Metformin for all. Yippee!

[sally and james]

Many of you may have already seen the latest news item on the main site home page, "Metformin diabetes drug could help extend lifespan for all", if not, you can find it here,
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2014...ld-help-extend-lifespan-for-all-92959331.html

So another great leap forward in the big pharma's master plan to medicate everyone. Just hope local authorities are given additional funds to build all the extra public lavatories which will be needed.

Sally

 

[Bluetit1802]

Statins, aspirins, metformin, .... and so it goes on.

 

[Avocado Sevenfold]

*buys shares in bog roll companies*

 

[sally and james]

Just been re-reading the article I referred to above and my eye was drawn to the following paragraph:

"Patients treated with metformin had a small but statistically significant improvement in survival compared with the cohort of non-diabetics, whereas those treated with sulphonylureas had a consistently reduced survival compared with non-diabetic patients. This was true even without any clever statistical manipulation."

So the research wasn't done according to normal accepted practice! How can you trust anybody these days?

Sally

 

[Bluetit1802]

I also bet the diabetic group were lumped together with no account taken of how well or how bad their control is.

 

[mine]

bsm can now sell metformin to healthy individual! hooray!!

 

[paul-1976]

It'll be in the water supply next-just like they did with fluoride!

 

[noblehead]

I certainly wouldn't refuse another 3 years of life (provided it was in good health) for the sake of popping a pill, will watch this with interest from here on, thanks for posting Sally & James

 

[sally and james]

While I agree with the basic sentiment of your post @noblehead , how can you be sure that you will be one of the people who will get the extra years, it's all about averages (and probably theoretical ones at that). You could be the person who falls down the stairs, while rushing for the loo, or chokes on the tablets. (I hope not!) Lots of people have to take these things for a few to have a benefit, and some will suffer side effects and unintended consequences.

In my book, the only preventive medicine one should take is a contraceptive - and I'm a bit old for that!

Sally

 

[satindoll]

It'll be in the water supply next-just like they did with fluoride!

Hope they don't have enough trouble keeping the b-m in line as it is.

 

[PaulinaB]

Maybe it will also be a "cure" for the obesity problem? Since everyone will be constantly running to the bathroom!

 

[noblehead]

While I agree with the basic sentiment of your post @noblehead , how can you be sure that you will be one of the people who will get the extra years, it's all about averages (and probably theoretical ones at that). You could be the person who falls down the stairs, while rushing for the loo, or chokes on the tablets. (I hope not!) Lots of people have to take these things for a few to have a benefit, and some will suffer side effects and unintended consequences.

In my book, the only preventive medicine one should take is a contraceptive - and I'm a bit old for that!

Well the thing is Sally, if you lived life thinking like that you wouldn't go out the house or move out of your chair. There's plenty of people who already take Metformin for the health benefits, many are members of this forum, I would rather be lying on my death bed thinking I did everything possible to prevent the situation happening sooner rather than looking back and thinking what might be.

People already take preventative medicine and this is especially so for people with diabetes, bp drugs such as Lisinopril and Ramipril also help to prevent kidney disease (Nephropathy) or slow-down the progression in those who have already been diagnosed. I take a small dose of Ramipril after being diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, it wasn't because I had high bp, it was because they wanted it much lower than the average to take the pressure off my eyes. been on it now for over 10 years and probably will stay on it for life.

The 'big pharma' rubbish' I don't buy into I'm afraid, I'm grateful that research continues into developing new drugs that prolong and make people's lives more comfortable and bearable to live.

 

[notned]

But are we talking 3 years or 3 minutes?

There are lies, damned lies and statistics...



J.

 

[Bluetit1802]

There are lies, damned lies and statistics...



J.

You took the words right out of my mouth

 

[poshtotty]

It'll be in the water supply next-just like they did with fluoride!

Just read the comments at the foot of the original link and one poster said her DN advocates it should be added to water. EeeeK!

 

[sally and james]

@noblehead
OK, so I was being deliberately provocative when I said that the only preventive medicine one should take is a contraceptive.

What I object to is the mass medication approach, where everyone over 50 is told to take some type of polypill, irrespective of real need. Treating the herd, rather than the individual. Defining everyone as ill, saying that the human condition is not good enough and should be medicated. The examples, which Noblehead gives above, for example taking Ramipril to protect the eyes of someone with or at high risk of retinopathy is a different issue and is a sensible use of available medicine.
Sally.

 

[noblehead]

No I don't agree with mass medication either Sally, as you say it should be individual based.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Saw my GP the other day for a debate on statins. One of the reasons I gave for not taking them was because they can give people type 2 diabetes, therefore it doesn't sound positive for those already diabetic. Her reply was - but we always give diabetics statins!

 

[noblehead]

Saw my GP the other day for a debate on statins. One of the reasons I gave for not taking them was because they can give people type 2 diabetes, therefore it doesn't sound positive for those already diabetic. Her reply was - but we always give diabetics statins!

Not sure about the 'always'. My diabetes consultant wanting me to go on statins after my TC went slightly above 4 around three years ago, I didn't think it was necessary and was in two minds whether to take them or not, so I went to see my gp and he said he didn't think it was necessary as my lipids were fine, so far I've not taken them but said I'd review the situation in a few years time, tbh if my cholesterol was to rise I would take a low-dose statin such as Artovastatin. The reason being we already have a heightened risk of CVD and plus I do have a family history of it in my family.

 

[Loobles]

I'm actually fighting to get metformin - GP says he can't prescribe it as I'm only prediabetic and it's not licensed. He's referred me to endocrine and metabolic clinic to see if they'll give me it. With having another 12 stone to lose and a strong family history of T2D (and high BP), I'd feel reassured having something to keep my BG on the lower side...providing of course the side effects are worth it.