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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Hi
- Thread starter Shazia
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Hi im Shazia came across this page and glad I found it I have read most of the threads and there very useful its good to get other peoples experiences about diabetes
I got diagnosed 2 weeks ago by pure chance went for a private blood test as was feeling tired all the time thought I might be anaemic etc but got a big surprise saying I'm diabetic and very High 89mml went to the diabetic clinic they confirmed same doctors just gave me tablet's saying take them 2 times a day and Sent me off lol no guidance information nothing so I started my own research on what I should do I started taking the metformin but I got sick nauseous and bad stomach with it I came across other things You can take like myo-inositol and burbarine has any body or here heard of any success with these tablet's. They say the myo-inositol is supposed to be same as metformin I feel like stopping the metformin and starting other tablet's
I've seen metformin has lots of side effects to
How are you all coping with your metformin I'm just very scared and confused
I got diagnosed 2 weeks ago by pure chance went for a private blood test as was feeling tired all the time thought I might be anaemic etc but got a big surprise saying I'm diabetic and very High 89mml went to the diabetic clinic they confirmed same doctors just gave me tablet's saying take them 2 times a day and Sent me off lol no guidance information nothing so I started my own research on what I should do I started taking the metformin but I got sick nauseous and bad stomach with it I came across other things You can take like myo-inositol and burbarine has any body or here heard of any success with these tablet's. They say the myo-inositol is supposed to be same as metformin I feel like stopping the metformin and starting other tablet's
I've seen metformin has lots of side effects to
How are you all coping with your metformin I'm just very scared and confused
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
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I have had no side effects with Metformin, many don't, but lifestyle changes can make more of a difference to hba1c - Metformin can make a modest reduction, but at 89 it won't be enough alone to bring your BG down to 48 (Which was what I was told to target upon diagnosis with 83)
I got no guidance as well, so did my own research into diet to change my lifestyle. Side effects of Metformin can be transient, so it's worth sticking with it - too many people seem to give up straight away. It's a safe and widely used drug.
Myo-inositol isn't the same as Metformin, it appears to be some sort of vitamin supplement and probably contains nothing that you can get from food. Metformin is only available on prescription.
I got no guidance as well, so did my own research into diet to change my lifestyle. Side effects of Metformin can be transient, so it's worth sticking with it - too many people seem to give up straight away. It's a safe and widely used drug.
Myo-inositol isn't the same as Metformin, it appears to be some sort of vitamin supplement and probably contains nothing that you can get from food. Metformin is only available on prescription.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
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- She/Her
Metformin is usually the first medication given when people get a Type 2 diagnosis as it help the body use the insulin it is producing more effectively, note I say help because it also requires dietary changes as well. Some people do find it gives stomach issues but starting the dose gradually and taking with food can help and it can settle down but there is a slow release version which is kinder if you are not already on that.
The other things you mention are not supported by Diabetes UK but doing your own research about any of those sort of things is important and making your own mind up.
You have read around the forum you will probably see people do have different approaches and you have to find one which suits you, but low carbohydrate is certainly one which many have success with.
Check this link and see if it helps to clarify things for you. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
The other things you mention are not supported by Diabetes UK but doing your own research about any of those sort of things is important and making your own mind up.
You have read around the forum you will probably see people do have different approaches and you have to find one which suits you, but low carbohydrate is certainly one which many have success with.
Check this link and see if it helps to clarify things for you. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
My Hba1c was 130 at diagnisis last year. When i was diagnosed it made sense of the symptoms although they were mild. You will find this forum welcoming and a great source of support and info.
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
@Shazia - can I suggest that you stick with the medications prescribed by your GP? If you cannot get on with metformin (and some cannot) then there are other prescription medications which can be tried. The point about the prescription medications is that they have been properly evaluated and would not be prescribed if they had no proven effect.
The two things you mention come into the category of "supplements" or "herbal remedies". The problem with them is that many claims for those and many others, but nowhere can you find information that backs up those claims. The point is, if they actually worked with any degree of reliability, then they would be in common usage and they are not.
