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Dare I take metformin?

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Phub

Well-Known Member
Hi folks.

I came to take my first Metformin tablet this morning. As I do with any new medication, I read the leaflet before I took a tablet.
I was puzzled to find that the tablets were to be taken by type 2 'sufferers' who had failed to respond to diet changes.

So I wondered why my doctor hadn't decided to put me on some kind of diet , before writing out the prescription. I also note that the tablets are not good for anyone who has had heart failure problems; which my doctor claims I have, about two years ago.

I didn't take a tablet, and will be seeking a further appointment next week to discuss this. Just hoping I did the right thing,.

I changed my eating habits as of yesterday, when I got home. I suppose I better not tell my doctor what I am easting though, as she might not agree with low-carb. Now I am going to prepare a nice poached salmon with salad.
cheers folks.

John
 
Hi Phub, welcome.

I've never been on meds, but if it's been prescribed you ought at least to discuss your concerns with your GP. As for telling him about low carbing, I would wait until your next blood tests and let the results speak for themselves. Sounds like a nice dinner btw, good luck with it all and keep us posted.
 
Hi. Metformin is generally a very safe drug but obviously you should discuss your heart concerns with the GP. Diet is always the first line of attack for diabetes, but many of us have Metformin anyway as it helps reduce glucose output from the liver just a little, reduces your appetite just a bit and has some protective properties (Google the web for info)
 
Hi Phub,

Very good information in your post.

Two years ago I was diagnosed as being pre diabetic. My doctor immediately offered me Metformin , she probably thought it was simpler for her and I. I have a load of health issues including heart failure, so I balked at the suggestion of taking more pills and told her I would try and solve the problem via diet. She at least admitted that she knows nothing about nutrition. Fast forward and finally I hit the right diet for me LCHF and EVERYTHING fell into place. FBG now averaging 85 mg/dl, Cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL etc all very very good.

All you need is to check out the LCHF way of eating and arm yourself with a blood glucometer and some strips, its that simple.

Its very disturbing to learn that Metformin is not for sufferers of heart failure, the doctor most certainly should have known that.

All the best,

Orlando.
 


Notwithstanding your heart failure and whether Metformin is a suitable medication for sufferers such as yourself, the appropriateness of an immediate Metformin prescription may have been influenced by your diagnostic results, and whether you had any symptoms prior to diagnosis.

Do you know what your blood scores were that led to your diagnosis?.
 
tablets are not good for anyone who has had heart failure problems; which my doctor claims I have, about two years ago.

I also have heart failure and have taken these tablets for a limited time .. When I questioned these as I have heart failure! It was dismissed as poppycock by my DBN .. But after a chat with my pharmacist, I thought it best to take them for a short time. I had no problem with them .. But if your not sure you should talk to your Dr again.
 
Thanks for the replies folks. I am impressed!

I certainly do like the LCHF diet. It's more or less what I was doing last year, when I lost so much weight. My stupid fault for abandoning it. As for the heart failure, my doctor classed it as 'basal crackles' which she said was a symptom of the condition. I don't get them now., since I started walking a little, and got rid of a lot of the rubbish from my lungs.

I was more concerned that I should convince my doctor to let me try diet for a few weeks, to see if that altered my blood profiles. Then maybe there won't be a need for Metformin. I am just surprised she didn't suggest it herself.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I can't have a weekly treat of Maynards wine gums, or a nice digestive with my late night cocoa. At least I can have that, as I don't take granulated sugar, and I don't drink milk.

PS. My diagnosis followed blood tests results from samples taken about ten days ago.
I have been booked to see the practice nurse next week, and she is going to arrange for a gamut of consultations, so maybe there will be another blood test after that.I wasn't given any figures from previous tests. I will ask next week.

So thanks again everyone.

Regards
Phub.
 
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Are you overweight? What is your fasting bs? For the record I was 6 St overweight and prescribed 3 metformin daily. I low carb. I did tell my doc but he didn't change the diosage. Even after I lost 2 stone and hypod. But the chemist did.
I guess what I'm trying to say is why not try the tablets, low carb, measure your bs, keep a food diary, monitor your weight and see what happens?
Big hugs whatever you do!
 
Scandichic.

Am I overweight! OMW yes...

I was twenty-stones at the beginning of 2013. I started a diet that was almost Paleo, and by May 2013, I had lost three stones. (A stone is 14lbs, if I am not teaching egg-sucking!)

I have to say I have been low since then. I have been caring for my wife, who fell and broke her hip last year., after she'd had a knee replacement.
Since then she hasn't walked properly, and is struggling with physio.

