Metformin or not?

[AlbertoLaidlaw]

In November 2015 my HBa1C was 68% and I started low carbing and it worked I lost weight and my HBa1C dropped rapidly initially to 49% and latterly the mid 40% my last reading in October was 47%.

At about the same time November 2015 I was put on Metformin 2 x 500 mg per day. I have dropped it back to 1 x 500 mg over the last few months and was wondering if I should stop until my next test in Feb/March next year to see if it has any effect on my HBa1C.

Thoughts would be appreciated thanks

 

[Art Of Flowers]

At my review with the diabetes nurse last May we agreed for me to stop taking metformin. Before that time I was taking 1x500Mg a day, having dropped from 2 to 1 a day in Feb after my HbA1C had dropped from 99 to 59.

My HbA1C was 43 in Sept, so lower than May even without Metformin.

 

[Geordie_P]

One thing I sometimes wonder about is whether, as a diet-controlled borderline T2/ pre-diabetic, I would be better off taking Metfornin along with my strict diet so I could really keep my bloods low and hopefully allow my organs to repair.
I know people generally don't like metfornin, and I'm generally keen to avoid medication where possible, but I'd like to keep my bloods at Bernstein levels (doing so has helped my once severe neuropathy repair itself brilliantly) and I wonder if metfornin would be helpful.

 

[daisyduck]

Is it causing you any bowel problems? I couldn't tolerate it and it didn't make much difference to my levels anyway.
Have a chat with your DN . You seem to have done really well without it, and it can always be added later if diet alone doesn't work for you.

 

[ringi]

Metfornin have high enough benefits (as shown in the Accord study) that I intend to keep taking it however low my AC1 gets unless I get any side effects. If I get side effect then I will stop taking it, as diet is enough to keep my AC1 reasonable.

The benefits shown in the Accord study of reduce heart attaches etc, were independent of any drop in BG.

 

[AlbertoLaidlaw]

No bowel issues with the Metformin but as the results seem to be ok would rather try without I think if only to see if the Metformin is having any effect on my BS levels. i will also check it out with my practice nurse.

 

[Grateful]

I have never taken Metformin, but was ready to do so if my doctor had prescribed it. That was after doing some research and finding out is has been around for more than a half-century. It is a very safe drug, and seems pretty benign (and even has some health benefits in addition to diabetes treatment) if you do not suffer from the digestive side-effects (that is a pretty big "if" but you seem to be doing fine).

If I were in your shoes I would want to get off the Metformin but only to "avoid taking drugs" in general. Diabetes is not the whole enchilada, one can get sick with other diseases and I worry about the interactions between the drugs, and just being over-medicated in general.

At my doctor's visit earlier this week they handed me a clipboard to fill in (probably six sheets of paper). "List your medications." I handed it back to them without filling it in and said: "No meds." I am 60 years old.

The receptionist looked at me and said, "Really? It's great that you don't have any illness to deal with."

I said, "actually I have a serious chronic illness, it's just that I managed to treat it without drugs."

Big smile from the receptionist, but look of incomprehension.

Sigh.

 

[daisyduck]

I have never taken Metformin, but was ready to do so if my doctor had prescribed it. That was after doing some research and finding out is has been around for more than a half-century. It is a very safe drug, and seems pretty benign (and even has some health benefits in addition to diabetes treatment) if you do not suffer from the digestive side-effects (that is a pretty big "if" but you seem to be doing fine).

If I were in your shoes I would want to get off the Metformin but only to "avoid taking drugs" in general. Diabetes is not the whole enchilada, one can get sick with other diseases and I worry about the interactions between the drugs, and just being over-medicated in general.

At my doctor's visit earlier this week they handed me a clipboard to fill in (probably six sheets of paper). "List your medications." I handed it back to them without filling it in and said: "No meds." I am 60 years old.

The receptionist looked at me and said, "Really? It's great that you don't have any illness to deal with."

I said, "actually I have a serious chronic illness, it's just that I managed to treat it without drugs."

Big smile from the receptionist, but look of incomprehension.

Sigh.

Same here. At the start of my recent cancer treatment I was asked to list "all my medications" Easy.. I replied... None
I'm 62 next month and the nurse replied.. Do you realise how unusual that is ?
Obviously I had loads of drugs during chemo and radiotherapy this year but am off them all now.

 

[Grateful]

Obviously I had loads of drugs during chemo and radiotherapy this year but am off them all now.

Almost all of my elderly relatives have entire medicine-cabinets full of drugs they have been prescribed. Keeping track of them would be hard enough for a youngster, let alone someone in their 90s who has problems with memory and concentration. That is the fate I am a bit keen to avoid!

To some extent it is because that generation often has implicit faith in their doctors (and so, largely, do I). So when they are told to take a pill, they comply. They see lots of different specialists, who don't talk to each other and never see that medicine cabinet! The horror, the horror!

 

[AlbertoLaidlaw]

Thanks for this I am 68 years of age and metformin is the only drug that I have been taking the reason that I am wanting to stop is simply that I want to "avoid taking drugs" . I manage with normally less than 100 gms of carbs daily and occasionally fall off the wagon and eat more. I exercise 4-5 days per week with running (shuffling !!!), cycling at weekends and weight training so believe that I am doing pretty well.