The side effects might settle. Some might be unrelated. I'm in a bad place, emotionally, right now, and looking for stuff to blame, and perhaps metformin is an easy target. It definitely gave me the runs, massacred my appetite and left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Only the first of those three things seemed to clear up after the first week. Add in the paranoia of what can go wrong when mixed with alcohol (I don't drink ridiculously most of the time, but like a good blow-out every now and again) and I don't think it's worth it for the 0.2 to 0.5 mmol/L reduction it's given me after a week. Perhaps that gets even better over time, but various Googlings suggest that it's 48 hours before anything happens, and about 7 days before the bulk of the effect is seen.
I'm averaging 6.9 mmol/L according to Libre, which is probably more like 6 by blood. That puts my HbA1c in the range of 35 to 42 without metformin. Do I really need it?
I've got a phone GP appointment today over a separate issue, so I'm going to ask about the A1c test. The diabetes nurse from the hospital said she'd schedule me one 'in a couple of months' and that was a couple of months ago. Obviously she didn't. If my GP refuses, then I'll probably go for a paid test.Nicola - I wouldn't be in a position to make any suggestion about Metformin, but if you took it for a week, and noticed a change of X, then knowing it works by therapeutic dosing, you would not have seen it's full benefit for another week, by my reckoning.
Secondly, please don't put too much energy into the Libre for guestimating your HbA1c. I have used many Libre, where I always have an estimated A1c of 19-21, whereas my labs dance around 30. My running range, at the lab, is 27-31. To me, that's a material difference.
I'm not saying any of that to put a downer on anything, but if you want to make conclusions about the impact on your A1c, I'd suggest investing £29 is a test at MonitorMyHealth, or any other of the cost efficient routes, if your NHS test isn't due.
MMH did suspend testing for a couple of weeks, due to the move of the UK Roche facilities, but I would imagine if they haven't resumed, it can't be far off.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/
I have no relationship with MMH aside from being a happy user - for my thyroid issues. They're pretty efficient.
I did clarify though that their Cholesterol panel is the full shebang, not just total, so the Heart Health at £39 adds lipids to an A1c for £10.
I forgot to ask, are you taking the Extended Release version? Most seem to find that easier on the digestion. Otherwise, at least make sure to take your Metformin with food? Apologies if this ground has already been covered.best to increase your Metformin dose very slowly to avoid the digestive upsets so many get with it.
Standard release at the moment. Always taken in the morning, with at least some food (a block of cheese, today.) Diarrhoea for a couple of days, but that seems to have cleared up. The lingering problems are the funny taste in my mouth sometimes, the loss of appetite, and potentially effects on sexual performance. None of which would be addressed by slow release, I don't think.I forgot to ask, are you taking the Extended Release version? Most seem to find that easier on the digestion. Otherwise, at least make sure to take your Metformin with food? Apologies if this ground has already been covered.
I’m sorry you’ve been having issues. Ive been on metformin of various dosage for over a decade so am one of those who tolerated but as I have mentioned in other posts I have to have modified release. It has impacted my vitamin levels so supplement folate and vitamin B, actually take a all in one vitamin plus vit C. Not sure if it’s sensible but I do anywayStandard release at the moment. Always taken in the morning, with at least some food (a block of cheese, today.) Diarrhoea for a couple of days, but that seems to have cleared up. The lingering problems are the funny taste in my mouth sometimes, the loss of appetite, and potentially effects on sexual performance. None of which would be addressed by slow release, I don't think.
I've got an HbA1c test booked for Monday. That'll be after 1 week on 500mg and 1 week on 1000mg, but since it gives the average over the last 2-3 months (though more greatly influenced by more recent levels) and metformin doesn't seem to have dropped my daily average more than 0.5 mmol/L as yet, I think it should still be a good indicator of how I've been handling this without medication.
I'm passionately pro Metformin. I schemed and fought to get put on it, max dose. BUT at the same time I agree with very many here in believing that lifestyle, principally a low carb diet, is far more effective in lowering bg than any amount of Met. It is sometimes said that the brand Glucophage works better and is more easily tolerated than the generic. Followiong the published advice of Dr Bernstein, that is what I take. Btw did you realise that raised bg over time is a well-known cause of impotence in men? Not saying that your bgs have been high enough to have this effect, but another possible complication to bear in mind when calculating choices.metformin doesn't seem to have dropped my daily average more than 0.5 mmol/L as yet
@Nicole T I happened upon this article and thought of you!It seems the (undocumented in the patient literature) feature of metformin in lowering testosterone
WHOOPWHOOP!
Your level drop is very similar to mine, well done!Results are finally on Patient Access. I was expecting low 40s and hoping for mid to high 30s. Happy with this result.
That's diet, moderate exercise and some weight loss only, apart from 1 week of 500mg metformin. So glad I found this site and the brilliant advice about low carb diet. 76 originally, so cutting carbs has pretty much halved it. View attachment 45517
It’s incredibly individual how many work. How many does your app say you’re having? If your results tomorrow are not what you’d hope for I’d suggest ditching the oats. They are not low carb. Also test before and after meals to see what individual things do to your levels. Fingers crossed for you.Great results.. I have my first blood tests tomorrow after 7 weeks so fingers crossed. I’m on 1000g met and low carb... and exercise as best I can, I’ve also lost 1 and half stone.. so scared it won’t have come down from 94..
I do have an app where I’m putting in everything I eat and drink... interested that my daily grams carb intake is still there from veg and a handful of oats in morning... is there a guide as to target daily carb level to keep it low enough? Hope that makes sense!!
The easiest way to find out if your carb level is low enough is using a glucose meter to test before a meal and 2 hours after. That way you can directly see if your body can handle the amount of carbs in that meal.is there a guide as to target daily carb level to keep it low enough? Hope that makes sense!!
The easiest way to find out if your carb level is low enough is using a glucose meter to test before a meal and 2 hours after. That way you can directly see if your body can handle the amount of carbs in that meal.
How many carbs people can eat and still keep healthy numbers is highly personal, some need to go as low as 20 grams a day while others can eat 150 grams.
In the US, fibre is counted in the total carb count in nutritional information. In the UK, Europe etc, the fibre isn't included, but listed separately. (They are carbs, but they don't get into the bloodstream). So you want to know total carbs, and if in the US, you subtract the fibre. In the rest of the world, don't.Thanks that helpful, on the app it splits it down to carbs, fibre and then sugar - is it just carbs I need to look at or the sugar one? So confusing!!
You'll normally see a figure for "carbohydrate" and a lower figure below it for "of which sugars."Thanks that helpful, on the app it splits it down to carbs, fibre and then sugar - is it just carbs I need to look at or the sugar one? So confusing!!
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