I feel I probably need to give a bit a background on the question for it to make sense. Please bear with me. I'll try to keep it short.
I was diagnosed with diabetes last March when I was in the hospital for a week with DKA. I have a pretty strong fear when it comes to needles so it was a mess.. I guess it's still a mess. They didn't know which diabetes I had so they just had me on metformin. My numbers were going really high even though I was working out and cutting my carbs. It took 6 months and me going to an endo to figure out that I had type 1. So then I started taking Lantus. He said I was in the honeymoon phase so I would probably respond well to little amounts of insulin. I started humalog 3 months ago and just got my next boost in units with both a few weeks ago.
My question comes from the metformin I'm still taking. At first my endo said I might have a case of both and there is no harm and seeing what happens if we stop the metformin. My numbers stayed the same for the entire time (a week or so).So he said he is confident that I am only a insulin dependent case. But, he recommended that I stay on the metformin... He said that there has been some pretty strong studies coming out involving metformin and the prevention of cancer. I'm fine taking it. I don't have much in the line of side effects. Unfortunately, my husband and I lost our insurance and had to stop seeing him. We just went to a free clinic a few weeks ago to get my insulin balanced and the nurse said I need to stop taking the metformin immediately and that it's dangerous. I've looked up a few things on the FDA website and the research papers I could find on the topic and I really can't tell what's best. I hoping to get on the Oregon Health Plan so I can go to another endo (we just moved) but I'm still not sure who I should listen to.
Has anyone else heard this from their endo? Any advice? Are there any other type 1's taking metformin now? It seems strange to take it if I don't need it but I definitely don't want cancer. wow, really not short.. Sorry about that.
Thanks guys!
I'm a T1 whose GP suggested it 11 years ago, but my endo who is also a T1, like me, said NO keep it simple, and only use two types of insulin. And since then I did a LOT of research into it for another person in 2008, classed as a T2, and I decided I was VERY GLAD I never touched it, so I agree with the nurse. It causes more problems than just tummy upset, and it only inhibits the action of the metformin, but not it's production so the body keeps producing metformin in ever higher quantities than even controls in an experiment I read. So I figure that is likely why the people on metformin are extra low on B12 and more susceptible to fatigue and depression and no one needs that. So if you either avoid red meat or drink alcohol you would be in trouble as those also cause a depletion of B vitamins in the body. So some doctors say ok take extra B12 and then do harm by prescribing the synthetic type of B12 as that is all one mostly finds in a pharmacy unless you go to a compounding pharmacy. The nurse didn't go into detail about all the troubles as it does take a lot of explaining as there is a lot of research to understand. Some people who have failed to follow certain guidelines before surgery have died. I've forgotten the exact details to explain it as it was almost 4 years ago that I did the research. I am certain you can get the same results of inhibiting the release of glycogen stores from the liver just by taking overlapping doses of long term insulin like I do, in very small amounts. That also makes weight gain less likely.
I think your asking are there any T1s taking metformin is a very good question. I will want to see how many reply yes. I am very glad I never took it and I would advise people to eat a low carb diet and mess as little as possible with the way the body works and instead add in supplements on top of a wise and healthful diet with lots of walking at a minimum.
That's interesting. Thanks for the post. It did seem pointless to take something that is doing nothing for me except for the cancer thing (that may not really exist). ╯.╰ it's a lot of new things to take in. Thanks a lot for your help again.
Welcome to Oregon. Go online and get the lottery form for OHP. Unless you are already on disability there is a waiting list. You register for the lottery and when they have funds they draw a few names. You could get drawn right away or it could take a few years.
I actually just found out I was pregnant last night.. I think we are going to automatically qualify for the expedited OHP which will be very nice considering we don't have any kind of coverage. Thank you very much though Whirlygig. I didn't even know about this until the doctor in the emergency room told me.
