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Do you take metformin or similar

I'm not very good at low carbing, love bad carbs too much AND feel miserable low carbing. Metformin works well for me although 'a degree of toxicity' does build up occasionally (diarrhea) so I stop the Metformin for up to a week, during which my fasting blood glucose rises from below 7 to above 8. Takes a couple of days back on Metformin to fall back below 7.
 
Tannith said:
Do you take metformin either instead of low carbing or as well as. If so why do you prefer it to low carb?
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I'm on Metformin and low Carb diet; on the basis that the small difference Metformin makes might be significant longer term.
 
I take a Metformin AND low carb diet. I believe that Metformin only helps reduce blood sugars a tiny bit, the low carb diet accounts for the majority of the success I've had in controlling my blood sugars which are always within the recommended range and it has also reduced my HbA1c. I would like to reduce the Metformin at some point, but stay on a low dose as it has additional benefits.
@Al44 im sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the side effects of Metformin are worsened by eating high carbs.
 
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Rachox said:
I take a Metformin AND low carb diet. I believe that Metformin only helps reduce blood sugars a tiny bit, the low carb diet accounts for the majority of the success I've have in controlling my blood sugars which are always within the recommended range and it has also reduced my HbA1c. I would like to reduce the Metformin at some point, but stay on a low dose as it has additional benefits.
@Al44 im sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the side effects of Metformin are worsened by eating high carbs.
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Thanks Rachox, you may well be right, if I overdo the carbs my tummy tells me! That said, am usually neither high carb nor low carb, somewhere between, but an honestly low carb diet makes me miserable (and causes other tummy troubles).
 
Al44 said:
Thanks Rachox, you may well be right, if I overdo the carbs my tummy tells me! That said, am usually neither high carb nor low carb, somewhere between, but an honestly low carb diet makes me miserable (and causes other tummy troubles).
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I understand what you're saying about low carb causing other tummy troubles. I am becoming quite familiar with the laxative section in Boots! ;)
 
I have been diet only from the start, gradually reducing my carbs over a period of time and eating to my meter.
I will do anything to avoid medication. I have no wish to fill my body with chemicals.
If down the line it becomes a necessity, then I will have no choice, but so far so good.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
I have been diet only from the start, gradually reducing my carbs over a period of time and eating to my meter.
I will do anything to avoid medication. I have no wish to fill my body with chemicals.
If down the line it becomes a necessity, then I will have no choice, but so far so good.
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The spirit is willing, Blue, but the flesh is weak. Al.
 
Metformin does very little to control blood sugars. It helps reduce the amount of glucose the liver produces naturally and helps with insulin resistance, but all to a limited extent. It is mainly an appetite suppressant and is of more benefit to the overweight than those not overweight. Metformin may appear to be helping with morning FBG levels (because less glucose is produced by the liver) but it won't help reduce post meal spikes and all the dangerous swings up and down again. Diet is the key, with or without Metformin. In order to help with post meal spikes, Gliclazide is the drug to take, but that comes with a whole new set of problems.
 
Tannith said:
Do you take metformin either instead of low carbing or as well as. If so why do you prefer it to low carb?
Click to expand...
I know this is not what you are asking, but I have delayed taking metformin for as long as possible because I already have a B12 deficiency, which is now being treated, and metformin adversely affects B12 levels.
 
Rachox said:
I understand what you're saying about low carb causing other tummy troubles. I am becoming quite familiar with the laxative section in Boots! ;)
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Try psyllium husk. It works for me and also is filling so I think It makes me feel less hungry at night when hunger can keep me awake. (I'm doing a low calorie fairly low carb diet)
Bluetit - thank you , I found your post most informative
 
Gave up metformin after three weeks of being tied to the loo. Intermittent fasting and ultra low carbing has allowed me to control my Type 2 and maybe, dare I say it with fasting insulin at 3.41 and insulin resistance at 0.9, reverse it. As to whether I am likely to try and see if I can eat a huge amount of carbs to test this theory.. of course not. That's akin to asking a recovering alcoholic if he just wants one beer... completely mad.
 
