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Do I choose to double up on Metformin or stick to new LCHF diet?

Lorraineagain

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Red Peppers, Pine Nuts and negative people.
Hi,
I could do with some advice as I'm so confused and have a poorly tummy.

After my HBA1c went up to 9 and also my cholesterol went up, the DN told me to double up the Metformin to 2000mg per day. (This could be because of taking St.Johns Wart in ignorance, which I've stopped.) With a blood test in 3 months (December) to check it again.
At the same time I came across this wonderful forum and learned about the LCHF diet.

Determined to get it back in control by December I stopped the SJW, I opted to try the new eating plan first and my daily bg readings came down for the first 4 days but spiked into 13's and 11's after even small amounts of carb after that. This frightened me so I started the extra Metformin to bring them down as and when necessary. I've had sudden onset of tummy cramps and constipation with diarrhea or just diarrhea but always sudden onset...which is really restricting my plans to go out.
And now I don't know whether it's the change in diet or the Metformin or both that's causing this.

Having gone through the constant headaches and depression stage I'd like to keep up the diet but one member said his Metformin reacted with the high fat diet and now I'm really confused as to which way to go. I'm loving the 'treat' of having cream again but the years of brainwashing over Low Fats I'm scared that it will increase my cholesterol.

Have any of you experienced an upset tummy with the LCHF diet? If not then it must be the meds.
 
It will probably be the metformin.
If you ask your doctor to prescribe slow release metformin, that may relieve your symptoms!

I don't think it would be the low carbing!
 
Hi Nosher,

I am on SR Metformin, but should I be increasing it now I'm on the LCHF diet? If I go back to my original dose will the bg readings come down eventually? People talk about reversing type 2 with this diet...
 
You cant reverse diabetes but you can control it. Stick with the lchf for a while, just keep testing. Metformin doesn't really have that much affect on BS.
 
If you're unhappy with the metformin, you will have to talk to your GP.
The increase in metformin is the first course of steps to get your Hba1c levels down.
The discomfort may be temporary!

I would continue with the diet, you don't mention when you were diagnosed, I would assume that it's quite recent, so I know it's frustrating but bear with the low carbing.
Take it from me, I assure you, if you persist with it, it will work and it is a change for the future, a lifestyle change not a diet, if you haven't, read the low carb diet forum, there are some great ideas and recipes. It is not a quick fix.
 
Doubling up on Metformin doesn't double up its effectiveness.

I think (from memory) 1000mg decreases the bg by approx 1.1mmol/l (on average)
and then increasing the dose to 2000mg decreases the bg by an average total of about 1.35mmol/l

so that second 1000mg only increases the bg reduction by an additional 0.25mmol/l

Dietary control of carbohydrate intake is dramatically more effective than that. If done appropriately, and using a meter to test individual reactions to carbs.

Also, it was my understanding that stomach upset from metformin is likely to be due to excessive carb intake, not excessive fat intake. That opinion is based on seeing a number of people post to this forum reporting that if they cut their carbs enough, the metfartin effects reduce. Of course, if they cut their carbs enough, they probably don't need the metformin at all, but then I am not a fan of taking drugs if dietary control will do the same thing, with less expense to the NHS, and fewer drug interaction/side effects, so I guess you would say I am biased.
 
Thanks for the encouraging advice, I will continue with the lifestyle change and maybe monitor before and after eating more often, it just scares me when the bg is high after trying sooooo hard to eat the right things. It's also quite a stressful time so not an ideal time to be changing everything but I just want to get better quickly.
I was diagnosed in 2000 during my divorce. I'd had Gestational Diabetes twice during the 80's and my Mother and Maternal Grandfather had it so I kind of expected to get it full blown at some point. Considering it's been 15 years and controlled only by diet and Metformin I've been lucky, I'm just dissappointed that it's changed, lets hope it was a combination of the SJW, the stress and the wrong nutritional advice that have caused it.
Thanks again
 
That's really interesting! I had no idea about Metformin. Well it's really not worth going through all the side-effects for such little return!
 

Here is a link that gives some of the info about metformin that i mentioned (the drug discussion starts just after a 1/3 way through.

Half the video is about cholesterol, which may not interest you (yet), but the D drug stuff is fascinating.
 

It's likely to be the meds rather than LCHF. Upset stomachs are not uncommon for those on metformin - take a look at these for more:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/metformin-side-effect.19656/
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/metformin-sr-and-nausea-how-long.32906/
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/metformin-and-dizziness-nausea-swelling-around-ankles.86320/
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/metformin-problems.78297/

As nosher mentioned, slow release may work better for you. May also want to read this page too: Metformin
 
I used to get severe stomach cramps.about once a month at least when I was on Metformin but since stopping the meds and doing LCHF I havnt had any issues so Id bet its the increased meds. If you have another Hb test in Dec it would be good to keep up with LCHF and your original dose of Metformin and then you will get a true picture of whether or not the diet is working for you.
 
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