Just been started on Metformin

Hello @Kittycat_7_

I'm afraid you can't rely on Metformin to help control your levels. It is a mild drug. It helps to a small extent with your morning fasting level because it helps reduce the amount of glucose your liver produces in a morning to get you going until you eat, and it is an appetite suppressant. What it won't do is keep your levels down after eating. What you eat is the key to control, which means basically reducing your carbohydrate consumption. All carbs convert to glucose once inside the system, so the more carbs we eat, the higher our glucose levels will be.

Rather than take random blood glucose tests with your meter, test immediately before you eat and again 2 hours after you start to eat, then look at the rise from before to after. If this is 2mmol/l or more, there were too many carbs in that meal. This will give you the opportunity to analyse the food you ate and decide where you could tweak things - either by reducing the portion sizes of the carbs or eliminating some of them. It really helps if you keep a food diary including portion sizes and record these levels alongside so you can see patterns emerging over a period of time.

I'm afraid I can't help with the thrush as it is something I have no experience of.

Found Metformin disastrous. Caused havoc with mood, health and agression. Got sick of it and volunteered for Insulin, despite hating needles. Was, for me, a very good move!

Kittycat_7_ said:

Hi,
Sorry to hear Metformin was disastrous for you. I may end up on insulin, as many in my family are on insulin.
Did you try any other tablets?
Thanks

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Yeah. Was on Chloropropamide before I added Metformin, as it wasn't doing enough and I was on the maximum safe Chloro dose for my heart (which is fine). As I said, I hated Metformin, so switched to Insulin. Have worked my way through a variety of different Insulins. Am now on Novo-Rapid, Insulin Glargine (Lantus). Developed weight issues and worsening control. Added Liraglutide injections), have dumped Sitagliptin tablet (useless), am using Emetizibe tablet and have recently started using Empagliflozin at the rate of 10 mg. Will be moving up to 25 mg in two weeks. Since changes, my total Insulin intake has come down from 91 units of Insulin to 45. Expect to further reduce this by the end of the year. HbA1c down from 9.5 to 6.9 and weight (in last 13 months) down from 109 kg to 88 kg, partly helped by switching over to a reduced carbohydrate diet that is guided by my hugely supportive wife of 27 years, and mum to my two wonderful girls..

When I suffered Thrush (on and off for over a year before diagnosis) I, too, was going through Canestan like billy-oh. It wasn't until I got my blood glucose levels down that it finally resolved.
What I found helpful in the meantime was to avoid all scented soap, shower gels etc and switch to Aqueous Cream. It is an emolient that you can get over the counter at the chemist. Sold in tubes but far cheaper if you buy it in a tub (costs about £4 whereas the tiny amount in a tube is just too expensive for the amount you get). Aqueous can be used as a soap and as a cooling, barrier cream to aleviate itching and soreness.

As for Metformin, I had none of the tummy issues at all and I am happy to take it as it has been found to be of benefit. Good luck.

Hi. Those blood sugar levels are quite high and as Bluetit1802 says the Metformin will only have a small effect so other actions will be needed. The low-carb diet is very important as part of the approach. If you have family history of needing insulin then I suggest you may want to verify that T2 is the correct diagnosis and that it's not Late onset T1. If you are slim this would be one pointer. See how the metformin and low-carb diet goes. There are other meds that can be added such as Gliclazide, so you definitely need a meter to see how things go and if your BS and/or HBa1C still remains high then ask for the tests for T1 i.e. GAD and c-peptide. GPs vary in their understanding of T1 in adulthood. The thrush should disappear when your blood sugar goes under the teens as it's due to sugar in the urine; I had the same problem. Came back here for more help as needed. BTW Metformin does cause bowel issues for some lasting for a week or two but the Slow Release version (Metformin SR) can avoid that. Above all don't let the GP assume the Metformin will resolve your diabetes by itself as many do. I suspect from what you say you will need further meds unless you have been stuffing too many carbs!

My fasting Blood Glucose was 13.1 when diagnosed and HbA1C was 99. I was put on 2x500Mg metformin daily and advised to cut out sugar and exercise more. Five weeks later I saw a diabetes nurse who gave me a glucose meter. My first reading was 9.8, so still quite high.

I then saw the video by Sarah Hallberg on reversing type 2 diabetes. See the link in my signature. This inspired me to drastically reduce the carbs in my diet. I gradually cut out breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also stopped fruit juice and fruit such as bananas and grapes. My blood glucose reading dropped to around 6.5 over the next few weeks. My next HbA1C reading was 59 after which I dropped to only one metformin tabled per day. After that I saw some videos by Jason Fung on treating type 2 diabetes with intermittent fasting. So I tried 5:2 and 16:8 fasting.

My blood sugars have improved since then and my HbA1C is now 43 and I have stopped metformin and rely solely on a low carb diet and intermittent fasting only to treat my type 2 diabetes.

Hell.and welcome. Its the pits, isn't it?
All the advice above is good, and eating to your meter is essential, particularly at the beginning.

A couple of things, if I may.
Do you have any other health issues?
Are you on any other medication?
Do you have any weight to lose?
Have you lost a great deal of weight recently without trying?
Are the other members of your family t1d or t2d?

It can help.to target advice, but of course dont answer if you think I am being too nosy!

I have been on metformin since june, and I can honestly say I have not had any problems. A lot of people are just fine with it. It can be a useful drug, but it will not help overmuch with controling bgl in a big way. Diet is much more useful.

Have you spoken to your gp about the thrush? My daughter has had this for ages, and her usual gp just gave her canestan. A locum saw her and put her on a 10 week intensive course. Not sure what, but will find out if you want? Its something you will have to ask for. But she is much better, 4 weeks in. And she has had thrush for months.

