Metformin - does it work?

[Lumps]

What ever the nmae of the medication over a three month period it does not work. I do regular blood test and with the drug it is all over the place besides keeping to a good diet. Without the drug I find I am in better control. Please explain.

 

[Mike d]

Please explain

No-one can. Some report it lowers their BS (not by much mind you) others report no differences but how would you know?. Too many variables.

If you believe you're in control of your levels, the answer lies with you and your GP regarding whether you dump them. I did after 6 months

 

[Bluetit1802]

In what way are you expecting it to work? Metformin works on the liver, not the pancreas. It does nothing to stop post meal spikes and isn't intended to. It helps, to a limited extent, on reducing the amount of natural glucose the liver dumps in our systems when the liver believes we need extra, usually during times of fasting (hence what we call the Dawn Phenomenon) and also during strenuous exercise and in times of stress. It is also an appetite suppressant, so can help with weight loss. Indeed, it is known to work better on people with a lot of weight to lose. If you are expecting it to reduce post meal spikes, don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen.

You say you have a good diet. Perhaps you could tell us what this diet entails? If your bloods are all over the place, it may be you need to tweak the diet a bit.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

It is also an appetite suppressant, so can help with weight loss. Indeed, it is known to work better on people with a lot of weight to lose. If you are expecting it to reduce post meal spikes, don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen.

Like all drugs, Metformin will affect people differently. I didn't have much of a diet to suppress, so it didn't help me and unfortunately it never helped me lose weight although I have read that it does and know people who have been prescribed Metformin specifically to lose weight. What it did do was help stablise my BG and give me the most awful diarrhea.

 

[chris lowe]

Like all drugs, Metformin will affect people differently. I didn't have much of a diet to suppress, so it didn't help me and unfortunately it never helped me lose weight although I have read that it does and know people who have been prescribed Metformin specifically to lose weight. What it did do was help stablise my BG and give me the most awful diarrhea.

Metformin (aka Metfartin) is well known for this sort of side effect. If it persists you could ask to swap over to slow release.

 

[britishpub]

I think when GP's first prescribe Metformin they rarely explain what it is for, or why it has been prescribed.

This leads patients to expect it to be a "miracle" drug that will have instant results, which it isn't and doesn't.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Metformin (aka Metfartin) is well known for this sort of side effect. If it persists you could ask to swap over to slow release.

Fortunately this was 15 years ago, unfortunately I was prescribed Rosiglitazone as a replacement (SR not available), unfortunately that helped me gain 7 stone in weight (no extra food or less exercise required) and the Citilapram I was prescribed to overcome the anxiety of gaining weight worked very well, I gained the weight. Unfortunately it also messed up my liver function so fortunately I was prescribed Metformin again only this time I was taking Codeine which has the opposite effect, they cancelled each other out. Metformin is all I take now thanks to low carb. Bit of a balancing act really.

 

[MarcoRiveira]

I saw this :

"Metformin is an oral medicine for Type 2 diabetes that belongs to a drug class known as biguanides. It helps lower blood glucose levels by making muscle and fat cells more sensitive to insulin and by preventing the liver from making excess glucose. The medicine also lowers triglyceride (blood fat) and cholesterol levels and does not cause weight gain. Beyond lowering blood glucose and lipid levels, research has suggested that metformin may reduce the risk of death in people with Type 2, lower cancer risk, increase lifespan, and improve heart health."

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.c...eful-for-more-people-than-previously-thought/

Looks like it has other benefits besides preventing the liver from making excess glucose. Makes it seem like metformin can be some sort of supplement for better health. I do know one nondiabetic taking it twice a day.

Diarrhea was a problem the 1st week for me, but it has totally no gastric effect on me now, taken with or without food. People have different reactions to it though.

 

[peter1952]

Like all drugs, Metformin will affect people differently. I didn't have much of a diet to suppress, so it didn't help me and unfortunately it never helped me lose weight although I have read that it does and know people who have been prescribed Metformin specifically to lose weight. What it did do was help stablise my BG and give me the most awful diarrhea.

Try taking AFTER food, I went from diarrhoea back to normal movements in three days after changing from before to after meals.

 

[Pinkorchid]

I am taking Metformin started on the standard one but it was giving me bad indigestion and bloating so GP changed me to the SR one I am better with that on 1000gm twice a day I have found with both types they have suppressed my appetite a bit so can see why they say it could help weight loss but I don't actually need to loose weight. I will take it because I think it does have other good benefits including it protects the heart I have not heard anyone say they think it is a bad drug

 

[TomGreen101]

Worked great for me for several years.

