So, this metformin....

[Daibell]

I assume there is a price difference between the 2 and across millions of diabetics it may well make a significant sum

To be fair. A lot of drugs have side effects and are not described at point of prescription but are left for the pharmacist or the user to check. I have been asked by the pharmacist before if I have taken pills before

Diabetic wise, I was warned about the thrush aspect of daplaflaglozin, the only drug I was warned about specifically. maybe as it is so common an effect?

I know we hear a lot about the dietary issues of Metformin but I wonder how common it really is.

Interested about the linear comment. I started on 500mg and only increased to 2000 over a few years as my levels increased. So for me it appeared higher dose had more impact. Is this not the case?

Hi. I read somewhere a few years ago that, say, doubling the dose of Metformin would not double it's effect but there would still be an improvement. I think this behaviour is fairly common with many meds hence not a linear dose/effect curve.

 

[Andydragon]

Hi. I read somewhere a few years ago that, say, doubling the dose of Metformin would not double it's effect but there would still be an improvement. I think this behaviour is fairly common with many meds hence not a linear dose/effect curve.

Ah, I understand what you mean now. Make sense!

 

[RFSMarch]

I have to agree with you. Thank you for putting it better then I could.
Metformin is an aid that can help. But it does need to be in addition to dietary changes, in instead of.
I have PCOS and it is the only medication that helps with the symptoms and for me just a diet change wasn’t enough.
This forum is great but the anti medication slant worries me.
Medication should not be the only course of action but it can help if used properly.

I agree wholeheartedly that is it in conjunction but it is alarming the difference in attitude even between GPs in the same practice.
My diagnosing GP's take was 'shut up, take the tablets I give you and carry on eating what you like - maybe cut out dairy and have low fat everything' and so he was mightily miffed when I brought it down largely with LCHF.
My much nicer GP is a bit more progressive in that he totally approved of self-monitoring (initial GP told me I didn't need to)... but he is very much in the 'Metformin can bring about world peace so take four a day, yeah??' boat... needless to say with self-monitoring and not even able to return to shift work at the moment, much less travelling, I have great control, and given some other issues via meds and LCHF, I am gradually testing out if I can ease off the metformin ... I may not be able to but now is the time to see how I fare with one less a day ...

 

[Robbity]

I was lucky in thay I had no serious issues with standard metformin apart from 2-3 times when I ate slightly more carbs than usual and a bit of homework told me that higher carbs and metformin are not necessarily happy partners . And I never felt that it helped reduce my appetite either. The only time I had any problem was when I was (temporarily) dispensed a different brand which made me feel ill, but not because any of the usual gastric /toilet problems. A note was added to my repeat prescriptions not to give me this brand, and I was also put on the SR version as a result. I was on that until GP decided I no longer needed to take it about 3 years back, and I saw no apparent change in my glucose levels after stopping. IMO all the improvements in glucose levels I saw appear to have been entirely due to my cutting right down on carbs immediately on diagnosis.

 

[PaulCarlin]

Interesting to read the reactions to the word 'metformin'. I was (shockingly) diagnosed in June this year, and instantly went to a low-carbohydrate diet. My GP also prescribed the stuff, but after a couple of attempts to take it I found I couldn't go on at all; it put me in my bed for a couple of days each time, and I decided to forego its benefits. My average on a 3-times-daily self-harming score has been to lower my average from about 9mmols to just under 7, so I don't think the metformin would have helped a geat deal in any real way. It hasn't helped that the Covid19 thing has prevented me from pestering my GP (who's the clinic's D2 expert), which is my usual practice when I get a scratch or worry. I'm sure she knows more about my aches and pains than I can remember.

 

[san-777]

It is interesting - while the muppet GP who diagnosed me and the nicer GP at the same practice have VERY different views about self-monitoring my hba1c, they are both firmly on the "take this tablet lots" train...

...

I am VERY curious of your 2nd GP's view about self-monitoring blood glucos level.. So your 2nd GP has no problem (or even encouraging) with your self-monitoring and trying to find out what food spike you and all that?

---- update ---
ah, I now read your comment in #23 about your 2nd GP ..

 

[RFSMarch]

I am VERY curious of your 2nd GP's view about self-monitoring blood glucos level.. So your 2nd GP has no problem (or even encouraging) with your self-monitoring and trying to find out what food spike you and all that?

Absolutely none. In fact quite the opposite. I actually had to see him because I started to get a horrible allergic reaction to the sensor adhesive and he prescribed a steroid to use as a base and betnovate to treat any reaction.

He apologised for not being able to prescribe the sensor for me and said it was so short sighted because it costs the NHS way more in dealing with amputations and blindness in the most extreme cases and it would save them so much money to encourage people to self test.

Then again he did say for every person that does do their research and try to be proactive there are enough who don’t care and just do the same old things.

My diagnosing GP flat out told me to my face that I would be wasting my money monitoring my BG and to this day totally refuses to change that stance.

I remember seeing him 3 months after diagnosis having tested and tweaked to get my bloods down and felt so proud and he literally told me to stop wasting my money, stop eating full fat diary and eggs and cut out things like eggs, bacon, sausages type combo. He was (and still is) having none of it!

That is why I just won’t see him anymore at the surgery! Ain’t no-one got time to waste on that!!

The most I have had to push back with for second GP was when I had real burnout during a LOT of travel and working away and he wanted me to go up to 4 metformin and upped my jardiance. I tease him that he wanted me to take more because apparently Metformin brings about World Peace and he just laughs and holds his hands up - he has tried to get me to take statins when I was burning out too but I said no and to be fair he has not forced it as an option. I did have to accept blood pressure tablets though.

