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Type 1 metformin

emmabai1ey11

emmabai1ey11

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,

Yesterday my endo started me on metformin due to me becoming insulin resistant.
Still high blood sugars despite injecting and carb counting as I should be.

I’m on 45 units daily of Tresiba (degludec) and Novorapid 3:10 g carbs.

I’ve been started on 500mg (slow release) daily for 2 weeks and then doubling the dose.

Just wondered if there was any fellow type 1’s on metformin that can advise me on the results.

Thanks
Emma
 
I'm not but I have heard of people being put on it over the years. Before agreeing to this it's worth considering the following.

How many different insulins have you tried? Everyone is individual and what suits lots of people may not suit you. Fiasp for example is the new all singing all dancing very fast acting insulin. I survive very well on the oldest insulin still available - porcine.

How do you store your insulin and needles?

How accurate do you feel your carb counting is?

Have you ever and how often do you basal test? It's incredible how one very small change e.g. 0.5 unit increase on a basal at a particular time can bring my average down by 4mmol.

Are you on any other medication that could affect your levels?

Have you tried any type of CGM to work out if there is a particular time/issue you need to resolve?

Have you tried low carbing and what do you find the effects are? Not everyone can manage loads of carbs irrelevant of what some HCPs say.

Good luck with getting this sorted.
 
tigger said:
I'm not but I have heard of people being put on it over the years. Before agreeing to this it's worth considering the following.

How many different insulins have you tried? Everyone is individual and what suits lots of people may not suit you. Fiasp for example is the new all singing all dancing very fast acting insulin. I survive very well on the oldest insulin still available - porcine.

How do you store your insulin and needles?

How accurate do you feel your carb counting is?

Have you ever and how often do you basal test? It's incredible how one very small change e.g. 0.5 unit increase on a basal at a particular time can bring my average down by 4mmol.

Are you on any other medication that could affect your levels?

Have you tried any type of CGM to work out if there is a particular time/issue you need to resolve?

Have you tried low carbing and what do you find the effects are? Not everyone can manage loads of carbs irrelevant of what some HCPs say.

Good luck with getting this sorted.
Click to expand...



Hi thanks for your reply.


I did find it hard to believe that I am becoming insulin resistant after only being diagnosed in April 2016.

I have been on Lantus, levemir and now Tresiba.
Novorapid is the only fast acting insulin I’ve been on.
Insulin is stored properly in the fridge until it’s needed.
Needle changed for every injection.
Carb counting is accurate most of the time.
I am on levothyroxine due to a total thyroidectomy last year - however I’m told this won’t effect my blood glucose.

I have asked about cgm but my dsn said it won’t be helpful. Should I push for this?

I’m not sure what a basal test is?


Thanks a lot for your help
 
I have been on metformin for a while as I'm massively insulin resistant now (daily insulin still up around 300iu's) it worked for a while managed to get it down to 250 iu's but it creped up so they added in pioglitazone as well. I find it didn't do much for me, but if I stop it my BS's creep up and that means more insulin. Forgot to mention I'm on a pump.
 
give it time. you could have been resistant for ages if it fails to work you can always stop it.
 
hi emma i was diagnosed in april this year and was put on 1 500mg of metformin due to insulin resistance i find that it does nothing for my bgs so i stopped it slowly but surely my bgs started creeping up so started taking it again and bgs have settled down again dont really know how it works but without it im sky high
 
@emmabai1ey11 here's a link on how to basal test https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/PandV/PIL/Patient information leaflets/Basal and bolus testing.pdf

If you're on MDI you have a basal rate which is your background insulin covered by the lantus/levemir and then a bolus which is what you take when you eat and that's what you need your carb ratio/carb counting for. If your basal rate is wrong then it is hard to get anything right as you will be forever chasing high sugars down.

A CGM gives you a much better idea of where things are going wrong as you see how and why levels fluctuate.

Have a look at this article https://www.diabetes.co.uk/double-diabetes.html Judging by your profile photo you don't fall into the most likely reason for it.

I find it concerning that you're effectively just being given a pill and told to go away rather than given the tools to manage your diabetes going forward. It's not my place to give you any medical advice but if it were me I'd want to know that all options had been considered and help given.

If you haven't done this before I'd really recommend you take someone you trust with you to appointments. It helps having someone with you to make notes and support you as it can be pretty overwhelming. Also prepare before appointments. Have a list of questions and make sure you get them answered.
 
There are three “tools” that work well to reduce insulin resistance - but they all take time and commitment to work.
  • Metformin
  • Reducing sugar and carb intake
  • Exercise, resistance training and HITT seem to work best.
You could very well have had issues with insulin resistant before being diagnosed with Type1, about 50% of people eating a standard UK/USA diet do.
 
I've been on Metformin for almost 15 years and insulin for 5 years. My BMI is 22. Have you cut down the carbs in your diet as insulin resistance could be due to having too many carbs?
 
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