Blood glucose levels and metformin on Keto diet

Apulahra

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi,
I’ve been following the LCHF diet for 2 1/2 weeks and am in Ketosis. My bgl is becoming more stable and I have lost 6lbs in weight. I have noticed some things related to my bgl’s that I find confusing.
My fasting level is usually the highest of the day.
My after meal reading is lower than pre meal.
I’m wondering if Metformin is involved. Could my fasting reading be higher because I haven’t yet taken med and after meal reading be due to having taken med with food? Should I be taking the metformin (500mg x 2) while I am on Keto diet and checking bg levels?

Thanks
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
The metformin isn't something which acts to drag glucose out of the blood as soon as you take it - it builds up over time to do what it does, then if you stop it fades away again. The fasting levels is usually the last to react to low carb eating as it is your liver being helpful and releasing glucose in case you need to travel to find food first thing.
The reason for taking Metformin is really something to discuss with your doctor or whoever monitors your diabetes.
 

Apulahra

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks for the info, I didn’t know any of that and it now makes sense. I won’t be discussing the reason for taking metformin at clinic just yet as I have been told that I will need to stay on it for the rest of my life. Also told to just eat normally, don’t carb count and don’t test. So...I am getting my information from T2’s who, from experience, know better.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
am getting my information from T2’s who, from experience, know better.
So true ...although a bit of a shame..
When you have been there done it and got the T-shirt then some of the rubbish that GP's and DSN's spout seems almost like they want us to be ill.
 
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pixie1

Well-Known Member
Messages
372
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
All the best advice is here, and welcome,
A) meds are not necessary for life, many people have been able to come off them, plus like me, try diet and changes first, don't always have to do what you have been told by Gp or nurse.

B) Can ignore about eating normally, as eating normally is not conducive to diabetes,
Low carbin and higher fat is a good start in reducing levels and the best way I to

C)Buy a meter, and test, fasting, pre/post meals as well as before bed, and keep a diary of foods eaten and results, This way foods can be eliminated, when levels reduce, so will a1c.

D)you're only 2 1/2 weeks in, what you are experiencing is called Dawn phenomenon, when levels are higher in the morning from previous evening, yes I experienced that myself, don't worry, its normal. When you continue to low carb, levels come down your DP will rectify itself.
By the way what is your HbA1c gives people a good starting point on advice.
Good luck
 
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VashtiB

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,283
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello and welcome,

In relation to the fasting reading- google dawn phenomena as that will give you some info.

Well done on stabilising your readings and doing keto.

Are you having any reaction to the metformin? if not some people seem to find that it reduces appetite which may help if you have more weight to lose.

Good luck and welcome
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks for the info, I didn’t know any of that and it now makes sense. I won’t be discussing the reason for taking metformin at clinic just yet as I have been told that I will need to stay on it for the rest of my life. Also told to just eat normally, don’t carb count and don’t test. So...I am getting my information from T2’s who, from experience, know better.
I should take all that you were told with a very large pinch of salt - if the people at the clinic can claim anyone has gone back to normal results on their advice, I'd be surprised.
 

Apulahra

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you all for your replies. Makes me feel supported and confident about following LCHF diet. I had an appointment with the Clinical Pharmacist at my GP’s to review my meds and was able to get my A1c results. On diagnosis, 4 years ago, it was 58 and the result last July was 49.
I don’t have any side-effects from metformin so no weight loss either. I’m finding that for the last 2 days I have no appetite and have hardly eaten anything. Is this normal and temporary?
My fasting bgl today was 5.5
 

TeddyTottie

Well-Known Member
Messages
394
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi I’m very much a newbie too (diagnosed at the beginning of December) and my foray into LCHF gradually morphed into de facto keto, although that wasn’t my initial intention. I certainly found my appetite greatly affected in the first few weeks, and for a short while I was extremely fickle about food and just the thought of it was sometimes nauseating.

Things have normalised now but it’s a new normal, I only eat when I am hungry and I don’t get hungry until lunchtime most days so I have moved to only two meals a day. Somehow I have also slid effortlessly into intermittent fasting with only one meal a day a couple of times a week - if I’m not hungry for lunch I skip it and just have dinner. I tend not to be rigid about the IF days, if I feel starving for sausages at 8am, I have sausages! I am slowly learning to trust my body to regulate its own intake.

This does, to me, feel a much more natural way of eating compared to the 3 meals and constant grazing I had previously become accustomed to.

Hope you feel more adjusted soon :cat:
 
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Apulahra

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi I’m very much a newbie too (diagnosed at the beginning of December) and my foray into LCHF gradually morphed into de facto keto, although that wasn’t my initial intention. I certainly found my appetite greatly affected in the first few weeks, and for a short while I was extremely fickle about food and just the thought of it was sometimes nauseating.

Things have normalised now but it’s a new normal, I only eat when I am hungry and I don’t get hungry until lunchtime most days so I have moved to only two meals a day. Somehow I have also slid effortlessly into intermittent fasting with only one meal a day a couple of times a week - if I’m not hungry for lunch I skip it and just have dinner. I tend not to be rigid about the IF days, if I feel starving for sausages at 8am, I have sausages! I am slowly learning to trust my body to regulate its own intake.

This does, to me, feel a much more natural way of eating compared to the 3 meals and constant grazing I had previously become accustomed to.

Hope you feel more adjusted soon :cat:
That sounds just like me. I’ve been surprised at how some food, that I have always liked, actually turns my stomach and I can’t eat it. The last few days I might as well have been fasting since I’ve eaten nothing other than some nuts. Pleased to hear that it’s nothing to worry about
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I don’t have any side-effects from metformin so no weight loss either. I’m finding that for the last 2 days I have no appetite and have hardly eaten anything. Is this normal and temporary?
My fasting bgl today was 5.5
Normal but permanent in my case.
 

pixie1

Well-Known Member
Messages
372
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you all for your replies. Makes me feel supported and confident about following LCHF diet. I had an appointment with the Clinical Pharmacist at my GP’s to review my meds and was able to get my A1c results. On diagnosis, 4 years ago, it was 58 and the result last July was 49.
I don’t have any side-effects from metformin so no weight loss either. I’m finding that for the last 2 days I have no appetite and have hardly eaten anything. Is this normal and temporary?
My fasting bgl today was 5.5

Your A1c was only 58 and you were put on metformin straight away. It goes to show how GPS medicate unnecessary.
Poor you, when you could have lowered it on low carb within 3 months. For you, 4 years down the line its only 49 on metformin. Goes to show how its not that good. And being told you be on it for life. You had no chance.

It's up to you, your decision, Low carb and ditch the metformin when your numbers come down or right away.
If you are low carbing, eating more meat and fat, then you feel full longer, eat less, one of the reasons why weight loss happens. The brain is hardwired to switch on the fullness mechanism, with meats and fats, rather than carbs, that's why eating carbs temporarily make you feel full, then crash after a short time Hungary again.

My HbA1c was 53 on diagnosis, yours was only a little higher than mine. I switched my diet over to lchf, i had to think long and hard over this, because of my family medical history on my paternal side and was absolutely nervous, taking into consideration the results of my profile of my blood results, they were dire, gp's only tell you what the person needs to know, not the full facts. I had to ask for a full print out and analyse it myself.
3 months down the line, doing the absolute opposite of being told, I brought my HbA1c down to 49, blood profile looked much healthier, every single test was lower. With all this mantra, it should not have happened, should have deteriorated.
6 years down the line it was, I think 36, not bad considering I havnt seen the diabetic nurse or Gp about my diabetes.
When they say carbs are not the demon, I beg to differ.