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metformin slow release - not working

dollydreamer

dollydreamer

Active Member
Messages
36
Location
Ashbourne, Derbyshire UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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Tories
hi,
i have been put on metformin slow release as i have just been diagnosed with type 2 my fasting readings are 10+ and during the day up to 15+ i have totally changed my diet and am eating porridge, soy milk and few prunes for breakfast. rye biscuits and some edam for lunch and fruit mid morning like apple or banana or orange - if peckish perhaps a cup a soup low cal version. then a meal in the evening - have cut out bread, only 50g wholewheat pasta once a week - mostly chicken and steam veg or fish and salad - once a week sweet potatoe roast. but the metformin doesn't seem to be making a difference - it did for the first couple of days then all of a sudden my sugars shot up and the lowest i have had them over the last week is 10.1 so i'm going to see diabetic nurse next wednesday (having hba1c done on monday) and i'm wondering if i should get tablets changed to one that works in a different way.
It seems metformin works on the insulin resistance and stopping production of sugar but i just feel i need a bit more insulin - but hey what do i know, i just know that these tablets arn't working and i don't know what to do.
i know my diabetes is out of control at the moment and i need help to get it under control. any help and advice pls .
 
Hi Dolly,

Metformin can take a good few weeks to kick in properly, How long have you been taking it for?. What is your wake up blood glucose level? The one thing I know that knocks my figure up and keeps them up for the day is Porridge! Personally I find if I try to avoid all carbs at breakfast, then have small amounts later on in the day that works for me.
 
hi,
thanks for replying - its nice to know i'm not alone
my fasting bs is 10.1 to 11.8 range
i thought porride was good for me, i am trying to low carb but am not really sure what foods are low carb. i'm not really a fussy eater so i'm trying to work out what foods i can have.
do you know what a good low carb breakfast would be for example ?
ta
 
Hi Dolly,
The metformin may take a bit longer to work but it is not going to be the miracle that some think it is. It will not lower your blood glucose to non diabetic numbers.

Looking at what you are eating I would say, try 30gm of porridge with prunes and add seeds and flaked nuts to it and see if that works.
Bananas are high in carbs so leave those out too. They may work in a combined meal.
Don't know about the rye biscuits but do know that some use oatcakes and that seems to work. Where is the fruit and/or veg in this meal?
Are you testing before and 2hrs after meals? You may be able to find the culprits by keeping a food diary so that you can see at a glance what to avoid.

Another thing I would suggest is to make sure that your meals are balanced and contain a small amount of complex carbs, some good fats and protein.
Hope this helps,

Catherine.
 
hi the rye biscuits are the finnish (ie finland) ones and are crispbreads and yes am testing two hours after eating and they seem to be ok
i didn't know bananas were high in carbs i think i need to get a food list for foods that are low in carbs. I do have another problem which is hindering my eating plan and that is i suffer from binge eating. I do keep a food diary, i mark down each day under these headings:-
TIME - FOOD - FEELINGS - ACTIVITY - MEDICATION - BS - ANALYSIS
so can get lost sometimes in the amount of food i'm eating - its as though there is a battle going on between my feelings (which for some reason tell me to eat) and the logical side of me which ofcourse says don't over eat (which i am now trying to modify to eating healthily) so i am kinda approaching it in the way of finding out which foods suit me then putting them on my list and then i work out a balanced menu from that ie quantity and time etc., than if i get the binge feeling that i can't control (i can sometimes control them or shall we say go for damage limitation) then i atleast binge on food that i know suits my body.
so all in all i'm really trying but you are right i shouldn't expect miracle overnite. I do get worried sometimes that my bs is not falling quickly enough and then i fret and get depressed. I do keep telling myself to keep doing something and trying but it is so depressing when you feel as though you are getting nowhere.
where can i get some info on low carb foods, i thought porridge was low carb or is it low gi - oh i just wish i could find some foods that suited me and that i didn't always feel hungry.
thanks for listening
zhandra
 
Hi Zhandra :)

It is good that you are keeping a diary as a food diary is essential and noting the readings from your self testing before and 2 hours after eating will show the pattern of what your food is doing to your BG levels. You can then start to work out what to cut down on and what is safe for you.

You would find the Collins little gem Carb Counter (£3.99) or similar book handy as it gives values on a wide range of foods. I have had to cut out all grains including oats, rice, wheat etc and also potatoes at the moment and it has helped me to feel so much better. You can’t hurry all this though and you just have to tread this path one small step at a time.

This is a good place to come to get advice, help or just have a rant! :D 8) :roll:
 
Hi,

Yes you need to give the metformin a good few weeks to get going. As far as Porridge, well it's like all grains (flour etc) and rice and potatoes, they all keep my sugar levels higher for longer. I'm not suggesting you cut them out altogether, but as some others have said limit the portion sizes, and if you really like porridge the have it once in a while to stop you going mad!
 
hiya to all
have been taking 2 x 500 metformin slow release twice a day and 1 gliclazide twice a day - have been low carbing as in trying to have about 150g per day but no bread or only 1 slice every other day, rice or potatoes - i feel better than i have done for ages. the carbs were making me very sleepy but now i have so much more energy. my bs are down to below 10 at fasting and during the day when active am down to 5.5 to 6.4 - i'm eating every 4 hours, 8am, 12 noon, 4pm and 8pm and have the bulk in the morning i.e porridge, lunch is protein and salad - not too much, tea is like a high tea, something lite i.e a boiled egg, sardines on rye or piece of chicken and 8pm is just something to take with my tablets, like a very small bowl of chilli sauce, or one slice of bread (linseed and soy) or very small all bran about 30g and skimmed milk. i feel a lot happier and in control of my eating disorder as well. infact i feel empowered. i went for my blood test results and my hba1c was 9.6 which ofcourse is way too high and i am going for another one at the end of may (two months) but i can tell from my readings that my bs is going down, i am determined to crack this eating once and for all - i have never had control of my eating and my feelings but i now know that they are both working together to get my bs under control and that is so liberating - so could it be that every cloud has a silver lining. i hope so. so glad to have found you on this forum. oh by the way, i did try two slices of grilled lean bacon and tomatoes with watercress and a poached egg, mh mh lovely breakfast
bye for now
 
Hi dollydreamer :D

So glad to hear that things are working out so well for you. Keep doing what you're doing - it is obviously working! 8)
 
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