just as the name implies, but my wife prepares it with tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and scrambled eggs. It is ok. She uses equal parts of each of the veggies, more or less....

When I ate bittermelon regularly, I did notice it had a good impact on my blood glucose...

Nancy, I'm on my 3rd day of control with just gymnema slyvestre. I plan on taking up to 750mg of it in 250mg doses which include 200mg of chromium picolinate and 15mg of vanadyl sulfate. In addition, I also plan to take up to 1560mg of gymnema sylvestre in doses of 520mg, which those pills do not have any other added ingredient.

So far, I've not had to take the whole planned dosage to get control...
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  #7   ^
Old Sat, Feb-07-09, 23:03
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Thanks! I should be getting the new supplements soon. I'm not really sure I need them. Other than my highish morning reading my PP readings couldn't be better (80-90).
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Feb-08-09, 06:49
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Default

WOW your PP readings are great. Even better than mine. Mine have been anywhere between 95-115. My FBG has been in the nineties all week so either the bitter melon isn't working as well as it used to or the milk thistle isn't working at all. It's hard to tell when taking more than one substance.
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Feb-08-09, 09:21
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Yeah, quite the mystery. Here I've been obsessing on the FBG and hadn't really been looking at my PP readings (like 2-4 hours after eating) and they look wonderful really. Last night I had a HUGE dinner (low carb) with a few small chunks of yam and 2 hours after my BG was 81. This morning though, it is 105. :\
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Feb-08-09, 10:50
Cajunboy47 Cajunboy47 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,900
 
Plan: Eat Fat, Get Thin
Stats: 212/162/155 Male 68 "
BF:32/23.5/23.5
Progress: 88%
Location: Breaux Bridge, La
Default

I agree that when combining it is hard to say which herb is not effective. Actually, we should not look at it as separate herbs, but rather, we should look at the combination as one.

I've experimented with Fenugreek seeds, bittermelon pills, banaba leaf extract pills and one other of which the nam eludes me at the moment. I'd try the bittermelon again, but the others I'm pretty sure aren't that effective for me.

There is something about the gymnema that keeps me using it. I feel it is the safest of all herbs. I find it works well in combination with my vitamin and mineral supplements.

My FBGs' haven't been so good lately. My average BG is up a bit, but my pp meals are doing great so far.

My culprit is not adhering to my diet as well as I should. My carbs need to be cut back and I need to quit experimenting with how much I can get away with. A year ago, I would never have eaten the way I'm eating now. What changed in my head is still a mystery to me....
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  #11   ^
Old Sun, Feb-08-09, 13:29
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Wink

Nancy you must be frustrated about the FBG as I know I was. I didn't think I'd ever get them below 100. but the two hour numbers after meals were always great. Even better than they are now. Are you seeing a doctor about this and if so what do they say?

Cajunboy I remember from reading your journal that you were eating less carbs a year ago. Maybe you like to live dangerously
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  #12   ^
Old Sun, Feb-08-09, 15:09
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by soapluvr
Nancy you must be frustrated about the FBG as I know I was. I didn't think I'd ever get them below 100. but the two hour numbers after meals were always great. Even better than they are now. Are you seeing a doctor about this and if so what do they say?

No, I'm not seeing a doctor. I don't think a mainstream medical person is going to handle this properly or understand my concerns.
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  #13   ^
Old Mon, Feb-09-09, 05:40
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Default

I agree with you but I was just curious that's why I asked. I don't see a doctor for mine either. I had a regular physical a year and a half ago and my fasting came in at 103 and the doc wanted me to go have the two or three hour glucose test and I didn't. Just been trying to deal with it on my own. I'm pretty sure she'd tell me to eat lowfat to get that lower. My triglycerides are in the forties. My total cholesterol came in at 195 and she wanted me to eat lowfat. That's why I don't bother with a doctor when it comes to dealing with diabetes.
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  #14   ^
Old Mon, Feb-09-09, 06:23
eddiemcm's Avatar
eddiemcm eddiemcm is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,191
 
Plan: south beach
Stats: 225/170/165 Male 70 inches
BF:
Progress: 92%
Location: Houston,Texas
Default

Regarding diabetes,most doctors seem to be worthless
unless you need a prescription.
For most type 2's, a 10 mg Glipizide ER pill taken at 2AM will
keep FBG in 80's.For some type type 2's(maybe type 1's as well),a 500 mg Metformin ER pill at midnight will improve FBG but not as much as the Glipizide solution.
I don't use either of these solutions anymore.
I don't sweat FBG as long as it is under 120.
Cheers
Eddie
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  #15   ^
Old Sat, Feb-14-09, 07:57
soapluvr soapluvr is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 404
 
Plan: As low as possible
Stats: 116/116/112 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Houston
Default

I'm thinking now that the bitter melon and the milk thistle work together. Haven't been really consistant with the MT and my numbers never go below ninety in the morning. And sometimes creep up to 100 or over if I don't stay lowcarb. I'm almost done with the bottle of BM though and want to switch to Banaba.
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