Now I am not complaining, or making excuses, but the stress of that and trying to run the house as she would, took toll. I fell off the diet wagon and I am now 19 stones again. When I was a young 'un., I was fit and hale. I am still quite hale, but where this other person who I am carrying around, came from I just don't know!
I have no idea of fasting blood sugar levels. My doc said I didn't need to worry about levels, but just to take the tablets and eat 'minuscule' amounts of food... 'tiny servings, she said!
 
I oughtn't to say this but b@@@@%#%^*! Bet your doc isn't diabetic!
Your doc doesn't want to fork out the money. For £12 you can get an SD codefree meter with some lances and for £25 you can get 5x 50 test strips which will last you about 3-4 months in the beginning. If you go to boots you'll pay £16 for a meter and the strips cost about £25!!!!!!! For one pot.
If I were you, I'd get a meter. Have a look at this:

http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
Then I'd go back to paleo diet with a vengeance. Have you seen this though?
https://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
Not only will you lose weight with paleo or lchf (what I follow) but your bs will go down rapidly and this will help complications from setting in.
Some people eat healthy plate or low GI. I can't advise you on that route but there are members on this forum who can if you want to go that route. @douglas99 @AnnieC @Kat100
Whatever route you go good luck but please do something! And please test! Trust me! We may all have different diets but we do all test! It helps you build up a picture of what works. Huge hugs and well done for coming on here. I hope you find it as helpful as I have!
 
Thanks again Scandchic. For some reason, when I woke this morning, I could read my watch without having to put on my spectacles. That's the first time in years. I don't know why this is, although I imagined it might be a temporary improvement because I was rested. However, three hours later, there is still improvement. Considering that the eye specialists monitor patients' blood sugar levels, I wonder. After just 72 hours without refined carbs, could there be some improvement in blood sugar already?

I must get a meter, but for now, the link to buy one isn't working. I'll keep trying!

Thanks everyone.
Regards
Phub (John)
 
It's home-healthuk.com
It asks if you are diabetic - make sure you tick yes so that you don't pay vat.
You are supposed to change your lance every time. I dont but you must do what's right for you.
I would keep a food diary too. I would test before eating then an hour after eating and then 2 hours after eating. This will identify which foods raise your bs and which ones don't. If you do this for a couple of months it will give you an idea as to what you can and can't eat. I now test when I'm introducing something new, when I'm feeling funny or ill. Usually once a day just to see how I'm doing.
Did you have a look at the diet doc site. (He's a proper doc - I've checked him out)
The meter will help you identify if you're going too low. Sometimes meds need reducing with the weight loss and low carb diet as you can hypo. This happened to me but it was my chemist not the doc who changed my doseage.
I would tell your doc about the diet. He may not like it (I have now found a doc at my practise who does) but I think it's important that they know and you might be able to get a meter out of them. Initially they may refuse but when I started to prove to mine that I was using the meter to control my diet I did get one but it took four months of pushing.
 
Thanks again Scandichic. (I had to correct the url, but I got there. ) This site is where I went last night.

It says : "to buy click here". I clicked 'there' but nothing happened. Still nothing happens.
Sigh!! it's always me that gets the lemon! Lol!

Well I got there, and got as far as ordering. However, the site wants to know if I am (mmol or mg.) and I have to select an option. I don't know what that means, so I can't select any option !
I'll see if I can get a free meter off the Doc!
 
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I got my meter from them and I buy 5 pots of strips at a time. Postage is 50p for first class and often arrives the next day. I'd keep trying or try and ring them as they are really good. I'd also keep on at your doc. Took me 3 months but got one in the end so I keep the one from my doc at work and use my code free at home as I prefer it. Good luck!
 
Have you sorted out your heart failure problems now ?
I spent the least amount of time on the diabetes meds doing the LCHF diet to control my sugars. This diet has also reduced my cholestral numbers .. So it's a win win diet.
 
It is hard to take meds when they say not to be taken if you have heart failure.. To be honest I took a fair bit of convincing to try them .. pharmacy said to start with one tablet a day for a week or two then increase to two a day for another week or two not progressing untill I felt confident I was not having any heart related side effects. I took them for just under 10 months .. They did (or the stress) cause a few angina attacks in the very early stages of taking them, so keep your heart failure spray handy at all times, just in case.
 
Mmol. Sorry should have said. If you go onto the website of this forum then it'll tell you about bs and the norms. Ideally aim for normal (4-5.9) is the goal but in the beginning it will be higher but it will come down if you get good control. My fasting bs is between 6.1-7 and there's nothing I can do about this. By mid morning it's in the 5s and by the evening after food it's about 5-6. I eat lchf with the occasional blip where I have decided to eat something not good for me. This is controlled and is a one off. For the first 3 months I had one glass of wine once. Preserve with the ordering of the meter. You need the discount code if you buy the 5 x 5 pots of strips. Have attached piccie.
 
Presumably the doc wouldn't prescribe something that could have fatal results but then again there is the eat well plate - lol!
 
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