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Metformin and LCHF diet

tim32

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Location
East Midlands
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I am taking 2000mg of slow release metformin after my evening meal, I am eating less than 30 grams of carbs a day, I have been doing this for over a month, should I be able to get a blood glucose reading below 8.5 mmol?
 
tim32 said:
I am taking 2000mg of slow release metformin after my evening meal, I am eating less than 30 grams of carbs a day, I have been doing this for over a month, should I be able to get a blood glucose reading below 8.5 mmol?
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Maybe. What kind of daily readings are you getting from your glucometer?
 
yes, but if you eat far too many grams of protein they can also be transformed into blood glucose by one's liver, you need around 1 gram of protein pro kg body weight.. most need between 65-90 grams of proteins daily , more if one do muscle-building

but metformin shouldn´t be nessesary on a very low carb diet
 

I disagree. Gluconeogenesis is demand driven imo. I also think that some people actually do better (esp at the beginning of this journey) with the help of Metformin and dietary changes. I would be asking the OP for a typical day's menu including the amount of fats to see if 30g of carbs is an accurate count.
 

Thanks, will start counting protein see if I can make a difference that way.
 

well you are probably right about that some benefit from metformin.. I did, but 2000mg is really a high dose of metformin isn´t it
?
 
Freema said:
well you are probably right about that some benefit from metformin.. I did, but 2000mg is really a high dose of metformin isn´t it
?
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Metformin is considered to be a mild, safe drug. I was on the same dosage at diagnosis (with an A1c of 98). The dosage was lowered as my A1c improved. Remember, Met does not have the greatest impact on blood glucose levels but works in the background (in the liver) to aid overall insulin resistance wrt liver dump as well as having other beneficial effects. What has a far, far greater impact on bg levels is diet.
 
in my case the metformin did lower my blood glucose around 1 mmol daily, but my GP wouldn´t give me it anymore as my HbA1c went to 34, and as my blood glucose number usually is around 6.2 mmol it would have helped me greatly if I was still allowed to take it
 
ringi said:
@tim32 How long have you been diagnosed with type2 for?
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4 years, I did get back to pre diabetes through LCHF, before but a bit of carb creep and a bereavement has put me back, went on metformin at Christmas as I was testing at 25 mmol,
 
NoCrbs4Me said:
It could take a while for your fasting levels to go down. Are your after meal levels lower now compared to before LCHF?
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Yes, considerably I was down to 12 to 15 mmol just with diet, I thought the met would get me down below the 8.5
 

Typical day, Bullet proof coffee, no butter, lunch, Gaucamole and olives, teatime steak or pork chops or lamb chops normally with 2 poached eggs. Pork scratching for a snack. Sausage bacon and eggs at the weekend for breakfast.
 
tim32 said:
Typical day, Bullet proof coffee, no butter, lunch, Gaucamole and olives, teatime steak or pork chops or lamb chops normally with 2 poached eggs. Pork scratching for a snack. Sausage bacon and eggs at the weekend for breakfast.
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Sounds good to me. Perhaps a little walking after meals would help? Otherwise it's a trip up to have an up to date A1c done and based on the results a conversation with your HCP.
 
tim32 said:
Typical day, Bullet proof coffee, no butter, lunch, Gaucamole and olives, teatime steak or pork chops or lamb chops normally with 2 poached eggs. Pork scratching for a snack. Sausage bacon and eggs at the weekend for breakfast.
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Then you start thinking about it, Food diary starts tomorrow. Thanks everyone.
 
Even though it is SR metformin you should really be splitting the dose with 1g at breakfast and 1g tea. Half life is only about 6.5 hours so you could even go 500mg at breakfast, lunch, tea and night to maximise the benefit by keeping blood levels at theraputic levels at all times. It might help a bit but diet is key and low carb with as much exercise as you can manage is king of all.
 
If you are able, both resistance training and HIIT have been shown in studies to give good results. However, even a 10-minute walk after a meal will drop BG a little.

It sounds like you have made good process since Christmas.
 
Have you considered Intermittent Fasting or using the Time Restricted Eating method?
 
I took my whole dose in the morning because if I took metformin late in the afternoon, I would have to go to the toilet around 5-6 times during night and that was too anoying
 
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