Type 2 Why oh why???

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koukla

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I think I'm fine now and I'm not aware that he wants me to lose more. Is that one of the effects of Metformin? I'm not taking one today anyway. I'm too tired and I don't want to risk vomiting and the runs!!
 
K

koukla

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I should have said there actually, that I've lost a stone more than he wanted me to lose. Maybe he wants me to lose more now. He didn't say.
 

AndBreathe

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We only went from what you said above Koukla,: "........he's put me on the lowest dose because that will lower my blood sugar and also help me lose more weight (I'll be like a stick!!)......"

Metformin lowers insulin resistance and a diminution of appetite is common, if folks here are anything to go by, which is why it seems to aid weight loss.
 
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koukla

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@AndBreathe, yes, sorry. Weight loss by the use of Metformin was something I'd read somewhere and that's why I said that. I've read the leaflet in the tablet box though and there's no mention of weight loss. He did tell me to carry on eating as I have been, (I assume with the exception of the muffin episode) and that's lost me weight so I'm not entirely sure. The tablets I've got are 500mg and just to take one a day with my largest meal. Gosh, at that rate I'll have no appetite at all. The thought of vomiting and the runs has put me off taking one this evening though. Yuk!!!
 
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koukla

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I've just remembered something he drew on his pad of paper. A horizontal line about 2cm long. In the middle of it heals drew a vertical line then told me the left side of the line was non diabetic and the right side was diabetic. The vertical line in the middle is where I am and with the help of Metformin, he's wanting to get me over to the left. I don't always remember immediately in detail. I think that's the brain damage.
 
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koukla

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Oh gosh. I still haven't taken a tablet. I'm scared of the side effects. I know it's only 1 per day to be taken with my biggest meal (which one is that? I eat like a bird!) but I'm still scared. I feel that my "little helpers" on here have left me, probably because they're sick to death of me but I'm genuinely trying to get the courage up. Maybe if my children were around it might be better. Neither of them live that close but they're both away on holiday anyway. What sort of wimp is this, coming out of an otherwise very strong woman. Strong because I've had to be.
 

AndBreathe

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Oh gosh. I still haven't taken a tablet. I'm scared of the side effects. I know it's only 1 per day to be taken with my biggest meal (which one is that? I eat like a bird!) but I'm still scared. I feel that my "little helpers" on here have left me, probably because they're sick to death of me but I'm genuinely trying to get the courage up. Maybe if my children were around it might be better. Neither of them live that close but they're both away on holiday anyway. What sort of wimp is this, coming out of an otherwise very strong woman. Strong because I've had to be.

I don't think anyone has "left you", but I'm not entirely sure what we might be supposed to say? We can sympathise or tell you off, or all points in between, but you, fundamentally, have to decide whether or not you are going to follow your Doctor's advice on this one, or not. At the moment, you're not. Now, bearing in mind how much store you set by your Consultant when you were having issues, I'm frankly surprised you haven't just got on with it.

A very quick bit of Googling suggests about half of people taking Metformin have the tummy upsets: http://diabetes.emedtv.com/metformin/metformin-side-effects.html . Here: http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/p...tion=diabetes&medicine=metformin&preparation= it is described as more than one in ten, which doesn't feel all that helpful, to be honest. But even if you choose to take more note of the just over 50%, that means that still a smidge under half won't have that side effect.

Your bloods are very good, but my interpretation of your interpretation of your appointment with your consultant was that he is fine tuning your current regime, in an effort to trip you over the "reversed" line. I guess it's up to you to decide what would be worse: the about half chance you'll have an upset tummy (which I believe usually settles) or if you decide not to take the medication, whether you might regret it if you never get over the "reversed" line. Somewhere on the thread I believe you suggested you feel cheated because having tried your very hardest, you had not yet achieved reversal. At the time, that seemed very important to you. Obviously, there is no guarantee of either tummy upset or reversal, but I would say those are the things you might want to consider.

I have never taken Metformin, never mind had issues with it, so perhaps I'm being overly harsh here. But, I'm just trying to break this down into the "so what" elements. In my experience, it's the "so what" questions that motivate people to take action, or not.

Only you can decide.
 
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koukla

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@AndBreathe, thank you so much. I read that and the link and took a few minutes out to ponder. I don't think you were harsh at all. It was all very helpful thank you.

It's true about my Consultant. He's very good and I'm surprised too that I didn't just get on with it. When he was prescribing them, he said if I had any side effects, to leave it for 3 days and then try again. I asked if I could have the slow release tablets but he said he doesn't like them.

I'd taken a list of questions with me which he read but didn't reply to, only to say that he'd read them. I'm assuming he will address them in his letter. Your interpretation of his decision is spot on. He is trying to reverse it for me by fine tuning.

I do feel cheated that I didn't reverse it by diet but as he said, if everyone worked as hard at their diabetes as I have, he'd have an almost empty clinic.

