Hello- I was diagnosed in May, and have since lost 32+ lbs. I have changed my diet, more low carb-and I have been running, and taking pilates. I have not (knock on wood) had any issues with Metformin, and have had great results. My Doc is wanting me to cut it back now to one tablet a day instead of two. Eventually possible coming off of it completely. She believes that I can treat it with diet and exercise. I am terrified. My perspective has changed tremendously since first being diagnosed. At first I was devastated and could not believe that I had to take the medication. Now months later....I feel so much better, more like my old self, and do not want to back track.
Looking for those that have stopped taking Metformin, and what to expect....Ugh
Congrats on the weight loss and exercise plan. If you are at your desired weight now, why not cut back like the doc wants you to do? Metformin is an older med for type 2's. Very common and generic treatment for overweight people. I suggest monitoring your fingersticks for a few weeks. You might be able to stop using it and that would be great! In my situation I eventually used two different meds. That worked for a long time and eventually switched to insulin. I guess you have to decide the old question: what is the benefit of Metformin vs the risks? As I said, if you are at your ideal weight now, why use Metformin? Have a good holiday season!
I take umbrage with this mis in formation. Metformin is the ONLY drug keeping liver excess glucose release under control.
Old medicine or not, reserach work of Salk Institute and John Hopkins institue , Pitt and others clearly show ADA, Docs and others sleeping on the job. Get the 21st century witch doctors out of the loop.
Meformin is very powerfull and helpfull.
I wouldn't stop that drug. Avandia, actos will rot out your liver - stop - you bet.
If your A1c is actually 5.2%, it would seem entirely reasonable to see if you can maintain good control with just diet and exercise. I've used metformin since 2005. It is perhaps the safest and most effective medication out there. You can try as your doctor suggests and see what happens, if you can keep a very low A1c and maintain weight, then that is great. And while some might suggest that metformin has risks and side effects, it doesn't sound like you are having gastric issues (the most common side effect). There is a reason to think about going it alone. All medications wear off over time to a certain degree, and they lose effectiveness. It would be good to "save' metformin treatment for later should you need it.
During my long tenure with metformin, I stopped it and restarted it several times. In my case, metformin had only a "marginal" effect on my A1c (maybe a few 0.1%). And I didn't gain or lose weight. But everyone is different.
For piece of mind you may want to buy a Home A1C kit and test every couple of months test to see how you are doing. I would also keep a close eye on your morning readings for the dawn effect. You don't want your numbers drifting up.
The other danger is then thinking you can eat a bad carb here and there but all you will be doing is stressing your pancreas which you dont want to do.
Things do over time change so set a realistic expectation that you may have to go back on medication in the future.
whether metformin does enough depends upon some serious factors.
I have personnally seen them and and as reported by John Hopkins research that shows dose size is critical.
In the smaller doses one only see's the effects that are helpful and small and reported here.
In larger and correct doses that cut off liver nonsense, my experience has shown serious drops reliably from 13.3 t0 6.9 a1c has been instrumental stopping the rot in my body.
John Hopkins reserach suggests that not all folks can benefit from this but they have been able to identify tests to see who can and how big the dose.
Timing is also critical as taken at 10:00 pm and 12:00am can shut down the dawn effect from 12:30 am to 5:30 am.
This capability depends upon met up to strength in blood stream and does not work on single large doses nor on residuals from single large doses but the continuous up to strength in blood system. When that met level in blood drops, liver goes back to larding up the blood stream.
For days, and a year now on cgms, I have watched this effect as met pills come up to strength and as they leave. 2.5 hours up to full strength in blood; 2 hours at strength and 1/2 hour departing on standard met.
Why this data and info is stored in a wharehouse receiving little attention like an Indiana Jones Recovered relic nailed in a wooden box stored high in some hidden government wharehouse truly eludes me.while type 2 folks rot out to the graveyard.
Just a FYI, a home A1c kit such as the Bayer is not accurate enough to be of any use. Although the box says "Lab Accurate," that is a complete lie.
Out of curiosity, I tested my A1c with the Bayer kit after my doctor's lab indicated 6.0% & the Bayer kit said 6.8%. I contacted Bayer they told me "An error rate of up to .9% is acceptable." Yeah....acceptable when they're trying to sell a bunch of home kits.
I have got my HbA1c down to 5.3 and I am still on 2550 mg of metformin. How are your daily numbers? If they are usually under 100 most of the day then go for the medication reduction. I have tried going off Metformin and my liver dumps increased a lot. I tolerate metformin very well and don't see any down side to it like other meds.
