How long for sugars to react to Metformin?

[saz1]

Hi all,

I hope you can help me out with this. I was diagnosed about 2 weeks ago, first fasting sugar 16.3 and second 14.1. I have been taking Metformin since Thursday, 1 X 500 mg once a day until Monday, when I started on 2 X 500 mg a day. My random sugars vary from 8 to about 10.6 at the moment. How long has it taken for you guys to get down to normal/low levels when taking Metformin? Obviously I have reduced my carb intake drastically and would like to see results asap... I'm really impatient and cannot test at home until my strips arrive (GP won't prescribe) in the next few days. :evil:

 

[sugarless sue]

Hi Saz once your test strips arrive you should do some intensive testing to find out just how much each meal is affecting your blood sugars.the Metformin will take down your levels but the amount of carbs that you are eating will have an impact on your levels.your levels are obviously on the way down already going by your random tests and therefore a bit of 'fine tuning' in regards to your meals should see them coming down nicely.

 

[saz1]

Thanks Sue! I have cut all grains, pasta, potatoes and bread from my diet for the moment. I only eat upto 3 finncrisp slim rye crispbreads a day, no sugar or sweeteners, honey or large amounts of root veg and like said, am very impatient... I have just read that Metformin should kick in in a few days but I;m not happy until I have reached non-diabetic levels which my doctor has said is near impossible. Not very uplifting and me being moody cow, it has upset me a bit and I feel quite defiant... :twisted: :twisted:

 

[hanadr]

BE comforted! your doctor is Wrong. It is possible to get to non-diabetic numbers. Loads of people do it, however it might take a few days on what is a pretty low dose of Metformin. Be patient and keep doing what you are doing.

 

[witan]

Hi saz1,

I was in your position back in August with very similar numbers - even with the help of Gliclazide I wasn't totally happy with my BG numbers until November. Now I've almost dropped the Gliclazide altogether.

Keep going as low carb as you can - making sure all major nutrients and vitamins are included, especially calcium and dairy products and try to learn not to be afraid of good fats.

Don't forget the third pillar of control, along with diet and meds, Exercise. Now if I'm in a position when I can't control my carbs as well as I want (visiting, entertaining on business etc) I try to increase the exercise rather than the meds to burn it off naturally.

Best of luck, you're going in the right direction, but like us all you will have days when it might not be so good, the important thing is to learn what caused it and avoid that where possible - and we are always here to share our jointly vast experiences together.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Saz1,

I can't really add much to what Witan and the others have said, except that you shouldn't rely on metformin to do the job. Even the maximum dose of metformin (4x500g per day) can only lower blood sugar by an estimated 1.5mmol. That means you have to help it by diet and exercise changes.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Thanks Sue! I have cut all grains, pasta, potatoes and bread from my diet for the moment. I only eat upto 3 finncrisp slim rye crispbreads a day, no sugar or sweeteners, honey or large amounts of root veg and like said, am very impatient... I have just read that Metformin should kick in in a few days but I;m not happy until I have reached non-diabetic levels which my doctor has said is near impossible. Not very uplifting and me being moody cow, it has upset me a bit and I feel quite defiant... :twisted: :twisted:

Then you will have to show him! <G>

Metformin takes a while to build up to full effectiveness.

Another factor is "glucose toxicity" which can take a while to break out of - your body has to reset its thermostat to accept lower BG as normal.

Don't be in too much hurry, you're in this for the long haul! There's a rare possibility that banging your BG down too fast may cause visual problems, usually temporary, as the fluid in your eyes sheds sorbitol and glucose.

When you get your strips try doing this

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

adjust your diet to bring down the postprandial spikes (sounds like you're doing the right things already, this will help you fine tune the process - everyone has things they can't tolerate which others can, and vice versa)

 

[Jem]

Keep the fath hun, you will start to gain better control of your diabetes and as Hana said, might get near-non-diabetic numbers ... low carbing is the way I've chosen to control my diabetes and you sound like you have your head around it - although it can take a little while to kick in ... I needed (and still do - alot more!) to lose weight when I was diagnosed and became so impatient, because despite eating very little in the way of carbs for a month almost nothing happened weight-wise ... then a bunch just dropped off ... so I guess if you keep on doing what you're doing things WILL improve soon xxx

 

[saz1]

Well, now an update. I have achieved something amazing :lol: by the diet changes, having cheese, oil, butter etc but with lovely steaks and other meats! Had a nice brunch of a steak, tomato and gerkhins, walked to work and about 1.5 hours after meal measured my bs and it was 4.8! :shock:

I also had a glass of red wine last night and a session of body balancing from a colleague so fell quite elated. I know there will be fluctuations but at least this is good sign for the future. I'm losein about 4 pounds of weight a week at the moment too so I'm well chuffed! I will be proving my doctor wrong... :wink: :mrgreen: