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Metformin v weight loss.

Blackheath_Teahut

Active Member
Messages
29
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
A little advice needed, please. I began taking one Metformin a day from the 2nd. Since then I have adhered to the low carb diet and I'm losing weight impressively, but I didn't follow the advice of taking two tablets a day from the second week on. I have remained on one, mostly because of the insomnia and weird stomach. My reasoning is that I want to lose weight as fast as I can and hopefully reverse it and come off the tablets. But perhaps it might take longer than weight loss to correct the insulin production and I don't have the hindsight to realise I might be making a mistake.

Am I making a mistake?

My morning blood sugar tests before tea were high to begin with, 8.7. 8.2, 7.9.

But now mostly loiter around the 6.5 to 7.4 range.

Should I take the second tablet do you think?

Thank you.
 
I think you might have got the impression that you became diabetic by gaining weight.
I suggest that you keep your blood glucose levels about normal, doing whatever that takes. You can't get better than normal after all, and see what happens.
Personally Metformin was torture, and some people have reported having unfortunate reactions to increasing the dose - maybe consult whoever prescribed the tablets, report your progress and discuss the increase and its necessity with them?
 
Hi. Some people have problems with the plain version of Metformin and if it lasts more than a couple of weeks or so ask the GP for the Slow Release SR version. I would increase the tablets if the stomach problems resolve or you move to the SR version. Metformin has virtually no effect on weight either way and only a small effect on BS but still useful in other ways. The low-carb diet is the right way to go so it may be you don't need the 2nd tablet anyway
 
How "low carb" are you talking ?
Did you start the metformin from 02 Jan this year?
 
Just for a laugh I graphed my FBG from when I got my first meter a month after diagnosis until the end of 2018. Took about 7 months before I got consistently lower figures and that's with a ketogenic diet combined with intermittent and some extended fasting.
Anything below 4 would usually be on the third day of an extended fast. I had already stopped metformin before I started recording.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone. Yes, January this year. My carb intake per day is under 50 (on a hungry day 60). Since being diagnosed end of Nov I have lost a stone. I want to lose at least two and a half stone still. I have also been keeping a graph Bulkbiker, but mine is pen on paper. I'm not good at fasting, the knock-on effect for me is disastrous, I will literally tear food from the hands of children when I reach that level of hungry, then eat non stop for a day. I recognise the value of it, but for me, it's like lighting a slow fuse.

I've not had the "let's discuss your diabetes" meeting with my doctor yet, but might speed that up a little with a phone call and quiz him about just taking one.
 

If you get that hungry when fasting either don't fast or eat more protein and Fat when you di have a meal.
Going hungry really doesn't help in the longer term - because it isn't sustainable (which is confirmed by over 90% of those who have done a calorie restricted diet).

Controlling T2 Diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint. Count (and cut) the carbs not the calories. Eat plenty of real traditional food, then after a few weeks or worst case a couple of months you should find that you no longer feel as hungry at mealtimes. This means you have become 'fat adapted' and so when it needs to, your body will happily use stored body fat as fuel.

Once you reach this stage it will be easy to fast for at least 14-16 hrs (most of which overnight). Be kind to your body as it adjusts and it will return the favour!
 
As I said I took none after 3 weeks of hell so ... it certainly can be controlled without medication.
Also of course I still have coffees with double cream as my fasting crutch..
 
I'm still using skimmed milk in coffee. Not much, a splash, but you just gave me a reminder about the carbs in milk. Thanks for that.
 
I'd echo the eat to lower your meter advice. Weight loss is only a side effect, pleasant but not the main driver, says she who lost 3 st not being hungry but eating only those foods which don't spike my meter.
Be aware the doc, when you get there, will advise carbs but by then you will have seen the results for yourself.
Weight gain is a symptom of diabetes/insulin problems, not a cause of it
 
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