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Type 2 Metformin Increasing Blood Sugars

ExChocoholic said:
I've been wondering about asking GP to let me go back to diet only instead of Metformin, even SR mess with my stomach - I am average BMI always have been and my last my sugars HBa1 never been overly high even though I've not been overly vigilant about carb and sugar intake of late - if I am more vigilant maybe I could give up metformin as some of its long term side effects are undesirable. Last visit my GP said it us the lessee of two evils - I just wonder?
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I think Metformin is the lesser of two evils only if you don't have bad side effects from it and you have high HbA1c and are overweight. For someone like you it doesn't sound like the appropriate treatment.
 
CJEd said:
a lot of talk about blood sugar monitors - I'm on metformin & was told categorically that I dont need a monitor but my nurse & doctor. reluctant to buy one as I dont want to be 'dependant' on using one unless I need to.
ps my levels were just over 5 when diagnosed with T2 though
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I don't understand how you were diagnosed with T2 with levels of just over 5 that is hardly even prediabetic The normal level for diagnosis is 7 and over
 
I was getting high morning Blood sugars every morning while i was taking 2000mg a day , I'm now on 2550mg a day and am getting much better morning readings of between 6 and 7, my consultant explained that metformin works on the liver and the higher dose prevents that morning liver dump
 
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I have been on Metformin for around 7 years. It has always caused me stomach problems. Even the slow release Metformin was causing problems.
So I've stopped taking it and my stomach is getting back to normal. But taking Metformin has caused me permanent problems.
When I was taking Metformin, my BS we're going up and my GP just kept upping the dose.
I'm now back on low carb and exercise.
I know there are other medications available. But I just can't risk any more stomach upsets.
 
Sunflowers said:
Hi hubby has recently started on Metaformin as been diagnosed as T2. His sugar levels were about 7 when he started on these pill. Now that he is up to two pills a day he is steadily high first in the morning between 12 to 15 & its starting in afternoon as well. Coupled with blinding headaches he is starting to think he is better off without these pills. Can anyone give me a clue as to why his sugar levels are rising on these pills but if he stops taking them for a couple days then his sugar levels reduce right down?
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Was he prescribed statins at the same time as they can cause BS to rise.
 
I have found when I take the tablet in the morning after breakfast my fasting blood sugar was lower in the mornings. I also found it lowered my appetite. When I was taking it at night it did not have the lowering effect and it seemed worse.
 
CatLadyNZ said:
I think Metformin is the lesser of two evils only if you don't have bad side effects from it and you have high HbA1c and are overweight. For someone like you it doesn't sound like the appropriate treatment.
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Thanks, I am beginning to feel the same way, time for serious talk with GP - sometimes we need take control.
 
cocacola said:
I have been on Metformin for around 7 years. It has always caused me stomach problems. Even the slow release Metformin was causing problems.
So I've stopped taking it and my stomach is getting back to normal. But taking Metformin has caused me permanent problems.
When I was taking Metformin, my BS we're going up and my GP just kept upping the dose.
I'm now back on low carb and exercise.
I know there are other medications available. But I just can't risk any more stomach upsets.
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Just curious, what is the nature of the permanent problems, and how long ago did you stop taking it? Thanks.
 
I was started on metformin last week. GP has confirmed I'm type 1 (after being diagnosed in March 2014, when everyone seemed to be arguing whether I'm type 1 or 2!). Hospital said they've put me on it to see if I can lower my insulin dosage as I started on novorapid? 3 times a day of 6 ml and solostar at night 16 ml and have had to increase this to 3 x 14 ml & 1 x 20 ml a day to keep my bs levels down. I average about 7 in the mornings and test throughout the day when figures are usually lower than this. My DSN and hospital Dr state my insulin levels are really high, but I know lots of people who's figures are much higher. I took 1 metformin a day last week and felt fine and increased to 2 a day a week ago. Last night I went out for a carvery with friends - not a regular outing! And today I've felt really rough - stomach ache, feeling queasy etc. it doesn't seem to have affected any of my meter readings. I have blood tests arranged next week to check my kidneys as I have one that's fine but the other only works at 30% before they decide whether to keep me on them, but they won't give me slow release until I've been on them for several months and know they agree with me. Haven't been given any food guidelines at all since I was diagnosed - just told everything in moderation!
 
When I was on it I do not remember any blood sugar level increase, However there was certainly a toilet roll usage increase
 
ok so I took it again to night and I can confirm the metformin currently has ZERO effect on me the reason it read low yesterday was because I was in the garden brush cutting grass for 2 hours I have Stihl fs 120. So thats why it read 140 yesterday, 2 hours after meal and thats why it was so high today 240 because I didn't go any workout.

Right so we have this established now metformin currently has ZERO effect on me since this is only my second day.

So I will do as members here has suggested which is wait a week or 2 again. Though I am sure the doctor is going yell at me for not taking the gliclazide he prescribed to me. But my guess is that its more important for me to wait for metformin to take effect to see how it works before jumping to gliclazide plus metofrmin. He said my pancreas is probably operating at 50% effeciency which is why he recommended me Gliclazide. But I dunno man I don't wanna take that thing just yet.
 
cocacola said:
I have been on Metformin for around 7 years. It has always caused me stomach problems. Even the slow release Metformin was causing problems.
So I've stopped taking it and my stomach is getting back to normal. But taking Metformin has caused me permanent problems.
When I was taking Metformin, my BS we're going up and my GP just kept upping the dose.
I'm now back on low carb and exercise.
I know there are other medications available. But I just can't risk any more stomach upsets.
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Metformin worked for me for many years and ended up causing stomach problems... I am now on Gliburide & Trajenta...
 
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I'm not sure it does much for me either! On SR 1000 mg - not overweight but quit smoking a year ago - a known factor for increasing BS and causing struggle to control. Even with metformin and reasonable exercise and low carbs - I cannot serm to get BS under control.
 
I was given metformin and I too put on 11lb. This was in the first two weeks. I took it for two months, twice a day, My readings after meals rose from 17 to 19. I have cut out carbs and got that down to 15 but am very worried that this isn't good enough. I am now waiting for a referral to a diabetic nurse, it is now 3 months. Readings still17 to 15, never lower, even first thing. Will the diabetic nurse help me lower this? I feel my gp has just passed the buck really, just upped me to 4 metformin a day.
 
I too quit smoking sept 2015 my BS under reasonable control went berserk and I've struggled to get them down - metformin increased from 2000 to 4000 and only got down to around 12 - did 2 days a weak fast cut down all carbs and little difference - not and never was overweight. I read quitting smoking can disrupt BS up to 3 years!
 
Metformin did not work for me .. it pushed my bs up into the 20's .. stopped taking it and bs reduced rapidly back down to 6's We are not all the same .. I found the easiest way to reduce blood sugars was to low carb ..
 
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