some questions about metformin

sugarmog

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
To cut a long story short... Diagnosed as T2 with Hb1ac of 52 in August 2011. Lost weight and moderate carb diet brought it down to 37 within 3 months and I was able to keep it in that range for about 6 years. Even a GTT came back as normal. However over the past couple of years I lost control of my diet and put a bit of weight back on and was shocked to discover that between 2017 when i was last tested, and Sept of this year my level had shot up to 70, with a fasting score of 11. I immediately reverted to my previous way of eating, lost weight and kept my carbs to around 150 per day and with the help of 2 x 500 metformin a day, my score at the beginning of this month was 42 and a fasting level of 5.9.

How much of this drop can be attributed to my lifestyle change, and how much to the metformin? My doctor seems to think that if I had not made any changes to my diet and relied on the metformin alone the I would probably still be in the low 60;s. However, I also think that the more you help yourself, then the more the metformin is going to help you.

He has suggested that i come off the metformin completely and carry on with the lifestyle changes and re test in another 3 months to see what happens. I tend to agree with him as I hope to shift another half stone or so and haven't felt particularly good on the metformin. (although I have opted to stay on it over the festive period)

How does metformin work? Is it an accumulative effect or a more "of the moment" response? if I stopped taking it regularly, would there be any benefit to taking one as required if I knew that for some reason I would be eating outside my normal diet (work/family celebration etc)?
 

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,466
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @sugarmog

Firstly very well done on bringing your HbA1c down. I’ve never taken metformin, but as I understand it, it very much plays a supporting role alongside lifestyle changes in type 2, so I tend to agree with your doctor. I also understand that it has more of an accumulative effect than an immediate one, so is unlikely to act as a ‘quick fix’ when going a bit off piste foodwise.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi Sugarmog, here’s some info on Metformin, including how it works:
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/metformin/
as @Goonergal says it has a cumulative effect so couldn’t be used to counteract a more carby meal. I have taken 3 x 500mg per day since diagnosis and apart from a trial dropping to two which I abandoned as my weight loss stalled, I have taken 3 ever since. During the trial of 2 per day, for that three months my HbA1c only went up from 34 to 35 so negligible difference.

Edit for typo
 
Last edited:

sugarmog

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
Hi Sugarmog, here’s some info on Metformin, including how it works:
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/metformin/
as @Goonergal says it has a cumulative effect so couldn’t be used to counteract a more carby meal. I have taken 3 x 500mg per day since diagnosis and apart from a trial dropping to two which I abandoned as my weight loss stalled, I have taken 3 ever since. During the trial of 2 per day, for that three months my HbA1c only went up from 34 to 35 so negligible difference.

Edit for typo
Thanks for the info. I assume that with your low HbA1c you are remaining on metformin in order to help with weight loss? That is my slight concern about coming off it, that it will make it harder for me to shift a bit more weight>
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,810
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for the info. I assume that with your low HbA1c you are remaining on metformin in order to help with weight loss? That is my slight concern about coming off it, that it will make it harder for me to shift a bit more weight>
You’re right, although my weight loss has stalled right now! Lol!
I also keep on it as I tolerate it well and I enjoy my diet as it is so don’t want to compromise it any more than I already have.
Metformin also has other health benefits, have a read here:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/type...ts-why-they-likely-go-beyond-type-2-diabetes/