Well aren't I an idiot!

[Cobwebs]

I was over the moon the last time I posted on here a couple of weeks ago. I'd had the result of my hba1c with average BG of 12.5 (112) which the DN reckoned was around 14/15.

So I had put myself on low carb diet a couple of weeks before my hba1c to try and reduce it if my BG was elevated. I didn't realise it was so elevated. Anyway after having blurry vision and then eyes back to normal after being on Low Carb diet and seeing the DN the doc phones me and tells me it's now time to go on meds. So prescribed me standard instant release Metformin. Horrendous reaction after the first one and phoned doctor who then sent over prolonged release version assuring me that the side effects are less and that most people don't have any at all.

I started checking my BG 3 times a day, it was always around 14/15 first thing in the morning before breakfast, had 2 urine samples to check for ketones, assume they're normal as not heard. But after a couple of weeks my fasting BG is still 14/15 and my other readings are still around 12. I've not started the prolonged release Metformin as I'm too scared. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to admit it. After the experience with the one standard tablet it has really really frightened me, it wasn't normal diahorrea it was unbelievable.

Anyway I have plucked up courage to come back and admit my BG hadn't gone down to 5.6 as I happily posted a couple weeks ago, and the reason it gave 5.6 was because the strips were 5yrs out of date!!! It was 5 yrs ago that I put diabetes into remission from going on the low carb diet and hadn't used the monitor since. So I'm a total idiot! I didn't know they went out of date. I'd not been diabetic before.

I've now got new needles and new strips to check properly which is how I found out my BG is elevated.

I've lost a stone in weight and my eyes have gone back to normal after just a couple of weeks on the low carb diet. So something must be happening for the better. My weight has now stayed the same for about 3 or 4 days, so not sure what's going on there. I've an underachieve thyroid so maybe that's something to do with it.

I just wish I could get over this terrible fear of starting the Metformin slow release tablets because I admit I do need them to get my BG down. I'm just too afraid. I live on my own, got no relatives, no friends nearby and this has a lot to do with my reluctance to start the tablets as well as the previous experience.

Today was the ideal day to start now Ive admitted I do need them. I am home all the time as I'm retired, I have an eye hospital appointment on Friday.

I should have taken one tablet this morning with breakfast and then one every evening with a meal from tomorrow. So any initial 'upsets' would have happened before my eye hospital appointment Friday, hopefully. But I'm still dithering.

Anyone fancy trying to convince me I will be ok when I start taking these pills?? Can people tell me who are on the slow release tablets that the horrendous experience I had with the standard version is highly unlikely and that probably won't happen this time?? Please.

 

[catinahat]

Don't beat yourself up too much, getting caught out by an old pot of strips is quite a common occurrence.
My experience with all forms of metformin was not good but there are many more people on this forum who have found they can tolerate it well especially the slow release version.
So I suppose what I'm trying to say is that to find out if you are one of them, you just have to take them.
I think that if I were you I would probably take just the one with my evening meal for a few days and see if there was any reaction before increasing the dose. The anxiety you have around taking the metformin is more than likely causing your levels to be raised to some extent. Maybe go to your eye appointment and start the metformin when you get back.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I am working with a low carb group of diabetics most of whom take metformin and do get similar reactions. I had to research it a bit since I am type 1 but it seems eating a meal does slow the thing down. Fatty meals are also good for low carbers so can you experiment?
The question came up because we were discussing skipping breakfast as a viable option and it led me to discover that you don't have to take metformin with food but it is advised presumably to avoid the situation you described.
BTW magic test strips that always show 5.6 sound fab just for 1 night at least.

