Compare success w/metformin & dietary changes only

[G0ldengirl68]

I am thinking of try Metformin because I want to see if it's easier than controlling my diet with and iron fist
I understand a lot of people would just say why fix it if it isn't broken. I've done amazingly well according to all I've shared my story with, especially my doctor, but I would like to sit down and eat a normal meal just once in awhile like at a potluck or restaurant w/o having to bow out of foods. Like a piece of pie on a holiday.

I was afraid of the drug when I was first diagnosed, that's why I opted for the strict diet, basically keto. Like my menu today is just 17 carbs. I don't know enough about actual experiences with Metformin (side effects) and what "if" you eat something that's high carb because I haven't taken Metformin.

Does anyone understand what I am saying, and willing to share your experience with Metformin and having say an occasional bowl of popcorn?? I am 70, and I just miss some things so much, even after 2 years of not missing anything I had eliminated.

Thanks for any feedback, Denise

 

[catinahat]

Hi Denise
Metformin just doesn't work like that, it doesn't squeeze extra insulin from your pancreas or make you pee out the excess sugar like more aggressive T2 drugs.
It helps to lower your blood sugar by restricting how much stored glucose your liver releases, it can do nothing to help you deal with the carbs in your diet.
metformin will make no difference to the spike you get from that bowl of popcorn.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Ok, I figured as much. So the people I know personally are just making themselves more sick by still eating high-carbs, and other toxic foods. I think I knew what the answer was going to be.

 

[AloeSvea]

@G0ldengirl68 - on Popcorn (by no means a frivilous subject!). My experience with it is the trick is keeping the amount pretty low. A very hard thing to do with popcorn! But popcorn can be fitted in to a low-carb eating plan, imho. I did it by buying a really good salted and buttered air popped brand (own country), divided up into little bags, which were carb counted at 6g of carbs per bag, if memory serves me correctly. This suited me great! Just the right amount for watching streamed movies of a Saturday night, washed down with my favourite relatively well priced dry sparkling. And you know what I am going to say? Checked out with the ol' trusty 'eat and meter' method for handable BG spikes and rises and so on.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

I think it's a cup of popped, and there were some other foods I could do the same with. Thanks for the reminder as I did read about popcorn. I think I'll try this. I already know the butter and salt are in my diet now

Thanks again

 

[AloeSvea]

@G0ldengirl68 . On a more serious subject than popcorn - for most of us with type 2 - one can't get 'around' the fact that we have proven to be excess-carb intolerant (in relation to dietary fat), along with other processed-food evils. As do many many many human beings! Exhibit A: type two diabetes, Exhibit B: Cardio vascular disease. Some are able to go 'back' to eating a fair whack of carbs, post reversal, as seen in this forum, but it seems to be mighty rare. Does happen though - the body's machinations are a wondrous thing!

Metformin cannot change that - a big blood glucose system break down response. It can help us when needed - a wonderful thing about anti-diabetic medications. It can aid us, but not take over a broken blood glucose system and make it better again. As a commentator has said - I think it was the pharmacist Suzy Cohen, along with others, type two is not about a lack of metformin, taking it does not make us better again. (Better in this context, meaning 'fixed'.)

And as Dr Fung says, the main way, the key way, to deal with a dietary disease is with diet. Can't get away from that. (Dr Fung says it way more indelicately than that - which I love him for, but I won't be so indelicate on a British-based forum!)

I met an 84 year old recently who had had type two since he was 40. He was still trucking along, and was on insulin, and did not lower his carbs, had not lowered his carbs significantly, ever. But, I was driving him to the renal clinic. And boy - was he, ah - mood disordered, (takes one to know one when seen?) I would say. As he had not eaten, nor taken his insulin because he had left it in my car whilst at the renal clinic. And it was a loooong car trip there and back. (He spent the last hour barking, "You are lost! You are lost!" to me. and scoffing. Loved that scoffing! Which may be partially true, me being a lost soul?, but I did, actually, know where I lived, contrary to his opinion of me on that subject.) Anyway - the moral of that tale - ignore the dietary aspect of a dietary disease at your own peril! In terms of quality of life. (And those driving you?) But, you may still be long-lived with the help of meds.

