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Is it possible to come off meds

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chani111

Active Member
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I am at the start of my diabetes journey and I am now regularly getting my bloods always within normal range using BG. My question is if I lose the two stone I need to lose and continue to eat a low-carb diet would it be possible in the future at some time to come off the Metformin tablets that I have been prescribed?

Ideally I would like to come off these medications within the next 18 months if at all possible and just control my diabetes using diet, Has anybody done this?

This site is just great I don’t know what I would do without it thank you to everybody who contributes
Sharon
 
Started with metformin, was severely ill for weeks, got switched to gliclazide, but had found low carbing in the meantime... So came off the glic as well after 3 months, which could've been done sooner if my endo hadn't been a naysayer. (My GP saw things differently, thank heavens.)

It can indeed be done.
 
Thank you, I think I need to lose the weight first to give myself the best chance. I am going to talk to my GP and the diabetic nurse as I want to keep them onside for this journey.
 
chani111 said:
Thank you, I think I need to lose the weight first to give myself the best chance. I am going to talk to my GP and the diabetic nurse as I want to keep them onside for this journey.
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Please remember that they are there to advise.

The decision as to what goes into your body should be yours not theirs.. after all it's you that have your T2 not the doc or nurse.
 
Yes. I never took any meds and was back at normal A1c in under four months. Went low carb (~20g/day) with intermittent fasting.
 

Hi @chani111 -- My gp put me on metformin (maximum) straight after diagnosis. Half a year later, he halfed the dose (after blood sugars had returned to normal) and then took me off metformin altogether after another half year had passed.

Why don't your ask gp/nurse if you can try without the metformin if your blood sugars are normal? I would think that most would be more than willing to let you try ... but also remember that in the end it is your decision if you want to take the medication offered to you.
 
It's definitely possible. I went from 103 to 53 in short order on diet alone (and lost 3.5 stone into the bargain). Kept the weight off but unfortunately let my control slip badly. Now on gliclizide but I hope to come off it quickly once I've got my diet back under control.

There are countless people on here in remission through diet alone, so good luck to you!
 

Thank you, yes that is the plan I am beginning to formulate. Get my bloods to normal and stable then reduce to half meds and then do the same again. I know it’s my decision and I will get there but I have always found it’s best to take your health care professionals with you. As a team it’s better. They learn and support you, it’s a double win. I have other health conditions and working with them meant I got badly needed hip and knee replacements before the age of 40. I have a massively support team around me and I am very grateful for the NHS which has saved my life, my husbands, my daughter’s and my dad’s.
Thank you everyone
 
chani111 said:
Thank you, I think I need to lose the weight first to give myself the best chance. I am going to talk to my GP and the diabetic nurse as I want to keep them onside for this journey.
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Well - I was told that I must have lost the weight first in order to lower my blood glucose - yeah, right.
Some people just make assumptions, and statements, that do not add up.
 
chani111 said:
Thank you, I think I need to lose the weight first to give myself the best chance. I am going to talk to my GP and the diabetic nurse as I want to keep them onside for this journey.
Click to expand...
The weightloss just happened as I cut carbs. (25 kilo's of it, or thereabouts). Excess glucose is stored in fat cells. With no glucose coming in, you start depleting the stores. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ Keep in mind you gained weight because you were becoming diabetic, not the other way around.
 
It's definitely possible to ditch those meds and we have plenty of evidence forum-wise, but just be aware too that for some people with various health issues this unfortunately may not always be the case.

I was very much overweight with a somewhat overworked elderly pancreas when I was diagnosed with T2, which I reduced down to pre-diabetic level (HbA1c 62 -> 47) within 2-3 months of diagnosis simply by cutting right down on all obvious high carbohydrate foods. I didn't start losing much needed weight until a bit later when I went very low carb - 20-25g carbs a day for a while - based on Atkins diet @Resurgam at GP's suggestion, but my weight loss only made a fairly minor improvement to those already reduced glucose levels. I've maintained low pre-diabetic/high end of normal levels for nearly eight years now, but it took my GP nearly three of those years to finally declare that I didn't actually need to be taking metformin. I am still very much overweight but this has had very little impact on my diabetes - it'd been my long-term LCHF diet that has definitely kept me diabetic medication free.
 
Metformin may have benefits beyond T2 diabetes.
It was a few years back now, but at one point it was suggested that a T2 on Metformin had a longer life expectancy than a non-diabetic.
So always worth checking on possible benefits from taking a low dose of Metformin.

That said, coming off medications should always be a good thing.
 
Your health care professionals will follow the standard of care, so realistically will need to tell you something like, low fat, whole grains, fruit and veg. We are not allowed to give medical advice, but at least 7 of the responders (who are in remission) to your thread have followed the alternative advice that circa 90% plus of UK GP's, nutritionalists and dietitians would dish out.

Diet is the most powerful tool - Metformin comes no where near close, if you exercise in place of metformin (even a 10 minute walk after meals) that has more effect also.
 
Weight loss can help with diabetes, but as others have said, you don’t necessarily need to be thinner to come off medication — it’s more about eating to your meter.
 
[QUOTE="chani111, post: 2448332, member: 548644"Is it possible to come off meds, has anybody done this?[/QUOTE]
In my case, yes it is after talking with my former GP, I came off of Metformin over a period of time.

With my new GP, after a medication review and a discussion with her during my first appointment, I have come off of statins, high blood pressure tablets, and have also came off Xaralto anti coagulant tablets because of internal bleeding in my bowel.

As for weight loss I did not have to loose much weight for my target, only a couple of kg's.
 

Unfortunately as a wheelchair user exercise is not easy but I do manage a walk in the pool once a week
 
Riva_Roxaban said:
[QUOTE="chani111, post: 2448332, member: 548644"Is it possible to come off meds, has anybody done this?
Click to expand...
In my case, yes it is after talking with my former GP, I came off of Metformin over a period of time.

With my new GP, after a medication review and a discussion with her during my first appointment, I have come off of statins, high blood pressure tablets, and have also came off Xaralto anti coagulant tablets because of internal bleeding in my bowel.

As for weight loss I did not have to loose much weight for my target, only a couple of kg's.[/QUOTE]

Wow that is impressive! I don’t take statins but I ado take blood pressure tablets. I need to loos just under 2 stone but I will get there
 
danziger said:
Weight loss can help with diabetes, but as others have said, you don’t necessarily need to be thinner to come off medication — it’s more about eating to your meter.
Click to expand...

Yes I am doing that and recording everything I eat. My BG is looking really good and well within normal range. I am happy with my progress and although I do crave some particular carbs, losing weight and being healthy is winning me through right now
 
chani111 said:
Unfortunately as a wheelchair user exercise is not easy but I do manage a walk in the pool once a week
Click to expand...
Everything counts, my wife has 2 wheelchair patients on Keto with great results without exercise.
 
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