Why is GP considering increasing Metformin for me?

[Berbatov]

Hello all,

I was diagnosed as t2 in July 08 at 30 years old, first hba1c came back as 11.6 and the cholesterol at 6

Was put on metformin 500mg 2 a day, and aspirin. I also decided to take ayurvedic herbal supplements inc neem, guggul and shilajit, and fish oils and garlic caps every day. Stopped the simvastatins after about 2 weeks as they made me even more sleepless than I am already, then very angry the next day. Kept eye on BG through home testing. (Beofre July 08, my diet was awful. especially 3 months leading upto diagnosis - upto 4 litres of coca cola a day, circle of feeling thirsty all the time, and drinking coca cola to try and quench the thirst).

So diet wise, no coca cola, only diet variety, but even not had that for the last 3 weeks, just waters about 3l a day, and am feeling benefits of it already, mainly skin looks healthier.

My 2nd hba1c came back on 05/11/2008 as 6.6 and cholesterol at 5.6. I had predicted using my home testing predicted between 7 & 8 allowing for the 20% +/- accuracy most machines have. The GP was not sounding so pleased and advised I will be going to 3 metformin a day, and told me try pravastatin, but not sure I going to take them - too many horror stories about statins.

I thought going from 11.6 to 6.6 was great, and of course it will be harder to reduce it still, but would this not suggest medication and diet is working?

 

[IanD]

That is excellent progress. I would stay on 2 a day. I reduced 3-2 when I got better results with low carb diet.

 

[tubolard]

Congratulations on the reduction in your HbA1c, it does show that your diet and exercise regime is working. Your doc should have made you aware that you have made a significant achievement. On the other hand, it is also good to see that your GP is encouraging (perhaps the wrong word) you to go aim higher.

I would perhaps sit down with your GP and argue that as the diabetes NSF suggests a personalised care plan, that perhaps you stay on your current regime until your next blood test and see whether the progress continues.

Regards, Tubs.

 

[Trinkwasser]

You've done VERY well so far, and he should have told you that!

For some people metformin doesn't start to work until it's ramped up to 1500mg and some need the full dose of around 2500mg.

Do you have your lipid numbers?

It's possible your doctor looked at the ratio of triglycerides to HDL which is indicative of insulin resistance - this is principally what metformin works on.

The other attack on IR is exercise - both growing and using muscle will help, and this also works better in the presence of therapeutic levels of metformin.

If it doesn't give you the squits I'd try the increased dose, when your BG is even better controlled you could reduce it again or even drop it.

The guggul garlic and especially fish oils should be helping improve your lipids. Statins are a bit controversial, they work well for the majority of people although probably more get side effects than many doctors are prepared to admit, on the other hand they work principally against LDL whereas the trigs and HDL are the danger factors and more amenable to change by diet, reducing carbs and hence BG will reduce the trigs which will increase HDL against LDL.

Here's what I did

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

OK I'm still taking simvastatin but my lipids are now better than many normies <G>

 

[totsy]

I think congrats are in order as you have done so well with your numbers

 

[Berbatov]

Thanks so much for the encouragement, but I think being diagnosed gave me a good kick up the butt to understand my body can not take any more unhealthy living.

I did not mention in the starting post that I smoke cannabis 3-4 times daily, after eating meals, and I personally think it helps to lower blood sugar and BP, hence people get the munchies after a snoke; but smoking ciggarette with the cannabis is so harmful, so maybe it cancels itself out as a help, unless you going to eat and not smoke it.

Thanks again, there is such great info on these forums, that makes sense - i.e. low carb diet is what you want, not high carb, but also the right carbs.

 

[Trinkwasser]

I did not mention in the starting post that I smoke cannabis 3-4 times daily, after eating meals, and I personally think it helps to lower blood sugar and BP, hence people get the munchies after a snoke; but smoking ciggarette with the cannabis is so harmful, so maybe it cancels itself out as a help, unless you going to eat and not smoke it.

Anandamide is the body's internal substance whose receptors cannabis acts upon. It has relatively recently been discovered and is implicated in appetite control among others. Who knew why smoking pot gave you the munchies?

 

[Jem]

Congratulations in the huge reduction on hba1c ...

as to metfartin, I was prescribed 3 x 500 and only take 2 x 500 daily - I just don't tell my doctor

 

[Berbatov]

Thanks v much Jem and all other responders.

Thats what I'm doing with the statins, taking the script but not the meds, I have also decided to drop to one metformin a day for a week or two, and closely monitor my BG at home. I am just so sure that cutting the astronomical sugar intake before dx has helped with the dramatic fall in a1c.


Cheers