Morning. I have just had my initial appointment following diagnosis and have been told that I will never come off Metformin and my doses will increase for the rest of my life. Now I know some of you are in remission so I assume that you no longer take any medication? Maybe I’m wrong?
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Lifelong Medication
- Thread starter kat1994
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JoKalsbeek
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Sorry, but that made me laugh. How quaint and antiquated! And utter nonsense.
Here, have some hope.
Yes, you can come off metformin. I did. Many here did. Diabetes is a progressive condition that would require increasing amounts of medication to manage, yes. If you don't do anything about it, mainly via diet. So yes, remission is often entirely possible, meaning no medication and no complications. Mind you, if nothing else throws a wrench in like the constant need for steroids for another condition or whatever, then some medicinal assistance may be required, but not 100% certain. It would, however, mean sticking with the low carb diet for the rest if your life. I'm seven years in now and pretty content with the diet, really.... And not taking metformin nor gliclazide anymore.
There are very few medications you have to be on "for life", unless they do save your life on a daily basis by keeping your heart going or your blood from clotting for instance, or would wreak such havoc when detoxing, it would tax your body too much to survive. Far as I know, Metformin isn't one of those medications, by a long shot.
Hang in there. It's nowhere near as hopeless as they made it sound.
Hugs,
Jo
JoKalsbeek
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PS: Imagine the looks on their faces when your next check up rolls around and your have normal, non-diabetic numbers? No increase needed?
You're going to be a walking miracle if they still believe you're "doomed", like every other diabetic in their practice.
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Who told you that?
I have never taken any blood glucose medication. I was diagnosed a few years back with an HbA1c of 50/49. Was offered metformin, turned it down. Next test four months later, A1c 36. Low-carb works very well for me. All symptoms gone or 95% reduced.
Unfortunately there are still professional people who believe the "progressive disease, nothing to be done, prescribe medication, manage decline" theory of T2. And as long as they convince some T2s to eat lots of carbs they'll be proved right.
On the other hand, if you politely ignore the current health service carb promoting dogma and do what used to be done up to around 1980 or so - ie cut out the starches and sugars - it's reasonably simple to make changes that will have a fairly quick impact on the condition.
Have a read of the "Success Stories" section of this forum - you'll see what can be done.
Ushthetaff
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My partner was diagnosed a few years back with T2 and was given Metaformin , she never watched her diet and was after about 2 years was taken off it ,her numbers weren’t really that bad I some times wonder what’s going on , A typical example is she is asked to go for a smear test every so often but she doesn’t have a womb how does that work .
filly
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Because some women who have a hysterectomy still have a cervix, hence still needing smears.
As others have said, all depends on what life changes you're willing to make.
I was diagnosed in July. Told to take metformin, told I'd likely be on it for life, and told that I'd probably need other diabetes medications and be on all of those for life too. Declined Metformin (personal choice, not a recommendation), have gone low carb, lost some weight, and I've brought my blood glucose down significantly (according to fingerprick readings). All diabetes symptoms I had are gone.
It's not guaranteed, it's a lot of hard work, but it's a possibility that you can control blood glucose via diet and lifestyle changes, with minimal or no medication.
Ushthetaff
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I totally understand but it’s all gone
I was put on insulin 2 years ago without being told, while in hospital for something quite different. When I got out, GP after a lot of tense discussion (I refused to continue the insulin) agreed to putting me on metformin. I found this forum, researched and learned a lot, went straight onto keto, BG lowered quickly and I started to phase out the metformin dose slowly and carefully. I was totally off the metformin after about 3 months. These days I am in the non-diabetic range, still keto with occasional forays into VeryLowCarb, 4 clothes sizes smaller as a very welcome side-effect, and happy to eat like this for the rest of my life. So it can be done, isn't all that difficult, but is only one way of handling this illness. Others prefer to continue with meds and have a wider diet. Some of us need extra help from meds. That's okay. We are all different.
Omar51
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For last 13 years I am pre diabetic and my numbers are in the non diabetic range. I am not on keto diet but on own restrictive diet. Omar
