I am currently taking 500 mgs of metformin in the evenings. Eating the way the RD told me to in class has not brought my blood sugar down…it was way too high. Up to 205. I could see some of those being stress numbers though. Also I have been recovering from surgery…so kind of hard to be a new diabetic while in pain. (from what I hear)
Anyway…I have been eating low carb to try to bring my numbers down. Yesterday I ate about 40 carbs total, with a very low carb dinner. I had a grilled pork chop, sauteed mushrooms, and almost a half glass dry white wine.
My fasting blood sugar this morning was 156, then I had an Atkins shake with 4 total carbs, and my blood sugar at 2 hours was 140. Sheesh.
Do you think I need more med? Do I wait until my next class, or do I make an appointment with my Dr?
Do I need an endocrinologist? I haven’t seen my doctor since my diagnosis, they just called and said, “you’re type 2D, we’ve called in a scrip for you.”
My RD tells me to eat a minimum of 100 carbs aday, but I think if I do that I’ll just gain weight!
What do you all suggest?
When I was first diagnosed, I started out on one Metformin a day and then went to two and then four. I think they usually like to increase it slow because of the stomach distress it causes. It seems like just when you get used to it, they increase it.
Also, I don’t know what kind of surgery you had or if you are able to exercise but as soon as you are able, try to get some walking in. It doesn’t have to be fast paced, just walk for half an hour.
I’m not a Doctor but you may also need a little slow acting insulin, such as Lantus. I don’t think it would hurt to ask you Doctor.
Does your Doctor specialize in Diabetes treatment? You might want to think about getting one who does.
Get on Jenny Ruhl’s website. Blood Sugar 101: What they don’t tell you about diabetes. You can also email her and ask her lots of questions. She is amazing! She is the first person that really gave me good answers to my questions that I could understand. She also introduced me to this site. You will also find other really educated people with great advice on here. You’ve come to the right place.
Good luck and I hope this helps.
Takes a bit for the Metformin to start working & doctors prefer to raise the dose slowly. They are other oral meds to try also & combos of meds.
Don’t wait for your next class. You’ll just hear “be patient” & eat more carbs:)
Illness & surgery play havoc with BG.
Make an appt with your doctor & get a referral to an endo. PCPs see a lot of Type 2s & many are well informed re treatment options (which they mostly learn about through their pharm reps), but a specialist is better.
RDs push ADA guidelines that are too high carb for most to control BG. Good for you for eating less!
You are newly diagnosed, and it isn’t uncommon for it to take a bit of time to get the right balance of medication, exercise and diet. Meet with your Dr or CDE and take a log book of your meals eaten and the bgl tests you take 2 hours after eating etc. Work over time with your diabetes team to get the right balance. It might mean more meds. It might mean a change in diet. Or more exercise, or a combination.
Contrary to popular belief, eating carbs does not cause weight gain. Weight gain is caused by too many calories. I eat 200 or more carbs per day and still lose weight (am insulin dependant as well). It took me well over a year to figure out the right balance of food, insulin and exercise.
I think you need to give the Metformin a little more time to work. And, just my opinion, I would talk to the doctor about increasing your dosage to at least two 500 mg per day, one in the morning, one at night. I was just diagnosed in April and my doctor started me out on two per day, and now I’m up to three per day. I agree with what you said about the 100 carbs a day, if I ate that much, I would probably gain weight. I’ve lost 32 pounds since April, and I try to stay around 75-80 carbs per day. The Nutritionist I saw told me to eat 45-60 carbs per meal and two 15 carb snacks per day. I totally disagree with that. I know my body better than anybody, and I know I can’t eat that many carbs and maintain control of my bg’s as well as lose weight. One thing you will realize as you learn more about Diabetes is that we are all different. Some can tolerate more carbs, some must have less. Listen to your doctor and your Dietician, but test a lot until you learn what works for you. Good luck!
It doesnt help that I am only 5’ tall! I asked my dietician if she was taking my size into account and she said…it’s the same for everyone. Which obviously it’s not the same for everyone. My metabolism seems to have completely stopped. In the last 2 years my metabolism has slowed to almost non existant. It’s as if I dont need food at all anymore.
Ray, I quit smoking after that picture was made. I’ve gained weight since. I do need to lose some. That was a good weight in that picture, not trying to mislead anyone, it was just a pic I had that I could easily upload.
I don’t feel that 80-100 carbs a day is too much.
Maybe pick up the exercise a little. Ok maybe
60-75 carbs a day.
