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Done my best!

D

dawnmc

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,453
Location
Sheffield
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Well, after visit to nurse yesterday, I'm now on Metformin. I have got my BG down from 11 in Jan, to 7.1 as of last week. But its not good enough.
I've not lost any weight, well I did but it all went back on. I'm 2 stone overweight. Can't shift it at all. I'm not the best eater in the world, most of the time I can't be bothered eating so I have 2 meals a day. No snacks, if I do its a few nuts, or olives or cheese.
Anyway I know there are lots of info on Metformin, however does taking it mean I can add a few more carbs in my diet? I eat Burgen bread - its easy to make a tuna mayo buttie during the day. So when on Metformin can you get away with more carbs?
How much does the drug reduce BG by, if its only a little is it worth taking?
 
dawnmc said:
How much does the drug reduce BG by, if its only a little is it worth taking?
Click to expand...

Not a lot and yes...

To qualify. The max dose of 2000mg of metformin split between am and pm can help to reduce the bg levels by between 1 and 2 mmol/L not a huge amount but it could mean the difference between 7.5 mmol/L and 5.5 mmol/L so not to be sniffed at, it has also been shown to help protect against heart disease and a number of cancers too.

So it wont allow you to eat a lot more carbs but it may help you get your bg levels into the 5's.
 
Thanks Sid, they are only putting me on 500g for now.
 
Hi. I agree with Sid. Metformin also helps reduce your appetite although it seems you aren't eating that much anyway. I wonder why the weight isn't shifting? Hopefully the doc will increase your Metformin if your weight won't move. Don't forget excercise of course.
 
Cheers Dai, fraid I've got a bit lazy in the exercise department, too busy knitting and sewing for my business to get off my butt. Does getting up and making coffee and getting up to iron my patchwork count lol. Doubt it.
 
Just wondering how much exercise and what and when?
 
dawnmc said:
Just wondering how much exercise and what and when?
Click to expand...

Hi Dawnmc! First of all, well done on getting your numbers down the way you did. In terms of eating more carbs, the answer is no. Nice as it would be, the idea is to get your BGs down lower to safer levels, not to keep them the same but let you have an extra buttie!
In terms of exercise, I find that just ten minutes of hard exercise about an hour after eating helps to get the peak levels down faster and further. I use an exercise machine, but going up and down stairs for ten mins as quick as you can manage would do the same thing. Needs to be hard work though. If you don't fancy that, a half hour BRISK walk would do the same thing. I prefer to put up with the pain, but the task to be over quicker!
 
Thanks, I have a stationary bike, will have to make more use of it.
 
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