 

[TriciaWs]

Like @AloeSvea I know someone with type that doesn't control their carbs, they are now on insulin but have lost most of their sight, several toes and part of one foot.​

Their choice, but not mine.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

another thing I can eat that doesn't cause my sugar to spike is peanuts in the shell. I already have some blueberry/pomegranate Bubly water which I really like.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

@G0ldengirl68 . On a more serious subject than popcorn - for most of us with type 2 - one can't get 'around' the fact that we have proven to be excess-carb intolerant (in relation to dietary fat), along with other processed-food evils. As do many many many human beings! Exhibit A: type two diabetes, Exhibit B: Cardio vascular disease. Some are able to go 'back' to eating a fair whack of carbs, post reversal, as seen in this forum, but it seems to be mighty rare. Does happen though - the body's machinations are a wondrous thing!

Metformin cannot change that - a big blood glucose system break down response. It can help us when needed - a wonderful thing about anti-diabetic medications. It can aid us, but not take over a broken blood glucose system and make it better again. As a commentator has said - I think it was the pharmacist Suzy Cohen, along with others, type two is not about a lack of metformin, taking it does not make us better again. (Better in this context, meaning 'fixed'.)

And as Dr Fung says, the main way, the key way, to deal with a dietary disease is with diet. Can't get away from that. (Dr Fung says it way more indelicately than that - which I love him for, but I won't be so indelicate on a British-based forum!)

I met an 84 year old recently who had had type two since he was 40. He was still trucking along, and was on insulin, and did not lower his carbs, had not lowered his carbs significantly, ever. But, I was driving him to the renal clinic. And boy - was he, ah - mood disordered, (takes one to know one when seen?) I would say. As he had not eaten, nor taken his insulin because he had left it in my car whilst at the renal clinic. And it was a loooong car trip there and back. (He spent the last hour barking, "You are lost! You are lost!" to me. and scoffing. Loved that scoffing! Which may be partially true, me being a lost soul?, but I did, actually, know where I lived, contrary to his opinion of me on that subject.) Anyway - the moral of that tale - ignore the dietary aspect of a dietary disease at your own peril! In terms of quality of life. (And those driving you?) But, you may still be long-lived with the help of meds.

Yes, I doubt I would actually ignore my diet. In fact when I went to the store I bought cauliflower, especially to make an alternative to mashed potatoes I hadn't tried yet I like Dr. Fung as well. I listen to Ben Bikman on Insulin Resistance, and the Diet Doctors videos as well. It's just been a hard time this year around the holidays, and I thought the longings for foods I do not eat any longer were over

 

[Rachox]

I have restricted carbs and taken Metformin since diagnosis in 2017. I usually eat under 40g of carbs/day. I don’t ‘cheat’ much, but I have learned what I can get away with, by testing testing testing. When eating out, I have a generally low carb dinner, a mixed grill for instance but know that I can tolerate six chips (I know will power, but I just give the rest straight to my hubby so out of temptation’s way!). In fact I did this last week, see the picture below, blood sugars were 4.6 pre meal and 5.3 after two hours. i have never tried controlling my diabetes with diet alone, but I don’t suffer any side effects from Metformin so am happy to continue on it. However as @AloeSvea said up thread monitoring your blood sugars is the only way to find out what’s good for you and what isn’t.

 

[MrsA2]

t I would like to sit down and eat a normal meal just once in awhile like at a potluck or restaurant w/o having to bow out of foods. Like a piece of pie on a holiday.

I manage "normal meals" by having just 1 or 2 bites of the contraband stuff, I certainly don't want a whole plateful. So I pick a low carb option but then have just 1 bite of hubbys pie, or 6 fries, or I may have a spoonful of Bbq sauce but not the whole serving.
This way my curiosity as to taste is satisfied, I feel more "normal" and such small amounts tend not to raise my bg too much.
Some people might say that even 1 or 2 bites triggers cravings for more, but I don't find that. For me it is curiosity rather than greed or cravings and that 1 or 2 small bites is enough and I can then stop.
I wouldn't want the whole piece of pie. I would be wary of the rise, and I try to be full of lc stuff first
Would such approach work for you perhaps? (I know I'm lucky in having an amenable hubby who let's me try his food)