 

[Cobwebs]

catinahat someone else told me to do that wait until after the eye hospital appointment. I really wanted to stay on the low carb diet and do it without meds, I did it before, and I think my number were as high if not slightly more back then. But changed surgeries since then and this new lot are determined to get me on meds.
With the standard version metformin the doc did say start the first one in the morning with breakfast for the first day then in the evening the day after and every day after that, stay on that dose for week and then increase to 2. Not sure what I'm supposed to do now I'll have to ask her. But my gut feeling is telling me if I had such an adverse reaction to the standard I'm gonna be the same with the prolonged release. I have reactions to quite a few meds. When I needed BP medication I was ill with all the ones they gave me and ended up with Indapamide, which I had no reaction to.

Nicole, I'll have to look on Amazon to see if they have any of those magic sticks lol

 

[Mrs HJG]

Hi @Cobwebs - not an idiot, you (and all of us) just don't have a brain the size of Google! You can't know all the things

Only thing I have to offer is that I am on regular Metformin and the first one I ever took was just before my tea (like I have tended to take any tablets for anything, and the reaction was 'explosive' and I was not happy, nor were my family; however a diabetic friend then told me the make sure you take it during, or straight after eating to 'surround' the pill and not let it go directly onto your stomach wall as it will absorb too quickly and with tragic consequences. I know everyone can react differently, but honestly since that first tablet I have not been affected at all.

I started on 1, at my largest meal of the day (tea) and then another at breakfast after 10 days, a third with tea for a week then up the 4, 2 at breakfast a week later, no race and gave my body time to adjust.

Might be worth a try, and maybe on a Friday or Saturday evening (or other time) when you can stay home and wait it out.

Once my low carb diet kicked in and my bloods were 'normal' my Endo cut it back to 2 a day, although I am T1/LADA, I am still only diet-controlled for now. So taking the full dose of metformin might not be forever, and it has other 'protective' qualities, hence why it was suggested I still take it even though now unlikely to make any difference to my BG.

Good luck.

 

[Cobwebs]

Thank you Mrs HJG. I did take that first one after my breakfast. I had egg, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes. (low carb diet). It didn't help preventing the explosive experience

Could a few more people post in here with their experiences of the slow release version when they first took it please?

 

[Fenn]

Hi, your diabetic sins are waaaay smaller than mine so give yourself a break

I take metfartin, 4 tablets a day, I have zero trouble, I never take with food, morning tab is three hours before I eat and evening tab is four hours after dinner (roughly) they are a good medication if you can get over the “urgents

Best of luck

 

[ajbod]

When i started Metformin i had terrible stomach pains and ULTRA explosive events, ( although with Diverticular disease and often bunged up for 3 - 4 days at a time that was surprisingly welcome.) I was switched to slow release and had very mild discomfort for about 3 days. Which could have been my DD anyway, never looked back since, and i don't take mine with food.
Try them with with food, and be prepared for some mild discomfort, and give it 3 - 4 days to settle that is if you have any reaction at all.

 

[danziger]

I couldn’t cope with the side effects of Metformin, even a low dose of the slow release. I took Linagliptin for a while but am now diet controlled (Metformin’s great if it works for you but there are other options).

Are you taking your BG 2 hours after eating? Is there room to cut more carbs? The fasting BG is often the last to come down (but I have a bit of cheese before bed so it doesn’t go into double figures).

 

[jonathan183]

But changed surgeries since then and this new lot are determined to get me on meds.

The choice is yours whether you take metformin or not ... they can advise but the final decision is yours you might also find you can control by diet alone. What sort of blood glucose readings are you getting now before and after eating ?

 

[VashtiB]

Hello @Cobwebs

First I just wanted to say how much I liked your avatar

Second- don't beat your self up. Using old strips is a very easy mistake for anyone to make and having those apparent levels would make anyone happy.

Third- I was on metformin- I have taken myself off it after a coupe of years and my levels are still okay. I was on the slow release also. I found that having them at night with a meal resulted in no bad symptoms. When I had them in the morning I had stomach cramps- not bad but I think it was because I don't eat in the mornings.

Many of us have no symptoms with slow release so worth giving it a go. I understand feeling anxious- I also suffer from anxiety so I am great at the head in the sand method of approaching my health issues.

Good luck