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metformin

ally1

Expert
Messages
5,402
Location
suffolk
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
liver
Am curious to know why we take metformin.
When I first went on metformin, I assumed it was to help lower bs levels.
Many people say it doesn,t reduce bs levels, so what is it supposed to do
 
If I have understood correctly the met can lower the impact of liver dumps and it is also a mild appetite suppresent. As my knowledge on liver dumps is sketchy I stand to be corrected.
 
Does many things ... main role is to tell the liver to reduce amount of glucose it produces. In some cases some weight loss, may help with reducing fat around liver and some organs.
 
Metformin reduces insulin insensitivity, this results in our body producing less insulin. (Science has still to understand completely how it does this.)

A lot of the side effects of Type2 is due to our bodies producing too much insulin. One study found that Metformin reduced heart issues and strokes in people with Type2 by something like one third.
 
I was told by my diabetic nurse that metformin is used to use the insulin in the body that has been produced to work better
 
I took met for 8 weeks no side effects.
I worked hard to reduce my carb intake, I've lost 3 stone and my bloods are at high end normal levels.

I stopped taking Metformin because it stops liver dumps and this is the bodies natural process. Since stopping my blood sugars reduced again.

Fact.. I was over weight

Fact... I have lost weight and my body has started to work correctly again.

Fact .... if I put the weight back on my blood sugars will likely increase.

Fact... I am not prepared to be a larger than I am now so this should keep my t2 under control.



Sent from my SM-G930F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
I've been on Insulins for 29 yrs ago. Was initially diagnosed as T2 at 28 despite never having been near overweight, though it was shortly after a nasty marital break up in which I suffered terribly (emotionally etc).
A struggle with diet followed, weight stayed very low with sugars refusing to come under control and remaining high.
Eventually, Chloropropamide was prescribed, then increased to the maximum permitted level.
I was put on Metformin as well. I found it to be very incompatible with me. It seemed to cause terrible mood swings and a loss of control of temper, which sometimes frightened me (By then, I was divorced, over my break-up and had met the woman who was about to restore my trust in humanity, women etc), so the mood swings were nothing to do with the marital break up from 2+ years previously.
I went back to the hospital and told them that I feared for my actions if I stayed on Metformin and was fearful of my reaction should my temper be tested. I was told that in a small number of people, this does happen and that Insulin was the only alternative. Despite my fear of needles, I agreed, as the alternatives were not good.
That decision was the making of me. I have never looked back and enjoy life, aside from the only issues that needed change, adjustments of, or use of different types of insulin.
Metformin may well work for very many others but, for me, nearly turned me into a monster. Never again!!
 

Not doctor just a person with common sense, but seems Metformin when first came out passed was for cholera?.....
What I cannot understand why would one want to take Metformin or other which only pushes the sugars here and there in the body, it does not make you actually better? infact, next A1C test, it may show lower and sugars, but the question one has to ask oneself is...that the Docs don't explain, is my test correct or false indications, as if medications are taken, the test shows better results, in reality the problem is still there, and even worse, surely its only common sense, ditch the medications, I did anyway, and simply change your lifestyle, exercise more, eat low carb and keto style eating plan, fabulous and wonderful foods, works for me, lost 20 kilos in 11 months, eating butter, cheese, cream, yes really and 30g carbs a day, but not carbs of potatoes, pasta, bread or rice, carbs such as veggies and other. Walking approx. 8 klm a day.

So, what happened, next A1C I was down 23% in 4 months, the good news is I know that the results are correct, why, my body my own body adjusted the sugars to lower and my A1C by its own with change of diet and lifestyle, so compare the two, take a drug, your tests may be lower, but its false, compared to a lower A1C which has taken place by natural way.......

Hope this help

Mallorca.
 
ally1 said:
Am curious to know why we take metformin.
When I first went on metformin, I assumed it was to help lower bs levels.
Many people say it doesn,t reduce bs levels, so what is it supposed to do
Click to expand...
When I started on Metformin my GP told me what it's supposed to do.

I have seen many explanations on this forum regarding Metformin and what it does do or not do.

What it did for me.

Reduced my bgl over a a period of time, my three monthly bgl average is down below 6.0 now.

Reduced my Hba1c.

I lost around 10 Kgs in weight.

I do not think myself it is a appetite suppressant as I still eat the same, except for most carbs.
 
I'm not sure who your reply is aimed at. If the original poster of this thread, all well and good.
If to myself? Your comments are definitely aimed in the wrong direction. Weight wasn't a problem for me. Metformin was!!
I've been on Insulin for 29 yrs and am loving life (59 before year's end).
However, I will agree with you regarding the low carb diet. My wife (non-diabetic) and myself both follow such a diet and it works for both of us, and probably will for almost everyone on the Planet. Sugars and Carbs are the big evils, with the former being something that needs to be banned from all processed foods and the latter monitored carefully by all except, maybe sportspeople, marathon runners in particular!
I would love to get to a pre-diabetic stage, or get rid of the condition completely but, alas, that will not happen. The bloody condition (T1 and T2) is rampant in my family tree and, as my family, in the main, worked the land and grew up on healthy diets, genetics is by far the most likely cause of our susceptibility to it.
 
I find that some of the information posted on here is inaccurate regarding Type 2 there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding the bodys production of insulin and its take up, also regarding blood sugars. As a retired health professional I urge people to research how this works, rather than taking other peoples word for it, and also look at genuine research if thats what is needed. Dont believe all your told.
 
Some people think that Type 2 is caused by too high insulin production, and that treatment is to reduce that and increase glucose levels, in fact it is either that the body is not taking up the insulin and has become resistant to it, or that not enough is being produced. Type 2 is a lifestyle condition, due to various factors, steps can be taken to prevent or reverse this but our health care system does not provide enough resources or help in certain parts of the UK. I was told by my GP four years ago to eat healthy not smoke or drink alcohol and excerse that was her solution. Firstly she would not believe me re healthy eating and kept asking what I ate, I do eat healthy. I have never smoked, occasional drink, and suffer from fibromyalga where exercise leaves me in constant pain. She said I was not diabetic. This went on until I changed my GP in June 2017 and the first time I saw him he told me I was Diabetic and put me on metaformin. It has taken me months to get used to it, but now starting to feel better. The reason people are so badly informed is down to incompetent GP's who are themselves out of touch with the latest developments, I wish now I had changed my GP a long time ago as some of the issues I have been suffering from are down to Type 2. It also runs in my family but would they listen no. I hope that everyone looks at their condition and treatment in order to empower themselves and progress the treatment of Type 2.
 
linking said:
I find that some of the information posted on here is inaccurate regarding Type 2
Click to expand...


linking said:
Some people think that Type 2 is caused by too high insulin production, and that treatment is to reduce that and increase glucose levels,
Click to expand...

Clearly that idea is illogical. Increased glucose levels means increased insulin levels, and that is just what we don't want.

I can't recall anyone posting on here that believes increased glucose is the answer. Many people have posted that high insulin levels are to blame, and I'm one of them. However, the same can't be said for the dieticians and those that devised the Eatwell Plate.
 
The reason that the insulin rises is to try to help the glucose enter the cells, but as it meets resistance then it increases once more, insulin resistance develops, so lowering the blood sugar is the aim.
 
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