Advice About Metformin and Amaryl

I have NIDDM Type 2. I was diagnosed many years ago. I just recently got interested in trying to get my sugars under control.
Three months ago I went to the doctor and my A1C was 9.3. My physician put me on Metformin 2000 mgs per day in divided doses.
The other day I went back and my A1C had dropped to 7.9. My physician tells me that they want it lower than that so he adds Amaryl 4 mgs.
Thursday I cut the Metformin back to 1000 mgs and took the Amaryl in 2 divided doses with meals (one in the am, and another in the afternoon).
I checked my FBG on Friday morning and it was still high.
I took 500 mgs of Metformin the morning and 2 mgs of the Amaryl with my morning meal as well.
Friday night I had 64 oz of 8.1% beer. The beer has a lot of carbs in it. I have also noticed that when I do drink my sugars are high.
This morning (Saturday), I got up, and was feeling drunk. I checked my sugar and it was 96. I was feeling hypoglycemic. I ate a glucose tab and went ahead to work. On the way I stopped and got a large bottle of Powerade and a Bottle of Grape Juice. I drank the Grape Juice very rapidly and on the way the Powerade.
I began feeling nauseous. When I got to work and checked my sugars they were 125.
This morning, I didnt get to eat breakfast until late, and so I chewed on Glucose tabs. I ate 2 and when I did get to eat I checked my sugars again and this time they were still in the 120-130 range.
Any advice about dosing, how I can keep from feeling like crap, what I can do to keep from going “low” this soon, as my body is not ready nor use to this, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

an A1c of 7.9 is not very good.

The carbs and the alcohol must of have evened each other out as the alcohol poisons your liver and diminishes the amount of glucose it can spew out. You were lucky if the alcohol would have won you would of had a really nasty low and if lucky a trip to ER.

Are powerade and grape juice normal super high sugar drinks?

No sure if cutting back on the metformin is a good idea as it may end up doing nothing if it is below the minimum effective theraputic dosage.

None of the readings you report are low and they are not very high either which contradicts your very high 7.9 % A1c

Thanks Anthony:
I know that the readings are not low, relatively speaking. You have to remember I have been “high” for many years. This morning though the FBG of 90’something was something my body was not used to. In addition eating that many carb tablets should have sent my sugars through the roof, but didnt. That is what I am fearful of; my sugars not being able to come back up due to the Amaryl.

Go to insulin it gives much better control than amaryl but i think you problem is much too high with 7.9% my brother’s feet rotted off with gangrene something to think about.

David,

Alcohol paralyzes your liver so it can’t correct a low.The metformin prescribing information also warns against drinking while taking metformin. I would advise that you stay away from it when taking Met and Amaryl. That’s a dangerous combo for many reasons.

Beyond that, Amaryl causes uncontrollable insulin secretion, regardless of what you eat and it will force you to eat carbs and cause weight gain. Worse, even when not causing lows it causes hunger.

Have you tried the approach described here: How to Lower Your Blood Sugar? . It works very well, and very safely for thousands of us, though If you try it, try it with only the metformin, not the Amaryl.

Thanks Jenny
I will look at the website.

Hi David -

If I were you, I would explore EVERY page at the web site Jenny gave you. Only by taking control of your own diabetes (versus giving control to docs) will you find your way…and personally, after taking and learning my lesson about Amaryl, I would never take another sulfonylurea (that class of drug). I would much rather go low-carb and take insulin. I am a T2 on Metformin (1000 x2) and Lantus (long-acting insulin). Please do yourself a favor and learn all you can.

Take care,
Cheri

I second what Cheri has said.

Also Jenny

one liver poison at a time either alcohol or metformin.

Have you still drank? I’m having a hard time with the no beer thing and met. Im drinking a few tall boys of light beer and im going to see how it goes. I was drinking every day for many many years, but decided to cut back now that i have been hitting 240 fasting. Many times i have hit 380. I tried to forget i had this diabetes but i have been all messed up and now im trying to work my way to getting right with my self but with my other issues such as stress and a spinal injury im not ready to just cut off the beer right now.

I am still drinking…I usually drink 1-2 40 oz Steel Reserves at night. The days I am off from work I usually get up about 6:30-7:30, watch some TV, and drink another one, take a nap, and then two more in the afternoon/night.
I havent really been checking my sugar’s, so I do not really know what they are doing.

Wow Steel Reserve too much for me and i admit im a drunk…lol, im an old e man, here in New York they are 7.5% and only come in 40’s i was drinking about 2 of them a night for 10 years but in the past 2 years it was that and 4 tall boys of whatever. Have you been feeling ■■■■■■ doing all this on the Metfomin? If you have the chance maybe check your sugar and let me know. Thanks…