Usage and effects of Metaformin tablet

[biren1973]

Hi

I am a type 2 diabetes, diagnosed 3 months back and hence on one Metaformin tablet for once a day. I take metaformin in the night after food. As my medicine was finished in past 4 days, I m not taking them for past 4 days.

Surprisingly my bg doesn't increase much except one night where I had dinner at restaurant. But otherwise it's usually stays around 6.5 , 2 hours after food.

But today I checked my bg 3 hours after food and it was 5. So I m just wondering if metaformin has ever worked for me? Any suggestions?

Regards

 

[Guzzler]

Metformin has only a slight effect on blood glucose levels. It is prescribed as a mild appetite suppressant, to lower risk to the organs and to lower the impact of liver dumps. Hope this helps.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

It seems to have different effects on different people. Some might say that it doesn't have any effect until you take 2gms a day (probably 2 x 500mg, twice a day). In the early days after my diagnosis that was very effective in controlling my BG but I think I can safely say that following the old carb advice 20 years ago meant that I eventually had to have other meds.

For me the worst was Rosiglitazone, no longer available in the UK, because it badly affects liver function. As mentioned in another thread, Metformin has an accumulative affect and you may notice a deterioration of BG over a period of time if you stop all together. Perhaps lowering your carbs has had the desired effect and so long as you keep to low carb you might safely be able to forget about Metformin. There's no hard and fast rule, you have to try it and see. Our personal experiences are all very different.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Metformin normally only has a small effect on blood sugar. It is commonly prescribed but GPs appear to assume it has more effect on blood sugar than it actually does have. It does, however, reduce appetite, liver's glucose output and I understand insulin resistance - all just a bit so worth taking anyway. I take it with my insulin and it reduces my 24 hr insulin needs by just one unit in 15 but I look for the other benefits.

 

[Pinkorchid]

I only take one 500g SR Metformin tablet a day any more than that and my appetite completely disappears. My doctor says even a very low dose is better than none at all

 

[Ajax]

My HbA1c ✻marker✻ seems to me to be a function of Metformin ..and my diet and exercise routines too.

It is a ✻triangle✻ that works for me.

I don't understand diabetes mechanisms, though.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

Metformin has a very small effect on blood sugar levels. A low carb diet has a much bigger effect. My blood sugars have continued to come down as I reduced metformin from twice to once a day and from once to none a day. Metformin did have some negative side effects for me including neuropathy with pins and needles in my hands and memory loss.

 

[Redrav]

You seem to have your bs under control. Well done. I suggest you try to get off medication. Start exercising more and follow the low carb high fat diet. It's working for me! I am totally off medication.