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Type 2 Unsure about advice from GP

J

Juliemeikle

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7
I went to discuss my metformin dose with my GP as I am experiencing uncomfortable stomach/gut pains from time to time. I was diagnosed with T2 about 16 months ago. I tried ordinary metformin and then put on slow release just over a year ago. Stomach problems reduced but have never gone.

My last 2 Hbc1a results were 53 and 54..... reduced from 68 on diagnosis. I lost 3/4 stone but put half of that back on. I find a lower carb diet hard work as I am in hotels several nights a week as well as finding it hard anyway.

The GP told me to stop the metformin and try without. I am rather worried about this, but I have not taken any for 3 days. My Levels are rather high 2 hours after eating ....10.8 after a cheese scone (I know that is not ideal) today.

Any advice appreciated
 
Metformin does not actually reduce sugars in the blood from food. It acts to block liver dumps and increase insulin sensitivity, in some cases it can also reduce appetite.
 
Hi @Juliemeikle and welcome

As @Diakat says metformin doesn’t directly reduce blood sugar levels so it’s more likely that it’s what you’re eating causing the spikes than your recent lack of metformin.

It can be difficult finding things you want to eat when away from home, but the restaurants in most hotels (and indeed most restaurants) will happily make exchanges on the menu so you can switch higher carb elements of a meal for something more suitable.

Perhaps check menus online in advance so you can plan what you’re going to ask for?
 
I found several ways to avoid eating extra carbs while travelling.
I switched to a breakfast of bacon, mushrooms and half a tomato with coffee (as I like my coffee milky I bought some tiny cartons of cream and also have dried coconut milk if needed). If you eat eggs then ask for fried or poached.
I pick up the tubs of hardboiled eggs on spinach that several shops sell for lunch, plus small cheese portions. Then ask for extra green vegs or salad at dinner instead of rice/potato.
I take a few squares of 85% chocolate.

I make eggy muffins for the trip out, and nut butter balls to store and eat on the way back. Sometimes I make kale 'crisps' too.

Eating at events that provide buffet food - most do try to be helped but if they cannot provide a special diet for me then I just open up the sandwiches and eat the contents. I've even scraped the meat and cheese off a slice of pizza and dumped the base while smiling sweetly and saying sorry but I can't eat carbs for health reasons and they forgot to provide any food for me.
I found this embarrassing at first, but then got offended that they don't provide for my health condition and do it with panache. I even had a couple of people follow suit and open up sandwiches to dump extra calories!
 
Great ideas Tricia. I am vegetarian and the food (usually buffets for large groups) is dire. My concerns are about dropping the medication as it protects the body, I understand. The GP seemed clueless.
 
Not sure about the metformin? I went to a different pharmacist and the metformin stunk like dead bodies, I discovered there are different companies that make metformin. Went back to the original pharmacist. So maybe it's the drug company? Some drug companies use better/more pure ingredients. IMHO stay with the low carb, meats and veggies, unless there is another medical reason not to. I believe sugars and carbs may have an addiction factor to them, so you're struggling with that too most likely along with habits. I'm betting sticking with low carb eating will keep your glucose levels get better . Check out Dr.Eric Berg and others like him on YouTube, they are very informative.
 
It’s harder at buffets as a veggie. Do you have to eat them or could you bring a packed lunch?
 
The statement about the action of Metformin which I am forbidden to make on this forum has already been made by someone else, so I will not repeat it. I would endorse the opinion that the high reading was down to your eating something rather high in carbohydrate, rather than the cessation of the tablets.
Controlling type two by diet alone is rather more problematic for a vegetarian, and so I'd advise trying to source food yourself and taking it along with you whenever possible.
I have eaten the garnish and contents of sandwiches when tempted, and tasted the 'sausage' part of sausage rolls - that was a waste of time, spooned out the contents of pies once in a while - but 'ordinary' food is usually so boring now that I am used to the full range of low carb foods.
 
WAGR57 said:
Not sure about the metformin? I went to a different pharmacist and the metformin stunk like dead bodies, I discovered there are different companies that make metformin. Went back to the original pharmacist. So maybe it's the drug company? Some drug companies use better/more pure ingredients. IMHO stay with the low carb, meats and veggies, unless there is another medical reason not to. I believe sugars and carbs may have an addiction factor to them, so you're struggling with that too most likely along with habits. I'm betting sticking with low carb eating will keep your glucose levels get better . Check out Dr.Eric Berg and others like him on YouTube, they are very informative.
Click to expand...

I eat very little sugar as I have never had a sweet tooth, but carbs.... ah well that is the problem!
 
TriciaWs said:
I found several ways to avoid eating extra carbs while travelling.
I switched to a breakfast of bacon, mushrooms and half a tomato with coffee (as I like my coffee milky I bought some tiny cartons of cream and also have dried coconut milk if needed). If you eat eggs then ask for fried or poached.
I pick up the tubs of hardboiled eggs on spinach that several shops sell for lunch, plus small cheese portions. Then ask for extra green vegs or salad at dinner instead of rice/potato.
I take a few squares of 85% chocolate.

I make eggy muffins for the trip out, and nut butter balls to store and eat on the way back. Sometimes I make kale 'crisps' too.

Eating at events that provide buffet food - most do try to be helped but if they cannot provide a special diet for me then I just open up the sandwiches and eat the contents. I've even scraped the meat and cheese off a slice of pizza and dumped the base while smiling sweetly and saying sorry but I can't eat carbs for health reasons and they forgot to provide any food for me.
I found this embarrassing at first, but then got offended that they don't provide for my health condition and do it with panache. I even had a couple of people follow suit and open up sandwiches to dump extra calories!
Click to expand...

Breakfast is the easiest as I usually have mushrooms, eggs and coffee
 
Ok let’s work on this then. Can you have mushrooms/tomatoes/egg/yoghurt for breakfast?
Do the best possible at lunch - vegetables, fillings, salad bits? Could you cope with skipping lunch?
Dinner, you’d have to pick the best option you could off the menu, do you have example menus?
 
My standby is the crustless quiche, I keep it in a flat sandwich box.Olives, humus,halloumi fries, avocado, chopped salad of cucumber, tomatoes,peppers and onion, in some dressing which keeps about three days.
I am a snacker so I always keep, nut and seed bars in my bag, and sometimes use them for breakfast, because they are lower carb if there is no cooked breakfast..https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nine-Pumpk...78&hvtargid=pla-565848536628&psc=1&th=1&psc=1 Tesco and Aldi do fairly low carb ones.
 
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