 

[ray2]

Seems to work well for me. My levels are more even and predictable and HbA1c has dropped nicely since I've been taking it but then again I've upped my exercise and lowered carb intake so who knows ? Certainly not a miracle cure on its own !

 

[MarcoRiveira]

Seems to work well for me. My levels are more even and predictable and HbA1c has dropped nicely since I've been taking it but then again I've upped my exercise and lowered carb intake so who knows ? Certainly not a miracle cure on its own !

I agree, exercise and lowered carb portions are needed. The problem is many doctors (including mine) give it to newly diagnosed diabetics without explaining what it is for and what else to do, giving the impression that just taking it will make high blood sugar go away.

 

[NoraMac14]

Very inTeresting, I was never told it was the liver that put glucoes, I am just starting to lower to lower carbs to see how I get on. I have been on steroids for a few months with chest problems and now weaned off them my sugars are getting better I am due my 3 monthly test next week, meteor in have been okay as I have been on them for for 8 yea s now .

 

[NoraMac14]

Sorry it should read been on metformin for 8 eight years

 

[gormarc]

What ever the nmae of the medication over a three month period it does not work. I do regular blood test and with the drug it is all over the place besides keeping to a good diet. Without the drug I find I am in better control. Please explain.

My apologies for the large posting - I suppose it is all due to an overflowing gratefulnes to Metformin and exercise and diet. Metformin and the rest seems to have given me my life back again.

A few months before I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes I was losing a fair amount of weight, and walking one day I had severe dizzy spells. In church I would often have to sit down due to dizziness as well. I was also sleeping a great deal during the day - sometimes going straight back to bed immediately after breakfast. I was having severe headaches. I felt I was slowly fading away and often thought about death and was checking funeral costs on the web - it was quite weird and very unlike my usual approach to life - which has always been optimistic with an A level personality. I suffered - unusually - from depression and was often in a bad mood.

My doctor said I did not seem the diabetes 'type' but had me tested anyway and my blood sugar level was - according to her - very high indeed - she read it as '97'. She immediately put me onto Metformin - first 500 then 1000 then 1500 then 2000. I cut out carbohydrates massively and started on a vigorous hiking program - covering 7.5 miles most days and on other days walking three to four miles. I walk fairly briskly and I noticed the difference almost immediately. Some days I just cannot resist walking and will go out a second and sometimes a third time, just walking, walking, walking. Hiking has always been my first love - hiking many miles in a Rift Valley in Africa for thirteen years and before that along the wild coast in South Africa. I now feel I am back at sixty years of age - not my seventy-seven years.

I now have a blood sugar reading of '40', my cholesterol has gone down dramatically - well within the healthy range - and my blood pressure has also gone down from 158/90 to 128/57. I had the usual liver and kidney tests and all is well there as well.

I have a fairly large breakfast - a generous heap of rolled oats with a slight sprinkling of Allbran - boiled in water - with three soft Iranian dates and half a banana (slightly unripe) cut into slices, and milk. I then have two slices of wholemeal bread laden with a good amount of dry ground herbs, a small amount of Bovril and the two slices of bread are first liberally soaked in two and sometimes three tablespoonfuls of olive oil. I put garlic on top and then beetroot and tomato slices with a sprinkling of cheese a very small amount of hot sauce and a little hot spice.

I have very little lunch - perhaps a few spoonfuls of lentils lightly fried with onion, tomato, garlic and herbs and curry and spices, and perhaps now and again a chicken leg, and then in the evening a small light curry with no potato, but with cauliflower and various greens. I drink copious amounts of water during the day - probably in excess of six very large glassfuls of water with lime juice and 'no-sugar added' orange juice. I will have two or three mandarins and eight to ten cream crackers during the day. In the evening before going to bed I will have one square of dark brown chocolate. I take 40mg Statin and a quarter aspirin as well.

I have once again taken up art after a break of sixty years (see below) - I seem to get a positive 'high' out of doing a successful colour drawing - all done on my tablet using a simple art app, and am planning an exhibition in a years time.

 

[Robo42]

My apologies for the large posting - I suppose it is all due to an overflowing gratefulnes to Metformin and exercise and diet. Metformin and the rest seems to have given me my life back again.

