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Metformin and bergamot.

F

Fat Fredyz Cat

Member
Messages
7
Hi,
Along with metformin I take simvastatin, and I would like to substitute simvastatin with bergamot extract. But as bergamot reduces blood sugar levels I'm not sure if I can take bergamot in conjunction with metformin.
Does anyone have any info on this.......other than advising me to ask my GP?
 
You need to ask your Pharmacist they should have the relevant information. I know ours is a font of knowledge.
I have only ever used it as a scented oil as it is too photosensitive to use in massage.
Then again your chemist may not know as it is classed as a Complementory medicine.
Sorry I could not be of more help..
 
Thanks for the info, I'd forgotten about my Pharmacist and she's very good.
You say you control your T2 with diet.......well done you!
By cutting out processed food, all things sugary and using added sugar, I'm now back in the green and officially low risk
 
I found this http://www.citrusbergamotextract.com/faq.php

I'm not interested in fiddling with my cholesterol levels but I thought its blood sugar level lowering properties were interesting.

It would depend what your HbA1c / daily blood sugar levels were like, if taking this as well as your metformin would take you too low. As long as you are not getting hypos then the lower HbA1c the better.
 
Thanks for the link Denise.......very interesting.

I want to stop taking statins because it's making me daft for about an hour when I wake up in the mornings. I think statins are over prescribed anyway, more for the benefit of the pharma companies.
There's also the possibility that statins increase the risk of becoming diabetic, which is interesting.
I'd been taking statins for six months, then I became diabetic........hmm.

As for knowing what my daily blood sugar levels are, I wouldn't have a clue, as in these parts T2 diabetics aren't given the means to monitor our HbA1c, unless we buy the test strips ourselves.
As a pensioner I can't afford to do that.

My main concern with taking bergamot extract, is that if it's combined with metformin there may be the possibility of going hypo.
So I need to do a bit more research.
 
Ah you make me sound like a Saint. Lol. Truth be told I have only got myself back on track since March 18th when I was prescribed Metformin which I refused to take. But it frightened me enough to give me a kick up the bum, that I needed. My Docs wants to see me again in 3 months time to see if my diet is working. I only dream of cream cakes now ( instead of eating them) . Good luck in your quest I hope you can get some good info.
 
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Hahaha!.........I know what you mean.
I often find myself standing in front of the supermarket biscuit shelves........just looking, and remembering what they tasted like

I was dead lucky with metformin because it works flawlessly for me, and I don't get any side affects, except wind.......I get a LOT of wind.

Keep on with the diet.
I think diet has a huge part to play in controlling diabetes.
Look at me. By cutting out the foods I mentioned earlier, I'm now low risk......and I still enjoy chips, white bread, white rice and even the occasional pizza!
Not only have I become low risk, I also lost twelve kilos and I'm now at my ideal weight, where it's remained for over nine months.

Good luck with your cream cake abstinence.
 
I took bergamot extract for about 6 months or so to try and lower cholesterol - didn't make the slightest bit of difference to mine. No idea if it did anything to BG because I wasn't yet diagnosed and wasn't measuring it.
 
Indy51 said:
I took bergamot extract for about 6 months or so to try and lower cholesterol - didn't make the slightest bit of difference to mine. No idea if it did anything to BG because I wasn't yet diagnosed and wasn't measuring it.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that.

Sorry to hear that bergamot extract didn't work for you. I do know that it doesn't have an immediate effect, it takes around two months for it to kick in.

Personally I'm not really bothered if bergamot extract lowers my cholesterol or not, same as statins, cholesterol's cholesterol.
But if my GP tells me I need to take something for my high cholesterol, than I'd rather take bergamot extract than statins anyday........if it doesn't work for me either, then amen.
 
Fat Fredyz Cat said:
I was dead lucky with metformin because it works flawlessly for me, and I don't get any side affects, except wind.......I get a LOT of wind.
Click to expand...

That'll be the carbs - 'chips, white bread, white rice and even the occasional pizza causing the wind'. The more carbs you eat the more wind you can get. Cut the carbs and you will get less wind.
 
))Denise(( said:
That'll be the carbs - 'chips, white bread, white rice and even the occasional pizza causing the wind'. The more carbs you eat the more wind you can get. Cut the carbs and you will get less wind.
Click to expand...
I hope I don't sound like I stuff my face with carbs all the time Denise.
I do a lot of mountain biking and judo training, which burns a lot of calories, and ever since I became diabetic I've had to compromise with what kind of high energy food I eat & drink. The high energy sports drinks, gels & cereal bars are completely out of the question, so when I'm due up for a ride or training session, I'll eat a high carb meal instead.......and suffer the ensuing gales.
There's one high energy sports drink which I can have though.......beetroot juice. This is an excellent energy food/drink, but comes at a cost........wind!
 
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