Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 today and I am very confused. My dad has had type 2 for years and after my mum passed away I now control his diet as he is disabled after a stroke. I got his diet under control and off insulin after 10 years so I feel I have some knowledge of the condition. An over 40 health check picked up high blood pressure and I was referred to the GP. I was then given 2 glucose fasting checks that have come back at 7? The GP was very vague but said I needed metformin straight away. I asked for a tolerance test but she said it was high enough to be certain. I thought 7 was borderline. I have concerns taking the tablets without a bit more effort on my diet, like low carb. My GP said she new my diet was good so best start the tablets. I have had IBS since a young child so the side affects of an upset tummy fills me with dread as it is bad enough daily. Someone I know told me GPs get extra funding for diabetic patients, not sure if true. Can anyone tell me about the test result and should I query again with the doctor. I have another blood test in 3 weeks and see the nurse.
Do I need metformin
- Thread starter julie42
- Start Date
Hi. I think you are right. A fasting reading of 7 is borderline and a fasting test is not as reliable as a GTT. Metformin is a good, safe drug, but you need the SR (Slow Release) version to avoid the quite common risk of stomach/bowel reaction. Yes, you could focus more on the diet i.e. a low'ish carb, low GI diet for a few months, buy a meter and test what the reading is 2 hours after a typical meal. If it's noticeably below 8.5 in old money, I would be inclined to delay starting the meds. That's merely my opinion and it's your choice. You could also ask your surgery for an HBa1C test which is a good indicator of a 3-month average.
Thanks for your quick response. I am having a HBa1C in 3 weeks. I don't know what to do now, I might phone my dad's diabetic nurse at the hospital tomorrow for her opinion.
Hi I am no expert but I was testing at 19/22 blood glucose and an Hba1c of 12.3 an d my doctor said diet only for six months I now have an Hba1c of 7.1 and regularly test at between 6 and 8 blood glucose, so it can be done with diet and excercise only. 
My dad's diabetic nurse suggested I do take the tablets but request the slow release as I have had bowel problems since birth. I have an advice call later booked for tea time so we will see. I thought I knew a lot about diabetes until this week. Having sat glued to my ipad I have learnt so much from this site. I always looked at sweet things as a no no for my dad not carbs. Just goes to show how wrong I was. At nearly 80 I will keep my dad as he is but I am prepared to do what it takes to get on the right track. I have an appointment booked to see an eye specialist as I have eye pressure and next week I go back to the GP as I originally went with high blood pressure and breathlessness, at 42 that was strange. I only went for an over 40 health check and was not going to bother. I never thought in a million years I had this, My BMI is 27, a little over but I am not over weight and I thought I ate really well, cook everything from scratch and only drink wine with meals. Oh we'll time to accept it and get a grip.
Squire Fulwood
Expert
- Messages
- 6,107
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Do I need Metformin?
I don't know. I asked my nurse why I was taking them and I got a vague answer about it helping with my blood sugars and there being some benefit (unspecified) some way down the road. I was not convinced so I asked for her agreement to stop taking Metformin for three months.
There was no difference that I could discover. The blood sugars did not alter and nothing else changed and I couldn't really make a judgement about upset stomachs since I do more damage in that regard by just drinking wine etc.
My GP noticed I had stopped taking it and she took it amiss. She said I should start taking it straight away but didn't say why. I get the impression that it is used as a test of your willingness to do as you are told.
The reason I am taking it now is precisely because it is doing no apparent harm (or any perceivable good) and my life is quieter if I don't buck the system. I would have no problem in stopping it.
I don't know. I asked my nurse why I was taking them and I got a vague answer about it helping with my blood sugars and there being some benefit (unspecified) some way down the road. I was not convinced so I asked for her agreement to stop taking Metformin for three months.
There was no difference that I could discover. The blood sugars did not alter and nothing else changed and I couldn't really make a judgement about upset stomachs since I do more damage in that regard by just drinking wine etc.
My GP noticed I had stopped taking it and she took it amiss. She said I should start taking it straight away but didn't say why. I get the impression that it is used as a test of your willingness to do as you are told.
The reason I am taking it now is precisely because it is doing no apparent harm (or any perceivable good) and my life is quieter if I don't buck the system. I would have no problem in stopping it.
daisy1
Legend
- Messages
- 26,457
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Cruelty towards animals.
Hi Julie and welcome to the forum
I'm glad you have already had some answers to your question on Metformin. There will probably be more members coming to help. I took Metformin for 3.5 years with no problems then had to stop because I suddenly got side effects. My levels didn't go up after I had stopped. Metformin SR is better if you get stomach problems which are frequent. Here is some information which we give to new members which I think you will find useful. Any more questions, just ask and someone will be here to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 30,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
I'm glad you have already had some answers to your question on Metformin. There will probably be more members coming to help. I took Metformin for 3.5 years with no problems then had to stop because I suddenly got side effects. My levels didn't go up after I had stopped. Metformin SR is better if you get stomach problems which are frequent. Here is some information which we give to new members which I think you will find useful. Any more questions, just ask and someone will be here to help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 30,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
A quick update, my hospital blood test was 8.2, not 7. I must have misheard. I am now taking SR metformin after the doctor agreed to change as I have stomach problems. It is ok but I can feel a bit sick especially before meals? I am tryingntomcut my carbs, I am delighted at a good score of under 8 after eating (2 hours) but gutted when I get an over 10. Trial and error and the family are learning to gauge my moods.