A few months before I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes I was losing a fair amount of weight, and walking one day I had severe dizzy spells. In church I would often have to sit down due to dizziness as well. I was also sleeping a great deal during the day - sometimes going straight back to bed immediately after breakfast. I was having severe headaches. I felt I was slowly fading away and often thought about death and was checking funeral costs on the web - it was quite weird and very unlike my usual approach to life - which has always been optimistic with an A level personality. I suffered - unusually - from depression and was often in a bad mood.

My doctor said I did not seem the diabetes 'type' but had me tested anyway and my blood sugar level was - according to her - very high indeed - she read it as '97'. She immediately put me onto Metformin - first 500 then 1000 then 1500 then 2000. I cut out carbohydrates massively and started on a vigorous hiking program - covering 7.5 miles most days and on other days walking three to four miles. I walk fairly briskly and I noticed the difference almost immediately. Some days I just cannot resist walking and will go out a second and sometimes a third time, just walking, walking, walking. Hiking has always been my first love - hiking many miles in a Rift Valley in Africa for thirteen years and before that along the wild coast in South Africa. I now feel I am back at sixty years of age - not my seventy-seven years.

I now have a blood sugar reading of '40', my cholesterol has gone down dramatically - well within the healthy range - and my blood pressure has also gone down from 158/90 to 128/57. I had the usual liver and kidney tests and all is well there as well.

I have a fairly large breakfast - a generous heap of rolled oats with a slight sprinkling of Allbran - boiled in water - with three soft Iranian dates and half a banana (slightly unripe) cut into slices, and milk. I then have two slices of wholemeal bread laden with a good amount of dry ground herbs, a small amount of Bovril and the two slices of bread are first liberally soaked in two and sometimes three tablespoonfuls of olive oil. I put garlic on top and then beetroot and tomato slices with a sprinkling of cheese a very small amount of hot sauce and a little hot spice.

I have very little lunch - perhaps a few spoonfuls of lentils lightly fried with onion, tomato, garlic and herbs and curry and spices, and perhaps now and again a chicken leg, and then in the evening a small light curry with no potato, but with cauliflower and various greens. I drink copious amounts of water during the day - probably in excess of six very large glassfuls of water with lime juice and 'no-sugar added' orange juice. I will have two or three mandarins and eight to ten cream crackers during the day. In the evening before going to bed I will have one square of dark brown chocolate. I take 40mg Statin and a quarter aspirin as well.

I have once again taken up art after a break of sixty years (see below) - I seem to get a positive 'high' out of doing a successful colour drawing - all done on my tablet using a simple art app, and am planning an exhibition in a years time.

Wow, is that really your breakfast? I cannot handle hardly any CARBS for breakfast. no bread, no fruit, bananas known as bad GI, oats now and then but mainly high protein such as fish, mushrooms, eggs small breakfast. People are all different but do you test your blood sugar after a couple of hours after meal? Cream crackers don't sound good either in the CARB area.

 

[TomGreen101]

I don't eat big breakfasts as a rule. I drink a Glucerna meal supplement and a couple Zero fruit yogurt cups at most.
For lunch I just had a large Italian sub preceded by 24 units of NovoRapid. I expect BG to be under 8 in 2 hours.
Yesterday super was a hamburger, fries with chili sauce and I has 24 units NovoRapid before. My BG was 6.6.
I won't let diabetes dictate what I eat.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Blimey @gormarc that is one enormous breakfast. I can't eat ANY carbs at breakfast or my levels go up and stay up until the afternoon. It took me well over a year of trial and error to sort this out. I just have a soft boiled egg and a mug of tea. That sees me through till lunch time when I can manage a few carbs. I am amazed.

 

[Klangley]

Blimey @gormarc that is one enormous breakfast. I can't eat ANY carbs at breakfast or my levels go up and stay up until the afternoon. It took me well over a year of trial and error to sort this out. I just have a soft boiled egg and a mug of tea. That sees me through till lunch time when I can manage a few carbs. I am amazed.

I guess if you are hiking 7 1/2 miles a day you can get away with it but that does seem very carb heavy.

In terms of the original question on Metformin and whether it works, the jury is out for me. What I would say for sure is insist on the Modified Release or Slow Release as it is sometimes called. I put up with 2 months of discomfort before asking for the Modified Release. Since that I have had zero problems.