Insulin and Metforimn for type 1 diabetic

Well this is interesting. My doctor died and with the doctors around none of which seem to want to take on any more patients I found one that said I could see them.
Based on the visit I think I should run as far away and as fast as I can get there. Wrote a prescription for the stuff I am on and then wrote a second prescription for Metforimn. I’m a type 1 diabetic.
Is anyone else on this same combination and what type of success are you having. Or is my notion that this is not good correct.

I have heard of people taking that who are insulin-resistant type 1s.

I am taking both. I was taking Metformin when misdiagnosed as T2, then when re-diagnosed as LADA they left me on it because it will make me more sensitive to the insulin I’m taking.

Do you have any sign of insulin resistance? If you’re already insulin sensitive you probably don’t need it, but I’d ask what the thinking was.

Not real sure. Been a diabetic for 61 years. Times when the Humalog and Lantus combination does not seem to work the way it should. Did find something on the Internet about some trial that used the combination but gathered it was inconclusive.

I am T1, over 50 years, and started metformin about 5 years ago on my suggestion to endo. Reduces my TDD and helps me handle meals better.

1 Like

My prior Endo had me on both. The reason was to have better control over dawn phenomenon .

Many type 1’s have found great success with using type 2 medications. I am not insulin resistant but I use Victoza for post meal spikes and weight loss.
It is kinda scary that it is just a blanket prescription being written with no discussion about it. My doctor and I talked quite a bit about which type 2 med we should try. Don’t give up with the new doctor just yet but I do think a heart to heart talk with your doctor should happen. You both need to agree on your treatment plan together.

I’m another on the side of yes Metformin. My endo first prescribed it back when I was on MDI as a way of taming dawn phenomenon, same as @DonR . Helped a bit, though it was really getting on a pump that made the big difference there. But I still take it because it helps with overall stability by enhancing sensitivity. More recently I also started taking the “T2” medication Jardience, which is probably responsible for getting my A1c into the 5’s for the first time since I was dx’d in 1983.

So no, I definitely would NOT run from it. If it helps, it helps.

Well was in this afternoon and picked up the prescription. Lower income and on a supplement for medications so didn’t cost that much.
Found a number for the diabetic educator and talked to them about it and was told it is something that is done with people especially if they are over the age of 40. Definitely fit that category.
Long talk with the pharmacist about it.
Sounds like next few days will be interesting with side effects.
There is a post on mental health called “its a wonderful life” if you want to read about me.

Some people complain of side effects, usually intestinal, but many don’t. I’ve never had any side effects at all. Hope you don’t either!

I take both. Have been for many, many years. Was put on both by a very good endo, My insulin does not work well alone. Need the metformin for the insulin resistance part. I take Novolog. Test your sugars and see have the metformin effects you.

I was misdiagnosed as Type 2, and they put me on Metformin.
I was one of the poor souls that it did NOT agree with my GI tract! It really messed me up.
I ended up having to take a bunch of probiotics to get my system back on track.
I have friends who are Type 2, and they haven’t had any problems taking Metformin.

I do know a type one on metformin. It exists.

I’ve had Type I for 40 years and I use it. My dose is one time-release 1000mg tablet daily. It does not have any horrid side-effects (like Invokana) and it’s very inexpensive. The time-release formula makes stomach upsets less severe.

Started it yesterday. Pharmacist advised to cut the one pill(500 mg) in half for the first few days to lessen side effects.
Based on yesterday and today it is messing up the blood sugar at dinner. Feeling sick today and hopefully it won’t last many more days.
Supposed to get up to 3 pills a day within 2 weeks.
Blood sugar at dinner was 14.0 mmol/l((500 mg/dl)Normally about 5.

I was a very skinny lad/man for my first 50 years with T1 (1945-1995). Then I started using Humalog, my first fast acting insulin. I gained a lot of weight, even though I reduced my carb intake, and increased my exercise. I was diagnosed with insulin resistance (IR) in 1998. (I had 4 T2 relatives, so I probably had the T2 gene, and weight gain triggered that the IR.) I started using T2 meds, and eventually an endo prescribed Metformin ER (extended release). I used 1000 mg each day for a few years, and lost all the weight I had gained. I gradually stopped the Met since my IR was greatly improved. Everything was good for more than a year, but I started gaining weight again. I am currently taking Met again, and I am 9 pounds overweight.
I think Met is great!!

Type 1 for 30 years, and just starting taking metformin about four months ago. It was a little rough going at first, since it made me nauseous, but after getting used to it, I’ve been really happy.

It doesn’t exactly make you more sensitive to insulin, as many people surmise. What it does is stop your liver from releasing so much glycogen… Hence you need less basal insulin, and less drawn phenomenon. For me, it’s helped even my erratic basal line, and makes my diabetes so much easier to manage.

I would actually commend your new doctor. It means he’s staying up to date, open to fresh treatment options, and he’s aware of the non-traditional benefits of medications. It’s an off-label use of the drug.

Still not impressed with the doctor. Been sick the last few days. Blood sugar still leaves some to be desired.
Took some extra fast acting at dinner and the supper was down to 3.6 which is scary. Blood sugar at breakfast was 9.8 which is above normal. Not sure whether it was a rebound or something else.
Used up the last of the cut pills I had and now all that’s left are 500 MG ones and decide when to take a whole pill. Likely at breakfast and see what happens.
Started a new cgm sensor so it should be accurate for a few days and see what happens.

I underestimated my misery at first with the Metformin. I made myself stick with it for 30 days, to give it a fair shot, but I wasn’t happy. I wound up taking plenty of “skip days” to cope with the side effects. In the end, though, I was really pleased with the result.

Of course, you may get different results. Only you (and I guess your doctor, but I think we should be more proactive in our medical care decisions) can decide what’s right right for you.

One good thing about being on a site with fellow diabetics-I found out there is a time-release version of the stuff that might help. And then it’s only been 4 days so maybe I’m just a wus.