Type 2 low carb diet and metformin

[clarejenkins]

I am attempting to keep to a low carb diet and certainly feel better in myslf. Howrver my hba1c has not reduced sufficiently ans so i have been strarted on metformin slow release. when i had the ordinary metfomin 2 years ago it made me vomit so it was stopped as my hba1c was lôw 40s. it then went up to low 60s so i strated low carb, exercise and cinnamon tablets, these helped a bit but not enough. Reading the info with the metformin it advises to take carbohydrate throughout the day which i dont really want to do. any advice?

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I've never heard of it being recommended to have carbs throughout day with Metformin; sounds absurd. Whose leaflet was it? I suspect they meant to say spread the carbs but keep the total down. With the SR version there is no need to think about the effect of carbs at all other than to keep them down as part of a low-carb diet. If the leaflet really says this I would query it with the manufacturers and challenge it. I've been on SR for 13 years and have never heard this story before.

 

[Duncan57]

Hi. I've never heard of it being recommended to have carbs throughout day with Metformin; sounds absurd. Whose leaflet was it? I suspect they meant to say spread the carbs but keep the total down. With the SR version there is no need to think about the effect of carbs at all other than to keep them down as part of a low-carb diet. If the leaflet really says this I would query it with the manufacturers and challenge it. I've been on SR for 13 years and have never heard this story before.

The leaflet is the one that comes with the Metformin pills. It only says take carbs regularly through the day.

 

[Energize]

I've always been advised to take Metformin with, or after, food. Since I've been low carb-ing, I've not noticed any ill effects re the Metformin but, I have to admit, I've never had an issue taking them.

It seems to defeat the object if you have to take them with carbs!!!

 

[Hotpepper20000]

I find that if I eat too many carbs, about 50g for me. Metformin bothers my digestive system.

 

[clarejenkins]

Hi. I've never heard of it being recommended to have carbs throughout day with Metformin; sounds absurd. Whose leaflet was it? I suspect they meant to say spread the carbs but keep the total down. With the SR version there is no need to think about the effect of carbs at all other than to keep them down as part of a low-carb diet. If the leaflet really says this I would query it with the manufacturers and challenge it. I've been on SR for 13 years and have never heard this story before.

 

[clarejenkins]

Merck Serono glucophage sr 500

 

[clarejenkins]

I find that if I eat too many carbs, about 50g for me. Metformin bothers my digestive system.

That is interesting. another good reason NOT to add in more carbs!

 

[clarejenkins]

The leaflet is the one that comes with the Metformin pills. It only says take carbs regularly through the day.

but i don't want to take carbs

 

[Maggie/Magpie]

Hi there,
relative newbee here. I'm on 1G SR Metformin, watching and reducing carbs, but still eating small amount's and I've been fine. I take the Metformin after eating as it shouldn't be taken on an empty stomach. From what I've read on various websites you need to eat small amounts of carbs at meal times but not through out the day. The SR form shouldn't cause any stomach upset which is probably why they have given it to you rather than the regular type. I've also been told that people by my Diabetic nurse that people on metformin don't have hypo's but I think there might be a few on here who disagree with that?
Hope this help's.
Maggie/Magpie

 

[Daibell]

The leaflet is the one that comes with the Metformin pills. It only says take carbs regularly through the day.

Interesting. If you can be bothered I would contact the pharmaceutical company and challenge the point saying Metformin is for use by diabetics who need to keep their carbs down so their leaflet may contribute to making diabetes worse. They won't admit anything of course but it may get noted.

 

[Brunneria]

Maybe the assumption is that EVERYONE MUST be eating carbs as part of a 'normal' diet, and that in this case, those carbs should be spread through the day, not saved up for a single carb binge at, say, evening meal.

That would make sense because Metformin doesn't iron out big glucose spikes, it just works generally in the background, lowering the blood glucose a bit, all the time.

 

[Oldvatr]

Maybe the assumption is that EVERYONE MUST be eating carbs as part of a 'normal' diet, and that in this case, those carbs should be spread through the day, not saved up for a single carb binge at, say, evening meal.

That would make sense because Metformin doesn't iron out big glucose spikes, it just works generally in the background, lowering the blood glucose a bit, all the time.

I think that this advice is what is currently reccommended by dieticians, along with Eatwell#2, so it is us LC dieters that go against 'common sense'. There are reports that (too many carbs + Mrtformin ) = pukesville/ runsville.