Tannith said:
Try psyllium husk. It works for me and also is filling so I think It makes me feel less hungry at night when hunger can keep me awake. (I'm doing a low calorie fairly low carb diet)
Bluetit - thank you , I found your post most informative
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I have psyllium husk in my coconut 'porridge' everyday but still hit toilet troubles from time to time, nothing major though!
 
I'm on 1g metformin a day (started it 10 days ago at 500mg and it goes up 500mg each week) and I'm following the low carb programme. this was on my nurse's advice. I find the metformin has made me feel yucky and very tired but I'm presevering. I really want to learn to manage diabetes properly and keep it under control. I'm finding this site and forum so-o-o helpful!
 
Tannith said:
Do you take metformin either instead of low carbing or as well as. If so why do you prefer it to low carb?
Click to expand...
Hi @Tannith
I note that you take psyllium husk instead of (?) Metformin but I have no idea where you got hold of the notion that Metformin is an alternative to Low Carb. I'm no expert but I can say with some degree of confidence that that's nothing more than an urban myth. Metformin will (can) only stabilise and (slightly) reduce your blood sugar and, in the words of my Doc, will stop you from having a hypo .. LCHF is a lifestyle that impacts directly upon the management and control of your diabetes through weight loss, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, fitness and overall health.

From some considerable reading about the social and psychological impact of our current national T2 epedimic and direct discussion with many other T2s, I know that there are many people who follow the belief that everything will be OK because they are have been prescribed Metformin. It seems as though they find it difficult to leave their carb-laden comfort zones and prefer to believe instead that their little white tablets are a silver bullet that will get rid of their diabetes.

Sorry if my comments sound a little harsh but I genuinely believe that the question you have posed makes it appear that Metformin is a meaningful alternative to management and control of diabetes (or pre-diabetes) through diet. It isn't ..

Hope this helps
 
I agree with @AM1874

Without a suitable diet that includes reduced carbs, it is almost certain that T2 diabetes will progress. Taking Metformin and relying totally on it without a suitable diet will lead to a maximum dose, and then Gliclazide, and then other tablets, and eventually insulin. Many (most) HCPs dish out the tablets and tell us to eat carbs. Many T2s, if not most, will obey these rules, so that is all HCPs see - the disease getting worse. This is why HCPs tell us the disease is progressive.
 
AM1874 said:
Hi @Tannith
I note that you take psyllium husk instead of (?) Metformin but I have no idea where you got hold of the notion that Metformin is an alternative to Low Carb. I'm no expert but I can say with some degree of confidence that that's nothing more than an urban myth. Metformin will (can) only stabilise and (slightly) reduce your blood sugar and, in the words of my Doc, will stop you from having a hypo .. LCHF is a lifestyle that impacts directly upon the management and control of your diabetes through weight loss, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, fitness and overall health.

From some considerable reading about the social and psychological impact of our current national T2 epedimic and direct discussion with many other T2s, I know that there are many people who follow the belief that everything will be OK because they are have been prescribed Metformin. It seems as though they find it difficult to leave their carb-laden comfort zones and prefer to believe instead that their little white tablets are a silver bullet that will get rid of their diabetes.

Sorry if my comments sound a little harsh but I genuinely believe that the question you have posed makes it appear that Metformin is a meaningful alternative to management and control of diabetes (or pre-diabetes) through diet. It isn't ..

Hope this helps
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@Tannith 's mention of psyllium husk was trying to help me out with my constipation. I don't think it was supposed to be an alternative to Metformin.
 
Rachox said:
@Tannith 's mention of psyllium husk was trying to help me out with my constipation. I don't think it was supposed to be an alternative to Metformin.
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Hi @Rachox ..
OK .. thanks for pointing that out .. but the original question implied that Metformin was an appropriate alternative to low-carb for the management and control of T2
 
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