Please look into taking 500 mg in the morning and
500 mg 12 hours later. Take Metformin with food.
I rather you take the ER type (Extended Release).
You look at a good weight on your homepage photo,
even your Hair looks very healthy.
I was just diagnosed (type 2) at the end of July this year. My fasting glucose was 268! The A1c test results were 10.5%!! I was started on Metformin 500 mg 2X per day - with breakfast, then dinner. It has taken a few weeks, but my bg numbers are all good, with the exception of morning which are a bit high, but not dangerously so. Even so, I am now taking 850 mg of metformin 2X per day.
Everyone here is absolutely right - each person is so different. I test my blood anywhere from 5 to 7 times a day. I am still experimenting with what I can eat and what I can’t. Oatmeal and oatbran make my sugars high, for example, but I can eat some fruit. I don’t count carbs, I just make sure I measure everything and stick to the recommended portion of all the food groups but vegetable - those I allow myself to have more than one helping of.
I see my Dr. every two weeks at this time - just until we are both comfortable with the progress I’m making. According to the RD I’ve been to, target ranges for blood sugar for people with diabetes are different than for those without it. If your glucose is 140 two hours after a meal that is very good! I was told it should be less than 180 after meals, and 130 or less fasting. The RD I saw told me to have a 1/2 cup of skim milk just before bed to control those overnight high readings and boy, it has helped. My numbers are still fluctuating, but they have really come down since I started drinking the milk before bed.
See your Dr as often as you feel you need to - also, you should always be able to call the RD with any questions you may have. This website is wonderful - I’ve learned a ton here, but have been too shy to post before now.
Best wishes for every success in managing your bg!
BG level surges and fluctuations are indeed sometimes frustrating. You are newly diagnosed and there is so much to learn and experience. When I was first diagnosed I was initially on 2 mg of Glimiperide and 500 mg of Metformin once daily. My initial BG readings were also erratic and unpredictable. A series of consultation with my doctor and nutritionist helped a lot. For the first 8 to 12 months from diagnosis, I kept a log/journal of whatever I eat and whatever physical activities or exercise I do with corresponding BG readings one hour then 2 hours after. Literraly…if I eat fruit…I take BG one hour then 2 hours after…I do 15 minutes treadmill then take BG 1 hour then 2 hours after…and so on and so forth. Yes it is tidious and tiring. It helped me to establish BG trendings and avoid spikes. I have my moments too so sometimes BG can be unpredictable specially when stress, and anxieties are concerned.
I am at present (another year later) taking just a 500 mg Metformin daily in the morrnings. Before I was taking BG tests 6 to 7 times a day, now Im taking it abuot 3 times a day. It varies however depending on new activities and unchartered food intake.
I wish you well and hope that all will turn out better with your BG management.
I am on metformin also. I learned that diabetes is a work in progress and never seems to be completed. I take 250 mgs with each meal and I make it a point to excersice for about an hour a day. The excercise with the metformin seems to quick in and bring sugar down. I can be 160 after dinner and after excercise I am at 90 or so. So you will learn what works best for you. I always check sugars after a meal that I have never had. If sugar is too high then I dont eat the food again or I adjust what I am going to have for lunch or dinner. If sugars are higher than normal then I eat a salad with meat. Metformin did take a bit to kick in. When I was first diagnosed I was in insulin for about 9 months and insulin results are instant where metformin it takes a bit for the body to catch up. You may want to see an endo at least once to see what they have to offer in terms of information and care. It was easier for me at first to see the endo and not my primary. Now I see my primary since she seems to deliver the same info as my endo was
You may actually be not eating enough carbs. If your body believes it is in starvation mode your liver will release glucose into your system raising your numbers when you haven’t eaten anything or enough. You may try adding more complex carbs like veggies such as broccoli, squash, tomatoes, or even a little brown rice, steel cut oats or other whole grains. I would stay away from pasta, bread or white rice. The last three will tend to spike your bg.
That’s not correct. Fat stores are used when & if the body needs carbs/energy. That’s why people use low carb for weight loss. Also, about 58% of protein turns to glucose, so the body isn’t starved for carbs. Eating more carbs, complex or not, isn’t the answer for lowering BG.
I asked my dietician if she was taking my size into account and she said…it’s the same for everyone. Which obviously it’s not the same for everyone. My metabolism seems to have completely stopped. In the last 2 years my metabolism has slowed to almost non existant. It’s as if I dont need food at all anymore.