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How soon after LCHF were you able to cut back/out on Metformin.

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Type 2
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I know we're all different but I'd like a sort of ball park figure on how long it took people to be able to cut back on their Metformin after being on the LCHF lifestyle. The reason being that I would like to see if I can manage on fewer drugs. I have already made good progress cutting down on some pain meds but ideally would like to be on as few as possible. Thanks folks.
 
I have no plans of cutting back or quitting Metformin. It has been key in helping me be successful. With LCHF and Metformin my BG is normal, I've lost 50 pounds and PCOS symptoms have improved.
There also have been studies that show it had heart protecting properties.
 
I was never on Metformin. I was, however, on Gliclazide (a stronger drug)...which I stopped (by choice) to focus on diet only (LCHF) as soon as I had made the decision. All I noticed was lower blood sugars, less light-headedness and a better sleep as well as the satisfaction of taking control. I am on quite a cocktail of other drugs following a kidney transplant (not caused by diabetes), like yourself, want to be on as few as possible. I wanted to stop, so I stopped (over two years ago, after about two months of taking it). I have never regretted it. I did inform my doctor I was stopping. To my knowledge Metformin does not really directly reduce blood sugar much at all but it is a "good drug" which has other benefits. We all differ. I would speak to your doctor about it...saying you want to see how your blood sugars are through diet alone and see what is said. Then, informed, make your own mind up.
 
At one point I was on sixteen pills per day. I have cut that down to eleven and a half (the half pill being Amitriptyline which I am slowly cutting the dosage of). I was tinkering with the idea that I could halve the dosage of Metformin by the end of the year-ish but I would have to understand fully the benefits/drawbacks of the drug and so far my reading has been in vain as so many say that it is not known exactly how this medicine works.
 
I understand the appeal of reducing the number of pills you have to take.
I am fortunate that Metformin and Vit B12 are the only ones I take.
We each have to find what works for us.
 

I only took mine for 3 weeks before chucking them in the bin. Couldn't take the side effects..tried both reg and SR a bad experience.
 
I have never taken any medication for diabetes. My HbA1c was 53 on diagnosis and I was automatically given 3 months on diet and lifestyle. Medication was never mentioned, and hasn't been since.

The decision whether or not to take it is entirely yours. If you decide to stop it and find that isn't working you can always go back on it.
 
I see the main benefit of Metformin as being able to reduce insulin resistance. The blood glucose lowering effect is of much less interest to me, since LCHF can achieve that with diet (provided there are enough beta cells left).

But then I have PCOS, so insulin resistance is the bane of my life.

So, for me, I would keep on with the Metformin regardless of blood glucose levels.

However, Metformin is known to block vit B12 absorption in some people.
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/metformin-and-risk-for-vitamin-b12-deficiency/
Although it usually takes a long time to kick in.
So if I was taking Metformin long term, I would be taking a B12 supplement (generous dose) daily, and then probably asking for an annual B12 blood test when I was at the surgery having the rest of my blood checkup.

Of course, other people have different priorities and different bodies, so they would make different decisions.
 
I too intend to keep taking metformin. It also protects from certain cancers, specially those that have killed most of the women in my mums family!
I do understand the desire to take fewer drugs, but the downside of metformin seems to be compensated by its benefits.
Good luck with it all.
 
I agree with the others - I have been asked if I want to reduce or stop my Metformin but on doing some research and finding out its other benefits I have decided to stay on it for the forseeable future.

I understand your wanting to reduce your meds though - quite quickly - just a few weeks - after starting low carbing I stopped injecting insulin and then quickly stopped taking Sitagliptin and it felt like I was going in the right direction. I do take other meds which I'm working towards reducing or stopping.
 
Thank you all for your views. I shall ponder on the decision a while longer before making any changes.
 
I am only on Metformin and reluctant to give it up.
 
I was on 2x500 Metformin at diagnosis with a HbA1C of 99. After 3 months my HbA1C dropped to 59. I then went down to 1x500 Meformin a day. After another 3 months my HbA1C dropped to 44 and then I stopped taking Metformin.

A HbA1C of 99 corresponds to 11%
A HbA1C of 44 corresponds to 6%

So I dropped from 11 to 5%. Metformin on its own without reducing carbs would only drop by HbA1C from 11 to 10% or 86. Eating the same diet as before and taking Metformin will still leave you with very high blood glucose levels. On the other hand, a LCHF diet can help you reduce glucose levels to a much lower level even if you don't take Metformin.

I found the Metformin led to pins and needles sensations in my hands and also memory loss. Memory loss and neuropathy are known side effects for metformin although not everyone may suffer from them. This maybe caused by vitamin B12 deficiency which is associated with metformin. I also found my sleep pattern was disrupted by metformin as was getting up in the middle of the night to pee.
 
I was in a dreadful state taking Metformin and Atorvastatin.
When I stopped them I could not find any reason to restart taking them, as far as I could see during the approximately 5 weeks I was taking them my blood pressure had gone up, and it went down again when I stopped taking the tablets - the side effects gradually diminished, but my memory is still very bad and many memories are, I think, gone for ever. My blood glucose readings did not change.
I found being unable to walk a real difficulty - I think that being able to go out of the house and go to the bank or shops is a far greater help to my wellbeing than being unable to creep far from the toilet and even sitting was painful - everything was painful.
 
I'm UOTE="Art Of Flowers, post: 1547116, member: 375067"]I was on 2x500 Metformin at diagnosis with a HbA1C of 99. After 3 months my HbA1C dropped to 59. I then went down to 1x500 Meformin a day. After another 3 months my HbA1C dropped to 44 and then I stopped taking Metformin.

A HbA1C of 99 corresponds to 11%
A HbA1C of 44 corresponds to 6%

So I dropped from 11 to 5%. Metformin on its own without reducing carbs would only drop by HbA1C from 11 to 10% or 86. Eating the same diet as before and taking Metformin will still leave you with very high blood glucose levels. On the other hand, a LCHF diet can help you reduce glucose levels to a much lower level even if you don't take Metformin.

I found the Metformin led to pins and needles sensations in my hands and also memory loss. Memory loss and neuropathy are known side effects for metformin although not everyone may suffer from them. This maybe caused by vitamin B12 deficiency which is associated with metformin. I also found my sleep pattern was disrupted by metformin as was getting up in the middle of the night to pee.[/QUOTE]
I'm glad you mentioned sleep. The Amitriptyline helps combat sleep disturbance and I have been having some problems with this while I have been slowly reducing the dosage but perhaps it could be the Metformin.That is the problem with taking multiple drugs, one can never tell how they will interact, if at all.
 
@Art Of Flowers

Can you see my 'quote'? It is not showing up as such for me.

I quoted about your point on sleep/metformin.
 
bulkbiker said:
Looks like you overtyped the first square bracket and "Q" of quote which means the quote didn't get quoted.. if that's not too convoluted..
Click to expand...
That's what happens when using a tiny tablet. The iPad gives you so much more room. Cheers Bulkbiker.
 

At least some of your problems seem similar to the ones that I had when taking Simvastatin and Pravastatin, so it may be that it was the statin causing the problems.

Unless of course you stopped the statin and continued with Metformin and found the problems didn't go away until you stopped Metformin as well.

My GP seems keen for me to try Atorvastatin because it is a more recent drug with allegedly less side effects.

I wasn't keen before I read your post!
 
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