New T2 with reduced levels wanting to reduce medication

[Tuart]

This is all so new to me . I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes about three months ago when my hba1c was 51.
I take 4 metformin 500mg a day.
Last Tuesday I went for a review when my blood had dropped to 41.
The nurse still wants me to carry on with the same level of metformin and take statins.
I’ve refused statins and hate taking any pills.
I’m eating no carbs, cycle very day and have lost two stone so can I reduce my medication?

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Tuart and welcome to the forums.
(New thread created as requested).

First let me congratulate you on the weight loss and the prompt reduction of your bg levels.

The forums are quite quiet now, (most of the UK members are in bed) but hopefully there will be some T2 members posting soon.

Do you have a blood glucose meter so that you can check what your levels are doing?

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

We can't give you medical advice but I have stopped taking metformin without discussing it with my doctor. I did test very regularly when I did to make sure my levels remained okay. So I do recommend if you reduce it or stop taking it to keep testing your levels.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[bulkbiker]

@Tuart

It's your body and only you should choose what you put into it.

A doctor is there for advice not orders.

 

[Andydragon]

This is all so new to me . I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes about three months ago when my hba1c was 51.
I take 4 metformin 500mg a day.
Last Tuesday I went for a review when my blood had dropped to 41.
The nurse still wants me to carry on with the same level of metformin and take statins.
I’ve refused statins and hate taking any pills.
I’m eating no carbs, cycle very day and have lost two stone so can I reduce my medication?

What you take is your choice. Metformin may make an impact but given your results and diet, that is much more likely and if you decide to stop or not, that’s your choice

The levels are going down that’s great. As hba1c takes an average they say over 3 months it might be that the impact of reducing your levels is still to be fully seen.

when did you drop the carbs and you say no carbs? I’m not familiar with the best way to drop that low, carnivore or similar?

 

[Outlier]

Like the others, I can't give medical advice, but I phased out the metformin over a few months once my BG stabilised into pre-diabetic readings due to keto diet and subsequent weight loss. Nursie refused to countenance me doing this, so I did it anyway without telling her. I was careful and paid attention to my readings and actually noticed no difference at all after a week or so, and minimal difference (point 5 or less) during the adjustment time. I haven't bothered contacting Nursie since (how pointless can a telephone appointment be?) but GP finally caught up with what I'd done after the last Hb1AC and to my surprise was very impressed and kept saying he couldn't believe what I'd achieved - except of course he could and did. So for some of us it IS possible to reduce metformin or come off it completely without harming ourselves or sending our BG haywire.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

I echo the above posts. I started out with an HbA1c that was more than double yours and reached normal blood glucose levels within 6 months. I halved the dosage of Metformin then halved it again and my blood glucose levels remained normal. However after taking the drug for 5 years I began to feel that it was really only a psychological crutch so I stopped taking it and have had 3 years of normal blood glucose levels. Mind you I did have a long time for a low carbohydrate eating pattern to become habit rather than something special.
You have made brilliant progress so far!

 

[Ryhia]

This is all so new to me . I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes about three months ago when my hba1c was 51.
I take 4 metformin 500mg a day.
Last Tuesday I went for a review when my blood had dropped to 41.
The nurse still wants me to carry on with the same level of metformin and take statins.
I’ve refused statins and hate taking any pills.
I’m eating no carbs, cycle very day and have lost two stone so can I reduce my medication?

On diagnosis, my HbA1c was 54 and 52 respectively, the latter one was to confirm initial diagnosis. I wasn't offered metformin. I was just given three months to bring down levels by diet which I did - initially by limiting cals using my version of the Newcastle diet then moved on to low carb. That was in 2019. Bloods seem pretty steady (don't think they will ever be really impressive - we are all different - but I'm happy to be regularly hitting "normal" HbA1c figures - see my signature - Lost a lot of weight and feel much better and fitter than I have done for years. Not sure what metformin would have done for me.

 

[jbell]

I've been diagnosed diabetes 2 for about 8 years now. Just taking 1 metformin a day. Been in and out of hospital few times with other health issues. Last one was gastroenteritis which discovered that I had diverticulitis . The point is whenever I'm in hospital I don't take any tablets and yet my blood sugar is ok? I never needed to test my blood sugar. Can I stop the tablets now . Also I heard that it can cause joint problems??

 

[Lobsang Tsultim]

I've been diagnosed diabetes 2 for about 8 years now. Just taking 1 metformin a day. Been in and out of hospital few times with other health issues. Last one was gastroenteritis which discovered that I had diverticulitis . The point is whenever I'm in hospital I don't take any tablets and yet my blood sugar is ok? I never needed to test my blood sugar. Can I stop the tablets now . Also I heard that it can cause joint problems??

This sounds like a good question to raise with your GP.

We don’t know your medical history, we aren’t doctors, and we aren’t your doctor so we are in no position to tell you whether or not to stop your medication

 

[jbell]

This sounds like a good question to raise with your GP.

We don’t know your medical history, we aren’t doctors, and we aren’t your doctor so we are in no position to tell you whether or not to stop your medication

Thanks

 

[Ricmel]

I find it interesting what seems be approach in UK versus my experience in Australia. I was diagnosed in Feb 2021 with HbA1c at 97. Doctor told me to lose weight, change diet and come back in 3 months - no drugs. After diagnosis I did some research and called back to doctor to ask if I should be on a drug. She was very adamant saying no.

It seems in UK, even with relatively low readings the first thing that happens is prescribed drugs?

For the record, my second reading was 41 then 3 months later 37 then another 3 months and it was 35. So can be done without the drugs.

 

[Outlier]

What a great doctor you have. And very well done on your readings.

 

[Hezzal]

I find it interesting what seems be approach in UK versus my experience in Australia. I was diagnosed in Feb 2021 with HbA1c at 97. Doctor told me to lose weight, change diet and come back in 3 months - no drugs. After diagnosis I did some research and called back to doctor to ask if I should be on a drug. She was very adamant saying no.

It seems in UK, even with relatively low readings the first thing that happens is prescribed drugs?

For the record, my second reading was 41 then 3 months later 37 then another 3 months and it was 35. So can be done without the drugs.

My GP was very keen to start me on metformin straight away, I had to be quite firm in rejecting it because I knew that it would be likely to cause me digestive issues which would derail any attempts to change my diet. Her viewpoint was that it would be better to start to get the levels down straight away. Luckily my total dietary change did the trick and my levels down to normal in 3 months…but I can appreciate that possibly most newly diagnosed folk she sees aren’t ready or able to make such a big change so immediately..