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Need advice, must I take Metformin straight away???

G

Glyko

Well-Known Member
Messages
69
Hello,

(Sorry if my English isn't perfect).

I just got back from my diabetes nurse, had an appointment today.

She put me on Metformin straight away, event though I've made progress since last blood drawing. The results 1 month ago was:

-bloodglucose: 9,5
-hbA1c: 83

Now today it was:
-bloodglucose: 7,2
-hbA1c: 67

All I've done is restricted my carb a little, not extreme or anything. No excercise.

I am 160cm, and 90kg. I wanted to wait with Metformin until I loose about 10kg? Or at least give me 1-2 month to improve my values.

What do you think? Can you please give me advice? If I start Metformin straight away, can I discontinue it in the future ?

/Thanks för reading!
 
Hi. Metformin only ever has a small effect on BS but is a safe drug with some other beneficial effects. It can be started or stopped at any time without problems but takes effect after days rather than hours. If you do start it and have any bowel issues give that a week or so to stop or ask the GP for the SR (Slow Release) version.
 
Thanks for the reply. I just feel like I should be given some more time to improve my values....

The results from today were from pricking my finger (and I had been taking some meds like Levaxin and diluted acv, so not totally in fasted state). The results from last month were normal blood drawing, fasted state.


I feel like Metformin shouldn't be started until I have had a chance to see if I can improve without meds.
 
Are you in the UK?
Nobody can make you take anything . You could maybe lower your carbs a bit more and see how you are after 3 months.

Are you using a glucose meter?
 
I think that a drop from 83 to 67 in one month is great. To get a true reflection of your efforts to get your HbA1c down you’d need to wait three months for a test as the HbA1c looks at the Glucose stuck to your red blood cells. These red blood cells live for up to twelve weeks. Your blood test after just one month will include red cells from before you changed your diet. I hope that helps you understand the significance of your result as your nurse doesn’t seem to be taking this into account. I would ask for another 2 months on diet only, have another test then reassess whether you want to start on Metformin.
 
xfieldok said:
Are you in the UK?
Nobody can make you take anything . You could maybe lower your carbs a bit more and see how you are after 3 months.

Are you using a glucose meter?
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No, I'm in Sweden. Thanks for the reply! Exactly what I was thinking to lower carbs and wait...!
 
Thanks, your reply makes a lot of sense !
3 months is a good period. I wonder why the nurse didn't take into account my progress and reassess in 2 more months.
I will take courage and fall tomorrow. Thanks so much!
 
Make sure you are testing at the right time. Before you eat and again 2 hours after the first bite.

If you record your food and numbers into something like the mysugr app, after you enter through data, you will get an estimated hba1c number. I don't know if they have a swedish version, but your English is pretty good.

You will get lots of support here.

Do you want to tell us what you eat in a typical day?
 
Since I am not a GP, I wouldn't use terms like "must". Yet, all I can offer as a layman is: reduce dietary glucose as much as possible. All you need to know is that carbs (glucose) are everywhere except in meat, fish, chicken, eggs and water. These contain zero sugar. Everything else has a certain amount of glucose. Tips: you need to regularly check which foods spike your BG and which don't; our bodies react so differently. To improve your hba1c in a very satisfactory way, give yourself from 8 to 12 weeks. Over this period your a1c should go down to normal values, provided you eat healthy (as little carbs as possible), some form of regular exercise (not necessarily weight lifting, just 30-minute walks) and reduce stress levels if any. As for taking Metformin, it's up to you and your GP, you could give yourself a chance. If your BG doesn't get under control, then, medication is inexorable. Good luck. These are tips from an individual with diabetes type 2 in remission, not from a person with a formal medical background.
 
The nurse cannot “make” you do anything.

She can advise and should give reason of why she gives that advice if you want that explanation. She should be able to explain why it is not valid to wait 3 month too if she disagrees with that. As explained you still have “old” blood cells exposed to your previous diet thus today’s test is not a true reflection of the changes you have made.

Many others have had higher numbers and made smaller changes in the first month and not taken medication and personally that would be my choice in your situation.

You however must make your own choices. Well done on what you’ve achieved so far.
 
Thanks, I will download this app!
As for what I eat,
I skip breakfast and drink tea with coconut oil or cream.
Lunch salad with fish, meat or chocken.
Dessert usually some raspberries with tahini or yoghurt and tahini and some dried frukt.
Evening some fruit, youghurt or lowcarb sandwich. Tea.

Pretty much it, sometimes eggs in evening. Or some variations.
 
Thanks for your reply, will take into consideration.
 
Thanks, yes exactly I need to realise it's my choice and responsibility. I feel like 1 month is too little time. She was also against intermittent fasting and lowcarb....go figure...
 
Fruit, especially dried fruit, is likely an issue. Testing will show you the effect of the carbs but the fructose will silently an unmeasured contribute to insulin resistance by way of non alcoholic fatty liver disease. The liver is the only way of processing and storing the fructose. Tahini is a problem for some so check that out with a meter a few times. Yogurt can be pretty good or pretty bad depending on which type. Full fat Greek style is the way to go. Low fat or flavoured not so much. Again I’d check what the sandwich does.
 
Glyko said:
Thanks, yes exactly I need to realise it's my choice and responsibility. I feel like 1 month is too little time. She was also against intermittent fasting and lowcarb....go figure...
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Sounds like she isn’t that up to date on the latest research to me, making me ask more questions about her other advice than I would if she were more aware of how useful it is. Do what feel right to you after listening to all the advice.
 
@Glyko - Your initial post suggests you want to trim some weight off? One comment I would make is that some people find that Metformin can help with weight loss; partly because of how it works on our bodies, and secondly because some find Metformin reduces their appetite.

I'm not trying to encourage or discourage you from starting Metformin. That isn't my or anyone else on this forum's place. I'm just offering a different viewpoint to that which others have put forward.

Good luck with it all, whichever route you take.
 
You're absolutely right. I will check my food and improve, dried fruit is not necessary in my diet nor are sandwiches.
The nurse said to eat lowfat youghurt, but I know full fat is better. Your response was much appreciated!
 
Glyko said:
You're absolutely right. I will check my food and improve, dried fruit is not necessary in my diet nor are sandwiches.
The nurse said to eat lowfat youghurt, but I know full fat is better. Your response was much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Your nurse is stuck in the dark ages of low fat. She’ll catch up eventually. Maybe when you present at 3 months with fantastic results - she’ll praise you and then you can tell her how you did it.
 
If Metformin only has a small affect on BS levels, why is it so widely prescribed? I am taking it & the nurses keep trying to increase it but on the odd occasions when I forget to take it(I`m still new to all this & have never had any medication for years!) I see no change in my BS results at all.
 
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