Newbie terrified

[KennyA]

I don't understand. I woke up at 5.6% and just had a cup of black coffee and water and ran 3 miles -fasted and it has increased to 9.6%? Does exercise alone increase BG?

It does for me as well. Not going to duplicate what others have already said, but I felt it's important to find out and understand how my liver works, as opposed to anyone else's. If I do strenuous exercise, I'll get a glucose dump. I'll get one most mornings anyway, although they seem to top out in the 5s these days. The lighter the exercise, the less chance of my liver deciding I need extra fuel.

I also get short-lived rises in BG from even a small amount of carb - a latte will boost me into the 8 and 9 region for about 20 minutes just on the relatively small amount of lactose in the hot milk - no sign of it an hour after the coffee. Personally, I try to avoid both the high but short lived rises, and the lower but longer ones. That's what works for me, although I'm running on ketones rather than glucose for most things.

 

[Prince4]

Thanks. I have another question MySugarApp indicates that my HBA1C will come in at 47 ( based on last 21 days management ( My HBA1C currently 62). I think that I have the low carb adjustment under control and have lost weight quickly. Around 2.5 stone based on taking 1-2 Metformin doses over the last 8 weeks.

The truth is I am concerned about Lactic acidosis and other Neuropathy side effects that I think that may develop. I really want to stop taking and really double down on Low Carb and Exercise even though my Diabetic Nurse wants me to increase to 2000mg. I was 94 only 12 weeks ago but I truly believe that this is down to the low carb and exercise over the last 4 weeks.

Is it wise to 'trial' a week with ZERO Metformin to understand if I can control BG in the absence of medication? After all I only get prescribed Metformin when I was at 94 and I am 33% below that now......I think Sleep, exercise and low carbs is such a powerful toolset that I don't want to be exposed to Metformin side effects any longer.

 

[HSSS]

Thanks. I have another question MySugarApp indicates that my HBA1C will come in at 47 ( based on last 21 days management ( My HBA1C currently 62). I think that I have the low carb adjustment under control and have lost weight quickly. Around 2.5 stone based on taking 1-2 Metformin doses over the last 8 weeks.

The truth is I am concerned about Lactic acidosis and other Neuropathy side effects that I think that may develop. I really want to stop taking and really double down on Low Carb and Exercise even though my Diabetic Nurse wants me to increase to 2000mg. I was 94 only 12 weeks ago but I truly believe that this is down to the low carb and exercise over the last 4 weeks.

Is it wise to 'trial' a week with ZERO Metformin to understand if I can control BG in the absence of medication? After all I only get prescribed Metformin when I was at 94 and I am 33% below that now......I think Sleep, exercise and low carbs is such a powerful toolset that I don't want to be exposed to Metformin side effects any longer.

First that’s an estimate. It’s only as good as the readings you’ve plugged into the app. If you’ve given it a good wide ranging sample it’ll probably be in the right region. If you’ve only given it a few readings and predominantly the higher or lower ends it’ll be less accurate.

That said you’re obviously making great progress. I’ll wager your nurse doesn’t see that often (not if people follow her advice anyway) so she’s really not anticipating that sort of change, hence her unambitious advice to increase the dose. Ultimately her job is to make recommendations based on her knowledge and experience of how people progress (which we’ve just mentioned isn’t great in all likelihood). It’s yours to evaluate that and you decide what you want to do with your body depending on the trust you have in her.

I can’t advise you but can say lactic acidosis is rare and usually has other factors (eg alcohol) that increase the risk. Neuropathy isn’t caused by Metformin but by the damage done by high blood glucose. Others in here have reduced their levels from your kind of level to remission without Metformin or have started on it and then stopped.

Have you considered sticking with the current dose til the next hba1c and seeing where you are then before making a decision on dropping , maintaining or increasing (unlikely) the dose. It should be 3 months after the last one. NICE guidance says 3 monthly until stable and then 6 monthly. You can’t be stable after one test and new medication so it should be 3 months. Be firm and ask for it.

 

[Resurgam]

Thanks. I have another question MySugarApp indicates that my HBA1C will come in at 47 ( based on last 21 days management ( My HBA1C currently 62). I think that I have the low carb adjustment under control and have lost weight quickly. Around 2.5 stone based on taking 1-2 Metformin doses over the last 8 weeks.

The truth is I am concerned about Lactic acidosis and other Neuropathy side effects that I think that may develop. I really want to stop taking and really double down on Low Carb and Exercise even though my Diabetic Nurse wants me to increase to 2000mg. I was 94 only 12 weeks ago but I truly believe that this is down to the low carb and exercise over the last 4 weeks.

Is it wise to 'trial' a week with ZERO Metformin to understand if I can control BG in the absence of medication? After all I only get prescribed Metformin when I was at 94 and I am 33% below that now......I think Sleep, exercise and low carbs is such a powerful toolset that I don't want to be exposed to Metformin side effects any longer.

Metformin is not a medication to control blood glucose, and when I stopped taking it and was able to go out of the house again I saw only positives.

 

[nutribolt]

I agree 100% with @Resurgam ... having said that the app prediction can be a hit or miss depending on how many readings you have fed into it and even if you have something like libre or diabox it is an indication at best... as an example my last hba1c was 49 (mostly down to stress and not diet so not something I have much control over) while both libre and diabox suggested it will be in range of 39 to 43... Once again numbers aren't as important as the graph and trends are especially when you factor life with all its drama into the equation.