Link between Triglycerides and Diabetes and Birth Control

[SummerDN]

Hi. My name is Summer. I am 30 years old.

In November 2008 I went into the hospital with pancreatitis. I knew nothing about pancreatitis before that day but that day changed my life forever. I went into the emergency room 3 times before they finally figured out what was wrong and admitted me. Once they realized the severity of my condition they said if I had waited even 24 before getting treatment I could have died. I was there for 10 days. I spent my 30th Birthday and Thanksgiving in that hospital. I couldn't eat or drink anything for 8 of those 10 days. When I got out I was put on a low fat diet. Tricor to lower my Triglycerides and Metformin to Control my Diabetes.

I went through extreme frustration and felt overwhelmed and at times I still do. I never really worried about what I ate before that so now not only watching my fat but also my sugar and carbs is very difficult. Since I've been on the low fat diet my weight has gone from 186 to 146.  My family has very low income and there are periods of time where I have to go without the Tricor because we can not afford the $150 dollars a month.

I started using NuvaRing in July of 2008. I started having problems of missed periods and horrible cramping pains that had never been that bad before. A few days ago I went online to try and search what could be causing these problems and if they were normal.  

I found this under possible side effects:

In women with inherited defects of lipid metabolism, there have been reports of significant elevations of plasma triglycerides during estrogen therapy. This has led to pancreatitis in some cases.


I stopped using the Nuvaring immediately. Never during that whole time I was in the hospital or months afterwards did any doctor link the pancreatitis to the NuvaRing. I remember having bleeding in the hospital a week early even though the ring was still in. At that time I just thought it was because of the catheter and the nurses did not think it was anything to worry about.

My questions are:

1. If the Nuvaring was what was elevating my triglycerides is it possible they will go back to normal and how long after being off them should there start to be a difference?

2. Is it possible that if the Birth Control was causing elavation in my triglycerides could it also be causing my Diabetes?


Thank you,
Summer

[Nulltimevortex]

YES! It can cause diabetes! It is listed as glucose intolerance in the side effects. I went though 8 months of #@!& on nuvaring. I went to the doc because I wad exhausted all of the time, fuzzy brained, and starting to loose my hair. When I asked if it could be the birth control, my question was dismissed. They tried to put me on all of this medication for slightly elevated blood sugar. I refused. I decided to go off the nuvaring, which I was on only for acne. I felt incredibly better after only a week and after 2 weeks I felt like super woman. I discovered many other issues stemming from nuvaring including shortness of breath and horrible  completely out of character mood swings.

[SummerDN]

Thank you.

[WaveRider]

OOPs. Meant to say found nothing on triglycerides causing diabetes, not "diabetes causing elevated triglycerides."

[WaveRider]

This article links uncontrolled diabetes causing elevated triglycerides.
http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2005/06/01/4294/type-2-diabetes-and-triglycerides/

And this one
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/Amy_Campbell/Troublesome_Triglycerides_Part_1

I searched and found nothing on diabetes causing elevated triglycerides. Sorry, I can't assist you with Nuvaring nor birth control for they are beyond my diabetes scope. Hopefully someone will come along that can answer these questions.