What was your Hba1c when you were put on metformin?

chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
I was diagnosed in 2005 and got it under good control with diet (low carb) and lost most of my excess weight 120 lbs. My doctor told me I was no longer diabetic. WRONG!!!! Over the years I slipped back into old habits, stopped monitoring, and gained most of the weight back. Was reacquainted with the fact that I am diabetic 6 weeks ago with an A1c of 10.5% and put on metformin 500mg twice a day, and forxiga. Went right back to low carb and have stabilized between 5 and 7 and lost about 12 lbs. No matter how good your control gets do not let anyone tell you that you are "cured". Good luck
 

Badboydavey1

Well-Known Member
Messages
163
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Once a diabetic always a diabetic, there are some bad doctors out there that's why I put a complaint about mine (and I'm going all the way with it ) good luck


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Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Also metformin gets it under control and stops you having a hypo


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Metformin doesn't stop you having a hypo. It just doesn't cause hypos.

Anyone can hypo, even non-diabetics, they are just less likely to do so than diabetics who are on drugs like gliclazide and on insulin.
 

carina62

Well-Known Member
Messages
349
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
miserable weather, rude and bad mannered people
Mine was 56 and I currently take x2 Metformin tablets daily but I am on a mission to lose lots of weight, go low carb to lower my levels for my next review.
 

chipchop

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi, I am new to this site and would appreciate some comments and guidance. I was diagnosed type2 in April with a BG of 6.6 which had been monitored for a number of years and had been at this level for a year or two. I am concerned that I was immediately put on 2 x500mg of Metformin twice daily (2000mg in all) starting with one per week building up to four. I have been on the full dose for about 3 weeks now and feel constantly nauseous. I could tolerate that in the hope that it would pass but I now also feel generally unwell. I am wondering whether the high dose I have been put on is too high for my BG levels as I have since spoken to lots of people who have slightly higher BG levels than mine but have been controlling it by diet. I wasn't given the opportunity to control it this way, even though I told the Dr that I had been on a LCHF diet since February and had lost 1 stone (now 1.5 stone). Following diagnosis I had a 30 min appointment with a practice nurse who talked me through the dos and dont's but when I questioned the fact that I had been put straight onto metformin she indicated that she encouraged the GPs in the practice to prescribe this earlier to prevent complications in the future. I am really at a loss what to think. I have decided today to stop taking the metformin for the time being to see if the feeling of unwellness clears and then speak to the Dr accordingly. I will not have my bloods checked now until I see the nurse again in 6 months time. Should my BG be checked before this?
Like many others on this site, I was angry with my diagnosis and thought it very unfair as I have always eaten a healthy diet although perhaps too much of it! I have never had a sweet tooth so I can't even cut out sweets. I have friends who could happily live on sweets and chocolates without any problems with BG levels and yet when I asked why I had developed this I was told it was my lifestyle over the past 40 years! I did resent this as I have had a healthy life, take regular exercise and eat good quality food and drink only in moderation. I was a little overweight but that has been addressed now. Your comments would be very much appreciated, thank you.
 

Pickup123

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone. I'm a newby. I was diagnosed last year with T2 when my Hba1c was 53 and told to control it with diet. I felt fine, didn't really listen if I'm honest and didn't make any diet changes. (Idiot I know) Recently I've been feeling terrible, incredibly tired and bad headaches so I had my Hba1c done again on Wednesday and it's 57 now They have prescribed me metformin which I will be starting next week. I was just wondering what other people's Hba1c was when they were first out on meds xx
Thanks
Hi I been type 1 for ten year now and hba 1c has been badly high since day dot though I try but never seem to succeed it's still at 107 but regardless of me askin for help I still get nowhere so I think yours bein 57 is pretty good to mine bein 107
 

chalup

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,745
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Hi, I am new to this site and would appreciate some comments and guidance. I was diagnosed type2 in April with a BG of 6.6 which had been monitored for a number of years and had been at this level for a year or two. I am concerned that I was immediately put on 2 x500mg of Metformin twice daily (2000mg in all) starting with one per week building up to four. I have been on the full dose for about 3 weeks now and feel constantly nauseous. I could tolerate that in the hope that it would pass but I now also feel generally unwell. I am wondering whether the high dose I have been put on is too high for my BG levels as I have since spoken to lots of people who have slightly higher BG levels than mine but have been controlling it by diet. I wasn't given the opportunity to control it this way, even though I told the Dr that I had been on a LCHF diet since February and had lost 1 stone (now 1.5 stone). Following diagnosis I had a 30 min appointment with a practice nurse who talked me through the dos and dont's but when I questioned the fact that I had been put straight onto metformin she indicated that she encouraged the GPs in the practice to prescribe this earlier to prevent complications in the future. I am really at a loss what to think. I have decided today to stop taking the metformin for the time being to see if the feeling of unwellness clears and then speak to the Dr accordingly. I will not have my bloods checked now until I see the nurse again in 6 months time. Should my BG be checked before this?
Like many others on this site, I was angry with my diagnosis and thought it very unfair as I have always eaten a healthy diet although perhaps too much of it! I have never had a sweet tooth so I can't even cut out sweets. I have friends who could happily live on sweets and chocolates without any problems with BG levels and yet when I asked why I had developed this I was told it was my lifestyle over the past 40 years! I did resent this as I have had a healthy life, take regular exercise and eat good quality food and drink only in moderation. I was a little overweight but that has been addressed now. Your comments would be very much appreciated, thank you.


Hello and welcome.

