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Metformin for Type 1?

D

DiabeticDi

Well-Known Member
Messages
259
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I have been Type 1 for 40 years and have been on metformin for for about 25 years. Why would that be? Why would I be put on it when I was 30 as well as insulin?

I am prescribed 1g of Glucophage a day, 2 tabs of 500 in evening. For the past month I have been taking only one because Iwas having stomach issues and my doctor said there was no harm in doing this. I have seen no worsening of my bloody sugar and the stomach is better. But as I said above, I can't help wondering why I am on it and I wanted some advice from perhaps other Type 1s who are on it.

Does it keep weight off? From my experience it does not as I am overweight.

Does it have other benefits unrelated to blood sugar?

Any advice or info greatly appreciated.
 
My specialist recommends it alongside insulin if you have insulin resistance, which isn't me either. You could phone your DN?
 


There have been some recent studies which claim that Metformin is a miracle drug that not only helps to lower background glucose levels and improve diabetes control, it also helps to reduce cholestrol and thus reduces the incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease. It is also claimed that it may reduce insulin resistance and help you use your insulin more effectively as @ert stated above.

Accordingly, quite a few T1's are being prescribed Metfomin these days.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.031735

https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/metformin-for-type-1-diabetes-really-why#1

I don't think it was relevant 25 years ago and I have no idea what your doc' was thinking back then, perhaps he was a visionary.
 
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I read somewhere a while back it can be prescribed "off label" to also treat PCOS?

Link reference here after a quick search to make sure I wasn't talking the proverbial...
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/treatment/
 
 
Thank you, these articles are very interesting and helpful. I didn't know Metformin could help the heart so perhaps I was prescribed it as both my parents died of heart failure...I don't know. I am overweight and take statins so i am thinking i should go back to 2 tablets!
 
i was put on metformin with insulin,i couldnt tolerate the metformin so had to come of it i was ok on 1 in the morning and 1 at night it was when my dosage increased i had a hell of a week
 
I have been offered it as a type 1 but I don't think i have insulin resistance.
It is a cheap drug which reduces the action of glucagon (production of glucose by the liver) and is associated with a reduction in cancer incidence in the wider population. Anything that keeps glucose and insulin low could also help prevent heart disease.
I declined it because the consultant couldn't really explain any of that to me in simple mechanistic terms and I'd rather achieve better control via diet/keeping insulin needs low.
 
I was given both glibenclamide and metformin along with insulin on diagnosis in the seventies. After 6 months a consultant deemed them unnecessary and stopped them. You didn’t question them in those days!
 
I was prescribed metformin to take alongside my insulin about 10 years ago to overcome problems due to insulin resistance. I had been on insulin at that point for over 50 years so I guess some form of resistance is not that surprising. My control definitely improved after the metformin. I just have to remember to take it after food or it can cause stomach problems.
 
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