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Insulin v Metformin ?

S

Sazzle74

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Hi There

My name is Saz , I’m 35 and I was diagnosed with Type 2 about a year ago, I knew I was at risk as I had 2 gestational diabetic pregnancies, just didn’t think the diagnosis would come so soon.

I have been diet controlled up till now, and I’m having fasting bloods on Monday with a diabetes review the week after, for about a week my blood glucose has not been below 8mmol before or after meals, so I know I will probably need some medication. Sorry for the waffle, my question is - can I go back on to insulin rather than Metformin?? I have heard not good things about the side effects of Metformin. In my last pregnancy (2008) my consultant strongly suspected that I am insulin deficient rather than resistant and I got really good control on Insulin, so would it be too unreasonable to request insulin rather than Metformin.


Saz XX
 
Thanks Sue,

I've never actually seen my GP about my diabetes, I got a phone call saying I was diabetic and I needed to make an appointment with the diabetes nurse, and that has been the extent of my GP's involvement.

I dont know what my *rights* are if you will in respect of my treatment of diabetes - I would prefer insulin as I will have greater control over it rather than it controlling me, but I dont want to seem bolshy iykwim
 
Metformin is one of the safest drugs around with very few and manageable side effects. Now, Metformin may, in some people, depelete Vitamin B-12 and other B levels. If this happens, this can induce neuropathy or accelerate your pre-existing diabetic neuropathy. But you can counteract this by taking Vitamin B compelx and B-12 supplements. Also, don't forget that hypothyroidism may also induce neuropathy and that strong statins like Crestor and Lipitor can by themselves trigger neuropathy. Therefore, the neuropathy claim against Metformin may be greatly overstated.

Having said that, you seem to make a valid point about your insulin deficiency. Should someone with insulin deficiency be on Metformin rather than insulin? I was diagnosed w/T2 diabeties but my C-Peptide is at the low end. This seems to indicate I'm insulin deficient rather than insulin resistant. I may have nearly burned out my pancreatic beta cells that my insulin has decreased to a trickle. If so, I may be progressing inevitably toward T1 diabetes and insulin dependence. In other words, I may be T1.5 or LADA.

I think you should see an endo who's familiar with both T1 and T2 diabetes. I had my internist treat my diabetes for a while and I wish I could turn back the clock. Then, I believe you should establish your level of insulin deficiency: get a C-Peptide testing with your insulin and fasting BG levels. With those numbers, your endo should be in a position to decide whether you should be on insulin or Metformin. He may also reassess your T2 diabetic status by testing for antibodies. I don't think a run of the mill GP or internist will be savvy enough to decide what's in your best interest without further testing.
 
maxell said:
If so, I may in fact be progressing inevitably toward T1 diabetes and insulin dependence.
I think you should see an endo who's familiar with both T1 and T2 diabetes.
Click to expand...

maxell.
What you may be progressing towards is being a Type 2 who is Insulin dependent. Just because you progress to Insulin doesn't make you a Type 1.

In the UK ALL Endocrinologists are experts in ALL aspects of Diabetes and other related Endocrine disorders. They ALL know about Type 1,2, 1.5 etc. Is it different in the States ?
 
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