The two things you mention come into the category of "supplements" or "herbal remedies". The problem with them is that many claims for those and many others, but nowhere can you find information that backs up those claims. The point is, if they actually worked with any degree of reliability, then they would be in common usage and they are not.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Shazia
Sorry to hear that you are scared and confused, and haven’t had a t of information or support from your Dr
In general, Diabetes UK does not recommend that people take herbal supplements to help with their diabetes, as there is insufficient evidence that they are safe and effective for people with diabetes to use. At best they may be simply entirely ineffective, but they could even be harmful.
www.diabetes.org.uk
And as @Docb says, there is little regulation in terms of what can be claimed by those selling these products, so significant claims can be made, with very little (if any) evidence of their actual effectiveness.
Many forum members have found that any initial gastric upheaval they got with Metformin (which is not uncommon in the first few weeks), settles down after a while.
If your symptoms persist, you can ask your Dr for a ‘slow release’ version which is a little gentler on the tum. And if you find that your reaction continues there are many other medications that can be tried.
If you’d like a wealth of information about diabetes, perhaps you could sign up to the Learning Zone, or you might find Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, a helpful starting point.
Sorry to hear that you are scared and confused, and haven’t had a t of information or support from your Dr
In general, Diabetes UK does not recommend that people take herbal supplements to help with their diabetes, as there is insufficient evidence that they are safe and effective for people with diabetes to use. At best they may be simply entirely ineffective, but they could even be harmful.
Herbal and food supplements
Many people rely on traditional herbal and complementary remedies, which are said to help with blood glucose control. These remedies can be homemade or bought from local shops, and while they may have benefits, they should not be a substitute for your medications.
And as @Docb says, there is little regulation in terms of what can be claimed by those selling these products, so significant claims can be made, with very little (if any) evidence of their actual effectiveness.
Many forum members have found that any initial gastric upheaval they got with Metformin (which is not uncommon in the first few weeks), settles down after a while.
If your symptoms persist, you can ask your Dr for a ‘slow release’ version which is a little gentler on the tum. And if you find that your reaction continues there are many other medications that can be tried.
If you’d like a wealth of information about diabetes, perhaps you could sign up to the Learning Zone, or you might find Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, a helpful starting point.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
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- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too.
Metformin is well known to cause digestive upset as a side effect although many people do manage with it and others find their system settles down after a while. It is usually recommended to start with a single tablet for a week and gradually increase the dose and also important to take the tablets with food. I found mid meal with a substantial amount of food helped reduce the digestive upset. Just thinking if you were started on 2 tablets straight away, dropping it down to just one for a week and then gradually increasing it might allow your body to recover and accept it better. If that strategy doesn't work then go back to your GP and ask to try the slow release version. The impact of lowering your carbohydrate intake will have a far greater effect on reducing your BG levels than most oral diabetes medications though so certainly look at your diet and where you can make a few cuts and substitutions. It doesn't mean you need to go hungry, just eat different things. Or the other popular option is to follow a very low calorie short term diet of 800 cals a day to burn off visceral fat around your liver and pancreas. This enables them to function better and can put Type 2 diabetes into remission in about half of cases. The key thing is that the weight loss needs to be maintained. The success rate is believed to be similar for a low carb approach but this is a new way of eating for life. What I find great about the low carb approach is that I don't get the cravings for carb rich foods anymore and to a large extent they have lost their appeal to me, so I feel much more in control of what I eat whereas I have struggled with comfort eating and bingeing most of my life. It is about finding an approach which works for you as an individual.
As others have mentioned, I would be very skeptical and wary of these supplements. It is all too easy to separate people anxious about their health from their money.
Nayshiftin
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I loathe the effects of metformin and they can give you a slow release type too, both make me spin sick and have gastro trouble and I manage better without but long term I may not have helped myself. I agree a million times with the people that some settle. It might be worth taking these tablets with/ before/ after your food to see what helps more. Some take them at night others in the morning. Or maybe you have been told the best times. Whatever you do I would go back and tell the prescriber how you feel otherwise they are thinking you are coping. I know it's difficult at first to understand but read up and there are lots in the learning zone here too. I wish you well.
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