So yes, that, from you, is just the kick up the backside that I needed. I WILL try them but I don't promise it will be today. I take so many tablets, it's like a Pharmacy in here. I can't do anything about the Strokes, the Pernicious Anaemia, (I hope the Metformin doesn't affect that) or the Hashimoto's but I maybe can do something about the diabetes and that's why I've tackled it head on up until now. I can do it!!

Thank you do much. You maybe don't know how much I appreciate your reply.
 

AndBreathe

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@AndBreathe, thank you so much. I read that and the link and took a few minutes out to ponder. I don't think you were harsh at all. It was all very helpful thank you.

It's true about my Consultant. He's very good and I'm surprised too that I didn't just get on with it. When he was prescribing them, he said if I had any side effects, to leave it for 3 days and then try again. I asked if I could have the slow release tablets but he said he doesn't like them.

I'd taken a list of questions with me which he read but didn't reply to, only to say that he'd read them. I'm assuming he will address them in his letter. Your interpretation of his decision is spot on. He is trying to reverse it for me by fine tuning.

I do feel cheated that I didn't reverse it by diet but as he said, if everyone worked as hard at their diabetes as I have, he'd have an almost empty clinic.

So yes, that, from you, is just the kick up the backside that I needed. I WILL try them but I don't promise it will be today. I take so many tablets, it's like a Pharmacy in here. I can't do anything about the Strokes, the Pernicious Anaemia, (I hope the Metformin doesn't affect that) or the Hashimoto's but I maybe can do something about the diabetes and that's why I've tackled it head on up until now. I can do it!!

Thank you do much. You maybe don't know how much I appreciate your reply.


Go girl! And always try to ask yourself those "so what" questions. I often find they help me focus or re-focus my mind.

(And your consultant has told you what to do if you have bad side effects, so you're not out in the cold. But, I think you do have to give the tablets a chance to settle once you start them. You will be hyper-sensitised to look for side-effects; which I think is probably quite natural.)
 
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koukla

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Yes I will do that in future. I pictured myself in a right mess with my support systems away and not knowing what to do. I'm once again very emotional but that's supposedly normal after strokes.

I'm going to get on with it and... again, thank you so much.
 

douglas99

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@AndBreathe, thank you so much. I read that and the link and took a few minutes out to ponder. I don't think you were harsh at all. It was all very helpful thank you.

It's true about my Consultant. He's very good and I'm surprised too that I didn't just get on with it. When he was prescribing them, he said if I had any side effects, to leave it for 3 days and then try again. I asked if I could have the slow release tablets but he said he doesn't like them.

I'd taken a list of questions with me which he read but didn't reply to, only to say that he'd read them. I'm assuming he will address them in his letter. Your interpretation of his decision is spot on. He is trying to reverse it for me by fine tuning.

I do feel cheated that I didn't reverse it by diet but as he said, if everyone worked as hard at their diabetes as I have, he'd have an almost empty clinic.

So yes, that, from you, is just the kick up the backside that I needed. I WILL try them but I don't promise it will be today. I take so many tablets, it's like a Pharmacy in here. I can't do anything about the Strokes, the Pernicious Anaemia, (I hope the Metformin doesn't affect that) or the Hashimoto's but I maybe can do something about the diabetes and that's why I've tackled it head on up until now. I can do it!!

Thank you do much. You maybe don't know how much I appreciate your reply.

May as well take them today.
I had no side effects with either normal or SR, but if I had had any, Sundays the quietest day to have them on.
 
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koukla

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I'll try but won't promise because I won't make a promise which I maybe can't keep but thank you for your support.

Could I just ask what a bulletproof coffee is? I had 2 coffees yesterday with a splash of skimmed milk which I wouldn't normally do but for some reason I felt I needed them. My glucose was a bit higher than usual for me, right up until bedtime and I wondered if it was the coffees. It was back down to 5.8 by this morning though.
 

AndBreathe

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"I WILL try them but I don't promise it will be today. I take so many tablets, it's like a Pharmacy in here."

And how will tomorrow or the next day, or the next be any different?
 
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koukla

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Just the fact that my son will be back on Thursday and if he doesn't come to see me on Thursday, he will on Friday so I will take one when he's here. Plus the fact that he'll have me in stitches of laughter anyway so that will take my mind right off the whole thing :)
 
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koukla

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Thank you for the Bulletproof coffee. I'd assumed it was a way of making a big standard mug of instant coffee. I shall have to see where I can buy that. It sounds yummy with the butter in it :)
 

AndBreathe

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Thank you for the Bulletproof coffee. I'd assumed it was a way of making a big standard mug of instant coffee. I shall have to see where I can buy that. It sounds yummy with the butter in it :)

So, how will him being there make it any better? I think of those who have had issues, I don't think they have swallowed the pill and on swallowing had to run hot-foot to the lavatory.

Frankly, I'm listening to excuses and hearing no reasons.
 
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