I will start by saying that I am not a doctor and this is only my opinion. Metformin dosage does not have to be all or nothing, I would talk to my doctor about maybe going back to 1 pill per day and taking things a lot slower. In the end the decision on whether to take a med or not is yours. In the meantime you should be testing yourself at home if you are not already and that will tell you if the metformin is helping or not. As to you causing this, there is more and more evidence all the time that the underlying metabolic issues cause the weight gain and hunger and carb addiction which make the metabolic issues worse. Vicious circle that. You know you have lived a healthy life so don't let ignorance like that bother you. You already have the diet figured out so you are ahead of the game. Best wishes to you
 

chipchop

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello and welcome.

I will start by saying that I am not a doctor and this is only my opinion. Metformin dosage does not have to be all or nothing, I would talk to my doctor about maybe going back to 1 pill per day and taking things a lot slower. In the end the decision on whether to take a med or not is yours. In the meantime you should be testing yourself at home if you are not already and that will tell you if the metformin is helping or not. As to you causing this, there is more and more evidence all the time that the underlying metabolic issues cause the weight gain and hunger and carb addiction which make the metabolic issues worse. Vicious circle that. You know you have lived a healthy life so don't let ignorance like that bother you. You already have the diet figured out so you are ahead of the game. Best wishes to you
Thank you so much for your encouraging comments. One thing though, I was refused the testing kit as people 'tend to become obsessed with testing'. So I'm unable to gauge when I'm eating the right and wrong foods for me. Maybe I should push for it?
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thank you so much for your encouraging comments. One thing though, I was refused the testing kit as people 'tend to become obsessed with testing'. So I'm unable to gauge when I'm eating the right and wrong foods for me. Maybe I should push for it?

We T2s usually end up buying our own.
The real reason they don't supply them for us is the cost, and the fact that a lot of people are not motivated to make dietary changes based on the info they get from testing.

Personally, I find that having paid for the d$mn test kit and strips, I am even more motivated to act on the testing data. :D

I use the SD Codefree ( avail Amazon, eBay and the manufacturers, HomeHealth) at a cost of £7 for 50 test strips.
Worth its weight in gold, IMHO
 

chipchop

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello ChipChop - welcome to the confusing world of diabetes. There are so many do's don'ts and opinions out there that it takes time to work out how to live your life practically and safely. I read a lot of what is posted on these forums, taking some points / advice as useful and others as not useful / unpractical. I like many people had problems with Metformin at the start (dicky tummy etc), but by changing to slow release have now sorted out a routine - but everyone is different. It took me a while to get used to a diet that suits me (1250 calories per day, low carbs). It took me a while to learn the benefits of exercise, but through the GP / Nurse got on a Neighbourhood Health Course - attend the Gym twice a week and exercise at home on the other days using my exercise bike - weight loss 3 stone, but stalled at the moment, so looking at ways to re-adjust. As for testing - my GP said it was unnecessary to test while on Metformin, so I don't. Apart from my HbA1c I have only been tested twice, both times when feeling unwell and test done by nurse. I have the reassurance that if I am feeling unwell I can ask the nurse to check me or advise me.
You are only just starting on what will be a long journey. Many people out there going through exactly the same thing.
Take Care..............
Thank you.
 

LisaHug

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
You can't put this on your shoulders anymore than someone else with any other life changing condition could. Acceptance is a great start and a terrific incentive and the support? Well, you'll always get that here. I wish you well
Hi Mike, I'm back again, feeling much more positive. In the 12 weeks since diagnosis I have lost 2 stone and gone from 64 to 43 in my Hb1Ac tests. Yes, I'm still taking the medicine but my doctor and diabetic nurse are really amazed. Really aiming to be off the meds soon.
 

TimLaws

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hmm a confusing picture isn't it? I was initially going for dietary changes to come off all Meds.
I am on 1000mgs Metformin, 7-5 mg Ramipril & 20mg Pravastatin although my Blood Pressure & Cholesterol levels were OK for a non diabetic, they need to be lower once diagnosed as diabetic, to prevent micro, renal and cardiovascular problems. However even if we are diet controlled the fact is being diabetic means that we are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, and the outcome following cardiovascular events is worse. Metformin appears to limit cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes. Some studies have demonstrated that metformin limits (myocardial) ischemia and reperfusion injury, independent from its glucose-lowering effect. So all the bog standard advice is still good ie Stop smoking, lose weight, take exercise, eat more healthily( The LCHF program is a great resource and a good start.
I am now coming to the conclusion that I will stay with the 3 agents above but I am still researching the side effect profiles of the various agents I am on, before making a judgement call. Moan at your Gp re self testing, it might work, if it does not then it is well worth the money , as you can work out what foods are really a no go area for you
Current Numbers May 2016
HbA1c - 37 mmol/mol IFCC standardised, BMI 28,Serum LDL Cholesterol level 1.9 mol/l
Exercise 3 times per week for an hour High Intensity, 7 days per week 60 mins Cardio/Fat Burning level, Diet - Low/No Carb and Higher Fat (though I may change to Low fat soon)
Hope this helps in some way, it took me ages to take control of my diabetes & future and not blame myself for the past etc
 
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Osidge

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,272
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Bullies.
I was diagnosed with an FBG of 12.00 19 years ago and have been on metformin ever since. This link may be helpful in understanding what metformin does: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/insulin/diabetes-and-metformin.html

There is research evidence of a cardiac benefit in taking metformin and of emerging cancer protective properties.

Regards

Doug
 
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi everyone. I'm a newby. I was diagnosed last year with T2 when my Hba1c was 53 and told to control it with diet. I felt fine, didn't really listen if I'm honest and didn't make any diet changes. (Idiot I know) Recently I've been feeling terrible, incredibly tired and bad headaches so I had my Hba1c done again on Wednesday and it's 57 now They have prescribed me metformin which I will be starting next week. I was just wondering what other people's Hba1c was when they were first out on meds xx
Thanks
Hi . My Hba1c was 61 which I thought was fine ( about 7.6 ) but now they are saying it should be about 48