Metformin if Type 2 in remission?

[KK87]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and Type2, have been diagnosed with diabetes in January 2020 with a reading of HB1AC - 6.6.

My GP put me on Metformin - 500mg (1 a day with night meal), and was advised to reduce weight. Being from Asia I eat lot of white rice and have now changed it to brown rice and controlled the portions and reduced calorie intake.

Weight:
78.1kgs when diagnosed 03-January-2020
71.5kgs 23-March-2020(same even today)

I checked with my GP in February when I weighed 74.5kgs, if I can stop Metformin if I manage to put Type2 into remission but my GP said nothing is going to change even if I put into remission and I need to take metformin for life.

My question after reading lot of online forums, people tend to have discontinued taking the tablet, so why my GP might suggest to take it for life? any thoughts?

I was due for my readings this month but unfortunately I will not be able to, due to Coronavirus which made the situation worse for NHS.


Thanks in Advance,
KK

 

[xfieldok]

Not all nhs staff read this forum!

Some people don't take it at all, some choose not to take it, for others it causes issues in the bathroom.

You really to ditch the rice. Look up cauliflower rice, it's quite versatile.

Are you testing your blood before and after eating?

And welcome to the forum.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and Type2, have been diagnosed with diabetes in January 2020 with a reading of HB1AC - 6.6.

My GP put me on Metformin - 500mg (1 a day with night meal), and was advised to reduce weight. Being from Asia I eat lot of white rice and have now changed it to brown rice and controlled the portions and reduced calorie intake.

Weight:
78.1kgs when diagnosed 03-January-2020
71.5kgs 23-March-2020(same even today)

I checked with my GP in February when I weighed 74.5kgs, if I can stop Metformin if I manage to put Type2 into remission but my GP said nothing is going to change even if I put into remission and I need to take metformin for life.

My question after reading lot of online forums, people tend to have discontinued taking the tablet, so why my GP might suggest to take it for life? any thoughts?

I was due for my readings this month but unfortunately I will not be able to, due to Coronavirus which made the situation worse for NHS.


Thanks in Advance,
KK

Hi @KK87 and welcome,

A lot of GP's still think T2 is a progressive condition, no matter what a patient does. Bit behind the times, if you ask me. Quite a few people here have been started on metformin (or gliclazide, or even insulin), and could stop those medications due to a change in their diet. Alas, while you have already figured that diet is key, you're slightly barking up the wrong tree with calorie restriction. You're a T2, meaning you cannot process carbohydrates effectively. (And yes, that does cause weight gain. So it's not the calories that are the culprit.) The carbs in brown rice are almost as much as in white rice. Cauliflower rice (basically finely chopped cauliflower, no real rice anywhere in the vicinity) could be a viable option for you maybe? That's very low carb and won't spike your blood sugars.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html <-- that's my own quick start guide, it might clarify things a little. It's everything I wish I'd been told when diagnosed, in a nutshell. And yes, I, and many others here with me, have put our T2 in remission with a low carb diet. No medication, just diet. Mind you, it's a for-life thing. Eat carbs as usual again and your blood sugars will go up.

While it is regrettable that you can't get a HbA1c test done right now, the switch to a different rice will not have made much, if any, difference. Take it as a grace period for you to figure out what works for you. Get yourself a meter, check before a meal and 2 hours after, and aim for a rise of 2.0 mmol/l or less. Do that and you're on the right track.
Good luck!
Jo

 

[KK87]

Not all nhs staff read this forum!

Some people don't take it at all, some choose not to take it, for others it causes issues in the bathroom.

You really to ditch the rice. Look up cauliflower rice, it's quite versatile.

Are you testing your blood before and after eating?

And welcome to the forum.

Thanks for replying, no, I don't do any testing before and after eating, I wasn't given a device to do so and was told the reading is not that high to have a device to test myself.

 

[Mbaker]

Metformin can help with insulin resistance, but not as much as a 10 minute walk after meals (Stan Efferding).

I gave up Metformin as it was contraindicated for my Kidneys, and I just don't like drugs.

You don't eat brown rice alone, it would go with something else that is delicious. An option is to keep the delicious item and as @JoKalsbeek says, maybe swap with cauliflower. Sometimes in my family we ditch the cauliflower to say have a curry soup. It is possible to get remission eating smaller amounts of carbs, but easier to eat lower carb meals to satisfaction to achieve the same.

 

[xfieldok]

A meter is essential to work out what food you can tolerate and what you can't. Testing is not forever. Once you know what you can eat, you will know when to cut back. We can help with meters if you are interested.

 

[KK87]

A meter is essential to work out what food you can tolerate and what you can't. Testing is not forever. Once you know what you can eat, you will know when to cut back. We can help with meters if you are interested.

Yes please, happy to get a meter, please do suggest, thanks for guiding.

 

[Rachox]

Hi @KK87 and welcome to the forum.

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:


Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



Home Health have recently bought out this one, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/



And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free from Home Health which has the cheapest strips available if bought in quantities of 5 or 10 pots with the codes below. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go, just bear in mind it seems they are replacing it with the Navii, details above.


http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[xfieldok]

About a month ago I really fancied a thai curry. I found some sugar free paste online. I made the curry and at the end I threw in some bean sprouts in place of noodles or rice. Delicious.

 

[KK87]

Brilliant, thanks @Rachox

 

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[xfieldok]

It certainly is! I got the bean sprouts tip from someone here. Not sure, it might have been @Rachox .

 

[Rachox]

It certainly is! I got the bean sprouts tip from someone here. Not sure, it might have been @Rachox .

I use bean sprouts in a stir fry in place of noodles but sounds a good idea for curries too, instead of cauliflower rice

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I stopped taking Metformin after discussion with my GP when I had a string of hba1c readings in the mid 30 mmol/mol range. I have now been off it for over a year.

I do not like bean sprouts...

 

[Resurgam]

You can grow bean sprouts for yourself and have a fresh supply - all sorts of beans will do - as long as they are whole and not split.

 

[Daphne917]

I use bean sprouts in a stir fry in place of noodles but sounds a good idea for curries too, instead of cauliflower rice

I find courgette a good replacement for noodles in a stir fry

 

[aealexandrou]

Hi @KK87 and welcome to the forum.

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:


Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



Home Health have recently bought out this one, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet, links to strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/



And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free from Home Health which has the cheapest strips available if bought in quantities of 5 or 10 pots with the codes below. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go, just bear in mind it seems they are replacing it with the Navii, details above.


http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

I put my T2D into remission and stopped my metformin last April. Never looked back. My HbA1c in February was 23. The best metformin can do for you is drop your BSL by a couple of points and any benefits you get from it our lost the moment you have that extra processed cabs with your snack or meal. The real medicine is a low car high fat diet, even better go for Keto and if you really want to improve your health add in some intermittent fasting. Your GP is obliged to follow the National Guidelines, which when it comes to diabetes remains not only outdated but more worryingly wrong.