Ask Nadia: High Blood Sugars and Symlin

Ask Nadia

I have diabetes and am having trouble with high blood sugars.  I am thinking about asking my Doctor to put me on Symlin.

Andrew
Madison WI

Dear Andrew,

Symlin is a brand name for the hormone Amylin.  Amylin is a  hormone produced in your pancreas from the same beta cells that also make insulin.  It’s released into your blood stream after a meal to regulate your blood sugars. It also slows down the production of glucose produced by your liver.

People with diabetes are deficient in Amylin because their beta cells do not work at an optimal level.  A deficiency in Amylin  means that the emptying of your stomach is not slowed down, and the Amylin hormone your body is producing, is not able to regulate your blood sugars.

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you can benefit from adding Symlin  to your regime. Have a conversation with your healthcare professional to determine if it’s an appropriate addition to your therapy in maintaining lower blood sugars.

One of our subscribers wrote us about their experience with Symlin.

“About a month and a half ago, I began Symlin. So far, so good! My after-meal blood sugars have pretty much been in my target range, and I’m using half the insulin I would normally use for my mealtime bolus!  I’m hoping that I will also experience a little weight loss.”
JCF

[email protected] and you will receive her unique perspective on your question.
View this 70-second video story on how Diabetes Health began- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQvuTOXgtGc

About Nadia:

Nadia was not only born into a family with diabetes, but also married into one. She was propelled at a young age into “caretaker mode,” and with her knowledge of the scarcity of resources, support, and understanding for people with diabetes, co-founded Diabetes Interview–now Diabetes Health magazine. Nadia holds 11 nominations for her work as a diabetes advocate.
Her passion for working in the diabetes community stemmed from her personal experience and loss. Her mother, brother and two grandmothers all passed away from diabetes complications. She has used her experience as a caretaker to forge a career in helping others.