Metformin advice

[chrestomanci]

Hi there, I'm T2 newly diagnosed, struggling to tolerate metformin 500mg. The usual gastrointestinal distress.I really want to persevere with it as am told symptoms pass eventually.I was wondering if anyone knows the mechanism of how metformin works, I'm told it makes one's cells more insulin sensitive and reduces blood glucose, but how does it do that? My reason for asking is that if I could picture what it's doing that would encourage me and motivate me to persist with it

 

[bulkbiker]

The exact mechanism for how metformin works is, so far as I know, still shrouded in mystery.
My view was that diet has a far larger impact so I adopted a vigorous dietary regime and stopped taking the pills that were making me so ill I could hardly leave the house.
I took them for 3 weeks only.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I have no idea how it works, and as @bulkbiker said, it is a mystery even to the experts.
It can help with insulin resistance, and also reduces the amount of glucose the liver produces naturally, but all to a limited extent. It really doesn't help blood sugars very much, and does nothing directly to control blood glucose spikes after eating. It is intended to be taken alongside a suitable diet.

 

[Rachox]

I had gastric upset for about a week to ten days but then no side effects. If you don’t tolerate it after a while you could ask your GP for the slow release version which is often tolerated better if you want to continue taking it.

 

[chrestomanci]

The exact mechanism for how metformin works is, so far as I know, still shrouded in mystery.
My view was that diet has a far larger impact so I adopted a vigorous dietary regime and stopped taking the pills that were making me so ill I could hardly leave the house.
I took them for 3 weeks only.

Love that phrase 'shrouded in mystery' thank you that's interesting. Am gonna keep trying with them, also doing my best with the low carb eating.

 

[chrestomanci]

I have no idea how it works, and as @bulkbiker said, it is a mystery even to the experts.
It can help with insulin resistance, and also reduces the amount of glucose the liver produces naturally, but all to a limited extent. It really doesn't help blood sugars very much, and does nothing directly to control blood glucose spikes after eating. It is intended to be taken alongside a suitable diet.

Thanks so much Bluetit!

 

[chrestomanci]

I had gastric upset for about a week to ten days but then no side effects. If you don’t tolerate it after a while you could ask your GP for the slow release version which is often tolerated better if you want to continue taking it.

Cheers Rachox, I will persevere as I know you've had good results with it, I'm willing to try anything!

 

[catinahat]

My blood sugars were higher when I took Metformin, I think it was the stress caused by always having to be within sprinting distance of a toilet.
I suffered it for around 3 months before deciding there had to be a better way of controlling sugar levels. Then I found diabetes.co.uk and discovered l.c.h.f

 

[chrestomanci]

My blood sugars were higher when I took Metformin, I think it was the stress caused by always having to be within sprinting distance of a toilet.
I suffered it for around 3 months before deciding there had to be a better way of controlling sugar levels. Then I found diabetes.co.uk and discovered l.c.h.f

Wow that's interesting, thank you x

 

[GuidingSenses]

Hi, I’m newly diagnosed and on Metformin day 2! Yes feel slight nausea and wondering if it gets worse?

 

[Rachox]

Hi, I’m newly diagnosed and on Metformin day 2! Yes feel slight nausea and wondering if it gets worse?

In my experience it got better after the first week or two, but unfortunately some people have to come off it.

 

[Resurgam]

Over a month of utter misery - I threw the tablets in the bin - I never needed them in the first place.

 

[GuidingSenses]

Really? How did you know you didn’t need them?