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Do I need drugs ?

daisyduck

Well-Known Member
Messages
988
Location
Great Yarmouth
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I had a result of 63 on a HbA1c test, following a random blood sugar test back in December which was 10.1

Since then I have been sticking to a low carb diet and 30 minutes powerwalking each night.

I use my husbands testing kit and I think my my levels are now withing the "normal" range.. Over the last month..lowest 3.5 and highest 7.1 after food.

Hospital results last week show my HbA1c level down to 52 .... 2 stone weight loss. ...Cholesterol down from 8.2 to 5.8 ....and liver enzymes back to normal after being 3 times the regular level for many years.

My doctor would like me to take Metformin and statins, but after reading about the possible side effects of these I am reluctant.

I still have about another 2 stone to lose and have asked him if I can stay drug free until my next hospital appointment to see what a further weight loss will do.
He was dismissive of a low carb diet but said it was my choice.
Do I really need drugs ?
 
Welcome! You're improving, but he wants you to take drugs? I can see the profit (his) in it, but not the logic, or the good practice. Given a choice like that I would stay off until the next test.
Also I would get my own test kit and keep the forum informed.
But that's just me.
 
Whilst I agree that the OP should see how things go for a while, rather than diving into an orgy of medication, will a GP really make money from prescribing drugs for treatment of a condition? I believe that a practice will get a kind of "finders fee" for every diagnosis of Diabetes that they make, but do they get payment by results based on the amount of medication that their patients consume? I'd have thought the opposite would apply, if anything. (I am asking a question, rather than making an authoritative statement of facts, btw - in reality I haven't a clue. About anything ......... )

To the OP : Whether or not to take drugs is entirely your choice - nobody can force you to do it and I think the very least you can expect from your GP is an explanation as to why you should embark on a drug regime when your levels appear to be heading in the right direction without them.

But like DeejayR, that's just me
 
jay hay-char said:
I believe that a practice will get a kind of "finders fee" for every diagnosis of Diabetes that they make, but do they get payment by results based on the amount of medication that their patients consume? I'd have thought the opposite would apply,
Click to expand...
Something to conjecture about in another thread perhaps. The amount given in travel fees, sponsorship etc by Big Pharma to doctors in the UK annually (around £40m worth) is reported regularly. In return for what? we may ask.
 
Hi. Metformin i a very safe drug and will help reduce insulin resistance a bit and hence blood sugar a bit. The SR (Slow Release version) avoids stomach upset. The arguments for statins continue so its your choice. It has nothing to do with diabetes so don't let your GP say it is related.
 
Thanks everyone.
They had tried me on four different types of statins before which all had me aching all over after 3 to 4 weeks, and feeling like an arthritic old lady!
I'm normally very fit and active.
I don't really know much about Metformin but looking at the side effects, one of the contra-indications is liver disease.
As I had been diagnosed with non alcoholic fatty liver syndrome and my enzyme levels used to be off the scale.. at least 3 times normal. is Metformin safe ?
Thankfully my liver levels are now normal after my low carb weight loss.
 
DeejayR said:
Something to conjecture about in another thread perhaps. The amount given in travel fees, sponsorship etc by Big Pharma to doctors in the UK annually (around £40m worth) is reported regularly. In return for what? we may ask.
Click to expand...
Indeed. I went on a DEREK course this January. Shouldn't have bothered but that's by the by.

What was of interest though was that the dn taking the course said that diabetics are very valuable to practices. Unfortuatly she didn't go into too much detail. But does anyone know how much extra funding they get and if it is tiered. Eg d+e, metformin, insulin, stations, other complications drugs etc etc? Or on type 1 or 2?

Worth delving into me thinks. Always useful the know your 'worth'.
 
up to you, My a1c is 38 and cholesterol 3.2 and I take metformin and low dose statins. Both because they are good for you, whether you have diabetes or not.
google both of them for 'other benefits'..... people who take metformin live longer than people who dont

for the tree huggers, low carb and statins
.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi again. Yes, Metformin does list a few side effects but it has been rare on this forum for anyone to have suffered any (apart from stomach issues and metallic taste). Many have, however, suffered from statins including my wife who had serious liver pains having have Hep A. I wouldn't advise anyone who has had liver problems to use a statin unless discussed in depth with the GP.
 
Hi Daisy, I was diagnosed last month and was prescribed Metformin by my diabetic nurse (I've taken statins for quite a while with no apparent side effects), like you I have liver problems. On my first visit to the diabetic consultant she advised me to stop the Metformin as blood test results showed liver enzymes were rising. She suggested trying to control my glucose levels with diet and exercise, the LCHF diet and aerobics regime seems to be working.
 
Thanks everyone.. lots to think about.
Deskdoll that sounds just like me, I'm happy now to carry on with just my diet and exercise until September when they can reassess my stats (hopefully further improved) and explain if and why I need these drugs.
 
You don't need to take any drugs imo. Low carb diet and exercise will do all you need in a natural way. The case for statins is very thin (to put it mildly) and at 5.8 total I would say you are fine. They can't force you to take them. Do you know what your HDL and triglycerides were (and are now)?

Have a read of the top item in my sig below and ask any questions.
 

Thanks sanguine. No I don't know the breakdown. I always have to ask before they tell me anything. As I am quite new to the diabetes diagnosis I'll now know more of what to ask next time.
Your stats look great on just diet and exercise. I still have 2 stone to lose so mine have a lot of room for more improvement too.
How low do you go on carbs ?
 
Ezetimibe is a different option if intolerant to statins. However, all tablets may have side effects..
 
they will give you a print out is you ask and you have the markers from the video
 

Thanks, I do about 50g carbs a day although I rarely count them these days.

As Jack says, ask reception at the surgery for a full printout of your results and ask any questions about them on here. It's your body, your blood, you are entitled to them.
 
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