Have a good read around the site. There is so much good info on here. Read a lot, and then ask questions. Keep posting!

QPR4Me said:

Found Metformin disastrous. Caused havoc with mood, health and agression. Got sick of it and volunteered for Insulin, despite hating needles. Was, for me, a very good move!

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Tummy trobles well thats a nice way to say it
Glic no good weight increase and head aches
Insulin great untill d/nurse said she didnt like it
Hospital twice food great and the best nurses in the world
Still waiting to start insulin again but mine field of speclists..if u get tummy trouble contact your nurse quick..
Thrush is controlable but nasty at the time
Dont worry the nurse has seen it all before
Happy xmas

Kittycat_7_ said:

Hi,
I have inflammatory arthritis and take painkillers, been on steroids before.
My family are type two, I do need to lose weight.
Have lost weight unintentionally but very glad.
My BM's today were 16.6 pre breakfast, 2 hours after 22.3 and lunchtime 22
I am cutting my carbs and all surgery foods.
Thanks for your advice everyone.

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Can you share with us what you had for breakfast (everything in the meal)? A rise of nearly 6mmol/l is nowhere near acceptable, for anyone. Which carbs are you cutting?

I might be just lucky but I eat low carb and have normal readings and results without medication for diabetes.
I take Thyroxine as my thyroid failed many years ago.
Usually eating low carb will bring down BG levels quite fast. The combined Metformin and a statin really made me ill and also confused - I lost the meter I started out with so can't give you exact details, but I saw under 8mmol/l after meals and stuck at that level of carbs and week by week the same foods had less and less effect. Once I ditched the tablets which were causing so much grief I was able to go out of the house and take walks or make use of my bus pass to go off to various activities.
If your blood glucose doesn't reduce with low carbs then that is rather suspicious, and there might well be a need for insulin. It doesn't really matter if you are type one or type two if you aren't making enough insulin then it is required - though the finer points of management and types are not something I know much about.

I suggest that you try a similar meal but have a mushroom omelette rather than the toast.
You might find that - like me, ordinary bread causes a large rise in blood glucose.
I drink my coffee with a little double cream rather than have milk, as that contains lactose.
The really strict low carbing I started with brought my BG levels down - and I can eat more now - though I don't ever push my luck. most of the time I am under 8mmol/l even when I have had something a little indulgent.
I can eat a lidl protein roll once in a while, but no other sort of bread.

canada2017 said:

Tummy trobles well thats a nice way to say it
Glic no good weight increase and head aches
Insulin great untill d/nurse said she didnt like it
Hospital twice food great and the best nurses in the world
Still waiting to start insulin again but mine field of speclists..if u get tummy trouble contact your nurse quick..
Thrush is controlable but nasty at the time
Dont worry the nurse has seen it all before
Happy xmas

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I think you may have replied to the wrong person here. I never suffered from "Tummy Problems". My reaction to Metformin was in relation to mood and mental health. I would rather die than go back on to that foul stuff.
As I said, despite hating needles, I chose to go on to Insulin, rather than lose my mind and end up killing someone due to the over reactions the disgusting drug (Metformin) triggered in me.Not many suffer a reaction as severe as mine but, believe me, if you do, get the heck off of it a.s.a.p.
28 years later, have got a grip on things, am reducing my insulin intake, have changed medications, taking advantage of drug trials that I've taken part in, along with other advances in Diabetes treatment.
I went through years of misery, gained shed loads of weight, lost interest in sex, life and everything else.
In the last year, have dumped 49 lbs (22 k) in weight, stopped taking more than half of my usual Insulin, have now dropped blood pressure tablets, and, without being too provocative, have begun to restore doing what a man should be doing with a woman who he has been with and adored for the last 28 years!
Things aren't perfect in that department yet but, through making changes, making a real effort etc., are certainly moving forward, something that I, and my wife, had given up on completely, 13 months ago!

Have just remembered that my daughter's helpful gp (not the first unhelpful and disinterested one) told her to stop eating anything with yeast. So no bread at all. She thinks this started to make a difference very quickly

Kentoldlady1 said:

Have just remembered that my daughter's helpful gp (not the first unhelpful and disinterested one) told her to stop eating anything with yeast. So no bread at all. She thinks this started to make a difference very quickly

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Funnily enough, my control, and weight, improved very quickly after my wife and I largely gave up bread. I average about one slice per week now.

Art Of Flowers said:

My fasting Blood Glucose was 13.1 when diagnosed and HbA1C was 99. I was put on 2x500Mg metformin daily and advised to cut out sugar and exercise more. Five weeks later I saw a diabetes nurse who gave me a glucose meter. My first reading was 9.8, so still quite high.

I then saw the video by Sarah Hallberg on reversing type 2 diabetes. See the link in my signature. This inspired me to drastically reduce the carbs in my diet. I gradually cut out breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. Also stopped fruit juice and fruit such as bananas and grapes. My blood glucose reading dropped to around 6.5 over the next few weeks. My next HbA1C reading was 59 after which I dropped to only one metformin tabled per day. After that I saw some videos by Jason Fung on treating type 2 diabetes with intermittent fasting. So I tried 5:2 and 16:8 fasting.

My blood sugars have improved since then and my HbA1C is now 43 and I have stopped metformin and rely solely on a low carb diet and intermittent fasting only to treat my type 2 diabetes.

Click to expand...

What is 5:2 and 16:8 fasting please?

5:2 = 5 days eating normally, 2 days of 500 cals women, 600 men - see even diets are sexist! (per week)
16:8= 16 hours a day not eating, 8 hour eating window (per day)