T2 and Metformin

HpprKM

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Self absorbed and rude people! Motorists who are oblivious to the rest of the world, and really don't give a ****!
I have a question for the knowledgeable people on the T2 forum, which I hope does not sound dumb and does make sense :)

This not a moan, so hope it doesn't sound that way - I have good days and bad days, today is one of the latter - usually get one about once a week - quite often following restless night, but I don't just feel tired, I feel pretty grotty. However, as I said this not a look for sympathy as I know all those with DB have their burdens to bear LOL. What I want to know is, as my T2 is medication controlled by Metformin - 1000g SR per day, and if my pancreas is still functioning to some degree - how do these two things correlate? I have been trying to get to grips with diabetes for around 5 years now, and find it so complicated (as do many), this is why I find this forum such a help!

I am not always the perfect diabetes sufferer I have lapses - with sweet things, then beat myself up over it :) The daft thing is that I start looking at things I never used to like, such as cream cakes etc - and thinking that I would really love to eat that - I know if I did I'd find it too sweet - never a huge cake fan anyway, but I don't eat it, however, chocolate is another thing altogether, it beckons it's evil eye, and although I indulge in 85 per cent dark Lindt from time to time, for someone reason I start eyeing up things like Cadbury's milk chocolate which I probably wouldn't even like - anyway just saying - how daft is that :roll:

To finalise, I do try to eat healthily, I am not overweight, I am really quite active - except on bad days, even then I try to keep going - but giving myself longer breaks between tasks. But, if any wise owl out there can explain the mechanics of Metformin and how to moderate how much glucose my body actually is getting whilst using it -I would be very grateful :) I suppose, basically I am saying 'How do I know that my dosage is right? And, can my body's requirement change on a daily basis?

Until now, I have basically just gone along with my prescribed Metformin dose unquestioningly, and once I got over the two a day hurdles of causing nausea etc and went onto SR I have dealt with it pretty well, at least I think I have, but now wondering if feeling rubbish (as today) if that has a bearing on it - or not!
As I say, hope this makes sense :!:
 
Messages
6,107
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The first thing to say is that many of the posters on here agree that Metformin does not make a huge difference to your blood sugar levels. There are a few, like me, who find that it does not make any difference at all.

The defenders of Metformin tend to agree but talk of other benefits further down the line but these benefits are not clearly defined and the fear of missing out on something makes people keep taking them.

One thing is for sure. As soon as you get diagnosed as diabetic whether pre or actual you will be prescribed Metformin. If you are unlucky you will suffer some side effects. If you are not prescribed the SR version you are bound to have problems with your stomach. If you are prescribed the SR version it might be an appetite or taste issue. My nurse backed off the dose until I could live with it.

If you stop taking Metformin the HCP's get pretty critical and insist you keep taking it. I take it to keep the peace. I don't know what it is actually doing for me.

My advice is to treat Metformin and diet as two separate issues. Take an amount of Metformin that does not give you unpleasant side effects and change your diet after learning what to eat by using your meter.
 

Neil Walters

Well-Known Member
Messages
265
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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I wonder whether the grotty feeling is more related to your BS level. I know when mine is high I feel worse and when I hypo I invariably feel very tired afterwards.

As to what the technical chemical effect is I know not. What I do know is that by reducing my carb intake I have has my first reduction in medication in 15 years and have never felt better for a long long time.


Diagnosed Type II 1998 1 x 80 mg Gliclazide, 4 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin - HbA1c - 48 mmol/mol
 

Sid Bonkers

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3,976
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
Hi, Metformin works in distinct ways, first it reduces the amount of sugar (glycogen) released by your liver, secondly it helps to reduce insulin resistance so your insulin works better, and lastly it delays absorption of sugar (glucose) from the intestines into the bloodstream after eating.

So your pancreas has no effect on the usefulness of metforim.
 

wigglyamp

Member
Messages
8
I dont think there is such a thing as the "perfect diabetes sufferer". We all have our week moments and downfall's.

My DNS says to me that you cannot live your life completely cutting out your chocolate or cream buns or by going to that party and only drinking soda water! "But, that's not a thumbs up for you to go and get hammered every Saturday night and follow it with a kebab" she says wagging her finger!

I've found that with that pearl of wisdom, I know the odd bun and choc bar is not forbidden so I don't want them as much. We maybe buy a bun at the weekend and I might have a small bar of dark chocolate on a Wednesday evening and the odd beer of a weekend.

Question - when you're feeling ****, do you test your BS to see what it's doing? I found that testing when I felt really bad and those times a felt really good helped me identify which foods I was more the worse from having etc.

I was started on Gliclazide and the standard metformin dose (as everyone I suppose) and once my BS were under control they dropped the Glic' and changed me to the slow release metformin. I suffered really bad, couldn't control my BS no matter what I did, real bad wind (enough to power a small village) and so I went back to the standard. Things were fine for a couple of years but I had a huge struggle over December and January (just gone and not due to beer and kebabs I hasten to add) and since then I've been on the maximum dose of Metformin.

I run on average 25 miles a week over 3 runs, doing and really try to control my carb intake. I would really hate to see where I would be without the running :cry: I have days where I feel really tired but like you say, you just push through it.
 

HpprKM

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Self absorbed and rude people! Motorists who are oblivious to the rest of the world, and really don't give a ****!
Well thanks all for some very informative replies - I guess it is much as I thought - as I really unsure of metformin benefits but continue to take. I keep fairly active, walking, housework, some gardening and looking after 3 and 1 year old grandchildren at least one day a week. never been one for alcohol so no issues there. My problem is sweet things - though try hard to limit and then to eat dark chocolate - couple of squares - sometimes -small portions of carbs. So I guess all these things help, but at end of the day I do hsve disbetes snd blood sugars will vary :roll: