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When to stop Metformin

M

MikeZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
132
Location
Southern Oregon USA
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I was diagnosed Type 2 in Feb. 2015 and put on 500mg Metformin twice a day. Since then I have lost 30 lbs and gone very low carb on my diet. I had an A1C test this week and the result was 6%, (down from 9.5% in early March). I have not noticed any side effects from the MetFormin and I don't really mind taking it if it is helping me, but I can't help but wonder if my diet and exercise regime isn't the real reason for my success and I can safely quit the meds. Any thoughts?


For the record...I realize that it has not been the full 3 months that I should have waited before having another blood test, (and I believe that the result would have been even better had I waited another few weeks), but I needed to get a clearance for my work so we had to jump the gun a little.
 
Hi i was diagnosed in April this year was given 500mg metformin , i took one in the morning and one in the evening. I took these for one week and then took two tablets twice a day.

But i am doing the Newcastle diet and have not been taking any medications.

my reading this morning was 4.8 and on day 6 of the diet
 
Mike, its a very safe drug and its action in limiting glucose dumping by the liver will always be useful to you. If it were me, I wouldn't stop.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MikeZ said:
I can't help but wonder if my diet and exercise regime isn't the real reason for my success and I can safely quit the meds. Any thoughts?
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It could well be .... depends on your HbA1c results and the advice of your GP. I dropped them 5 months ago and do not need them anymore. BTW, that is exactly what I did. Hard exercise and diet.

Might be different for you but if you gain good control thru that exercise and diet, then my opinion is "no". Get rid of them but ONLY on appropriate advice. I never thought they were of any value in the first place and my numbers are still great. My creed is simple .... do what you can to get rid of the pill and let your body do the rest of the work .... but again, that is just me
 
The HbA1c will give you a lovely average for the last 8 - 2 weeks, but it will not highlight any spikes. If you can have a meal and your BG is "normal" after 1 or 2 hours then that's a good sign. Consulting GP would be a good idea, not exactly for permission, but to at least let him/her know that you have made great strives in not only reducing weight, but changing diet and exercise to help that healthier situation continue.
 
Hi Mike, my understanding of the hba1c test is that it gives an average over approx the last 60 days so you haven`t really jumped the gun.I would tend to side with others who have said don`t ditch the meds without medical consultation.
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I guess I'm more curious than anything else. What would my numbers be without the drug? On the other hand, I don't want to mess with success. I'm due back at the GP in 3 months. I guess I'll bring it up then. I have another 20 lbs. to lose anyway.
 
Metformin never has that much effect on blood sugar. With my latest HBa1C going down to 6% I suggested to my DN that I stop my full dose Met. She was reluctant as she said it has various protective mechanisms for the heart etc. More to keep her happy than anything else I have carried on with them knowing that as far as diabetes is concerned for me they are almost irrelevant and cost the NHS money.
 
Daibell said:
Metformin never has that much effect on blood sugar.
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It was the only diabetic medication that I use to take, so it was having an effect on my BG, I stress my because the same drug has different effects on different people some have no effect on 40% of the people who are prescribed the drug.
 
graj0 said:
It was the only diabetic medication that I use to take, so it was having an effect on my BG, I stress my because the same drug has different effects on different people some have no effect on 40% of the people who are prescribed the drug.
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Yes, you are right. It is of greatest use if you have excess weight and are insulin resistant. Some, like myself, have always been slim and hence this drug has minimal effect other than reducing the liver's glucose output a bit.
 
Daibell said:
Yes, you are right. It is of greatest use if you have excess weight and are insulin resistant. Some, like myself, have always been slim and hence this drug has minimal effect other than reducing the liver's glucose output a bit.
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Like you I take 2000 mg, I did read on another forum that the dosage can make a difference, almost as if it "kicks in" at a certain point, so 1500 mg might do nothing and 2000 mg then has the desired effect. Only anecdotal though.
 
I was taken off metformin for a month when they found I was anaemic ....after a month and more blood tests they found was not the metformin causing the anaemia and put me back on it so they must think taking the drug helps ....
 
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