hypos and metformin

[nuttytart0200]

hi, new to this so please look after me.

I was diagnosed type 2 in june 2008 (38 years old), my dad, 2 of his brothers and his niece all have type 2. I was imediately put on metformin 500mg x 2 twice a day and thoughout the four years my overall control has been exceptional, will within the normal limits on every visit.

My query is that lately I have been having hypos (now I know metformin isn't supposed to cause hypos but my bg was down to 3.3 on the last one) and waking up in the morning drenched in sweat with a headache. I have been to my gp and he has reduced the metformin to 1 500mg twice a day. Over the last week I have been extremely hungry and have still been waking up with a headache, what could be causing this.

I do suffer with a lot of other ailments such as facet arthritis in the full length of my spine, various other arthritic joints eg knees, hands, shoulder. I also suffer with migraine which is controlled with pizotifen, but these headaches are not migraines.

Please could someone advise

Thanks

Carol :|

 

[borofergie]

Hiya Carol (and welcome!),

How did you manage to get such great levels of control? It must have been more than just the metformin...

What is the usual range for your BG? What is your HbA1c?

If you've been doing this for 4 years, I wonder what has changed recently to make the difference. I used to wake up with "hypo" headaches when I was got control (often accomponied by dreams of eating cakes), but I don't anymore.

Stephen

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Carol

I also had hypos when I was on metformin... so I don't believe anyone who says it doesn't cause hypos as that is untrue in my experience. My first hypo was on metformin where I hit a wall having lost my judgement and balance and all (yes if walking with a hypo I start pulling to my left... that's how it happened). I was of course watching my diet and exercising regularly... but nothing else abnormal. I too have other health issues... maybe that's it? Drugs are just weird really. :lol:

 

[jamesni]

Hi
i found out i was type 2 after a stroke last october. at the moment i am on 3x500 metformin aday. My bg level is pretty good but recently i have been taking hypos just before lunch.

 

[nuttytart0200]

Hiya Carol (and welcome!),

How did you manage to get such great levels of control? It must have been more than just the metformin...

What is the usual range for your BG? What is your HbA1c?

If you've been doing this for 4 years, I wonder what has changed recently to make the difference. I used to wake up with "hypo" headaches when I was got control (often accomponied by dreams of eating cakes), but I don't anymore.

Stephen

My hba1c level this time was 44mmols or 6% and they have been around that for all my hba1c tests. I did cut down on portion size by buying asda smart price dinner service, which was smaller than my normal dinner plates, and I have lost nearly 4 stone, so I suppose diet has had a lot to do with it. My bg is all over the place though, rangeing from 3.3 which I had last week to 11 or 12 but I still have great numbers when I go for the 6 month hba1c check (my cholosterol is excellent too).

So I don't understand what has changed to make me hypo, btw they happen around 5pm before my evening meals and I have often snacked on some fruit or biscuits inbetween dinner and evening meal. It was the night time hypos that worried me because i was wondering if i would wake up in the mornings, you know what I mean!!

Carol

Thanks for the replys btw

 

[nuttytart0200]

Hi Carol

I also had hypos when I was on metformin... so I don't believe anyone who says it doesn't cause hypos as that is untrue in my experience. My first hypo was on metformin where I hit a wall having lost my judgement and balance and all (yes if walking with a hypo I start pulling to my left... that's how it happened). I was of course watching my diet and exercising regularly... but nothing else abnormal. I too have other health issues... maybe that's it? Drugs are just weird really. :lol:

You are right, drugs are weird. I am on quite a lot of other drugs like tramadol instant release and slow release, simvastatin, paracetamol, pizotifen, bendroflumethiazide and fluoxetine so who knows what is going on inside :crazy: I also suffer with a lot of pain despite all of the drugs!! :?