I stuck at 3 with his agreement and have since dropped down to 2 and Jardiance because numbers are in good nick at the moment but with C19 numbers rising in the region I am waiting a while for blood test. I always go see him with latest Libre graphs and I have my food diary on MyFitnessPal but so far he has been happy with my control, and long may it continue!

 

[san-777]

Absolutely none. In fact quite the opposite. I actually had to see him because I started to get a horrible allergic reaction to the sensor adhesive and he prescribed a steroid to use as a base and betnovate to treat any reaction.

He apologised for not being able to prescribe the sensor for me and said it was so short sighted because it costs the NHS way more in dealing with amputations and blindness in the most extreme cases and it would save them so much money to encourage people to self test.

Then again he did say for every person that does do their research and try to be proactive there are enough who don’t care and just do the same old things.

My diagnosing GP flat out told me to my face that I would be wasting my money monitoring my BG and to this day totally refuses to change that stance.

I remember seeing him 3 months after diagnosis having tested and tweaked to get my bloods down and felt so proud and he literally told me to stop wasting my money, stop eating full fat diary and eggs and cut out things like eggs, bacon, sausages type combo. He was (and still is) having none of it!

That is why I just won’t see him anymore at the surgery! Ain’t no-one got time to waste on that!!

The most I have had to push back with for second GP was when I had real burnout during a LOT of travel and working away and he wanted me to go up to 4 metformin and upped my jardiance. I tease him that he wanted me to take more because apparently Metformin brings about World Peace and he just laughs and holds his hands up - he has tried to get me to take statins when I was burning out too but I said no and to be fair he has not forced it as an option. I did have to accept blood pressure tablets though.

I stuck at 3 with his agreement and have since dropped down to 2 and Jardiance because numbers are in good nick at the moment but with C19 numbers rising in the region I am waiting a while for blood test. I always go see him with latest Libre graphs and I have my food diary on MyFitnessPal but so far he has been happy with my control, and long may it continue!

We bought a finger prick test kit soon after his diagnosis based on some recommendations here and on youtube, and yeah we have been just told to not self-monitoring. But a couple wks ago when my other half showed some strange symptoms worrying enough to get a paramedic in to check on him, because we told the guy of his diabetes, he commented that if glucos level is lower than 4 or higher than 20, call 999 instead of 111. So that must be good reason for some pro-active self-monitoring, at least initially before things stabilised.

And glad to see your numbers in good nick, and hope all is well, and better and better.

 

[RFSMarch]

We bought a finger prick test kit soon after his diagnosis based on some recommendations here and on youtube, and yeah we have been just told to not self-monitoring. But a couple wks ago when my other half showed some strange symptoms worrying enough to get a paramedic in to check on him, because we told the guy of his diabetes, he commented that if glucos level is lower than 4 or higher than 20, call 999 instead of 111. So that must be good reason for some pro-active self-monitoring, at least initially before things stabilised.

And glad to see your numbers in good nick, and hope all is well, and better and better.

I can understand if surgeries cannot prescribe even finger-stabbing kits and strips on their dime as a reason for their utter reluctance to even suggest self-monitoring, but I do find it totally baffling the level of affront when patients pay for it off their own backs and try and be proactive.

Seriously you would have thought I had shot his puppy, the way he was up in arms about how I had brought my bloods down from 111 to 59 initially... I was quite firm with him when he told me as I was wasting my money - I told him it was my money to waste, and I would continue to waste it as I saw fit.

He did at least sign a Libre form to have with me at airports to carry spares in my hand luggage, so I expected more of a fight, but I found it unnecessarily snarky and quite honestly I wouldn't chose to see him now for even a sticking plaster!

 

[Andydragon]

The nurse wasn't happy I self tested
The doctor when phoning me thrilled to say I was now into normal hba1c suggested I keep monitoring whilst dropping the other drugs

Didn't offer to prescribe, and I didnt ask but ingot the feeling I had converted her to at least see that low carb has an impact and that self testing is okay

 

[Susicue]

Hi I've been diagnosed 14 years as type 2, and until about 8 weeks ago I was controlling it by diet.
My numbers started to go up and I have been put on metformin the first lot made me I'll, so was put on a slow releasing on. Increasing the dose over a number of weeks. When I got to 3 a day all was ok, when I increased to 4 then the usual problems returned. I have gone back to 3 for the next 3 weeks and will try again.
My blood sugar count has gone down which I am very pleased with. Has anyone else had problems like mine? Any recommendations regarding the wrong food to eat while on these meds.

 

[RFSMarch]

Hi I've been diagnosed 14 years as type 2, and until about 8 weeks ago I was controlling it by diet.
My numbers started to go up and I have been put on metformin the first lot made me I'll, so was put on a slow releasing on. Increasing the dose over a number of weeks. When I got to 3 a day all was ok, when I increased to 4 then the usual problems returned. I have gone back to 3 for the next 3 weeks and will try again.
My blood sugar count has gone down which I am very pleased with. Has anyone else had problems like mine? Any recommendations regarding the wrong food to eat while on these meds.

I have actually gone the other way with slow release which causes all kinds of other equally irritating issues and actually because my numbers have been a lot better since lockdown and no work, no travel, plenty of chance to cook, exercise etc, I have gone down to 2 metformin and 1 jardiance.

I also think the time of day you take them makes a difference. I am Breakfast, Dinner, Beddy-bobos and I find my FBG is nice and low now.

I still stick broadly to LC and try and be consistently under 100 a day, and if I manage between 50-80 I actually consider that a pretty good day and keeps the numbers nice and low. The odd evening out can see an obvious spike but it will usually settle once I get back to my home-cooked grub.