Newbie for some advice please

[sue witt]

I am 50 year old female, type 2 diagnosed 3 years ago, and on metformin 500 twice a day. I am 14.5 stone (should ideally be around 10) and have a massive issue with allergies. I have recently discovered low B12 after 6 months of fatigue, dry skin and dizziness (despite being told by doctors I had menieres disease, and this then being dismissed by a consultant at first appointment).

To cut a very long story short, I have become hugely photosensitive and burn outside almost daily, even when its overcast. I have to use factor 50, and my face is constantly sore and peeling. I am led to believe that this is possibly caused by the Metformin as this is new to me (previously had easily tanning skin and no sunburn issues, ever).

I also have been told the B12 deficiency could be caused by Metformin.

So my question is this – can I get off the metformin ASAP by diet alone? I am quite prepared to eat very little and reduced all carbs etc and have been almost vegan for a few weeks to cut out dairy fats as I was rather a cheese monster.

I know theres probably no quick fix and have read stories of people coming off Metformin after weight loss, but ideally I would like to stop taking it ASAP, if I can manage my sugars with diet alone.

My HBa1c last week was 47.

Many thanks, Sue

 

[Copepod]

Welcome to the forum, Sue Witt.
How long have you been taking metformin? It would be odd for skin symptoms to appear sudenly if you have been taking metformin since diagnosis three years ago. Are you taking any other medication? I would suggest that you consult a pharmacist for a medication review, as they're the experts in medicines, use, side effects, alternatives etc.
As well as diet (low carbohydrate for diabetes, low calorie for weight loss), and medication (depends on individual), exercise is also very importent. What physical activity do you do?

 

[trophywench]

I've known other people - but all women as it happens, but don't know enough about it to know if that's significant or typical - who have become massively photosensitive in their later years. One of them was most certainly not diabetic, don't know about the others.

Metformin can and does cause Vit B12 deficiencies for some people, but I have never heard of it causing or exacerbating photosensitivity. The B12 is 'easily' sorted by having regular jabs to counteract it - but the people I've known who were T2 and C12 deficient most likely caused by their taking Metformin for a few years - have all been taken straight off it by their doctors and put on other things - eg Gliclazide, insulin, etc.

I wonder why your doctor hasn't taken you off it? - is there a NICE Guideline that covers B12 deficiency caused by Metformin?

And yes - some T2 folk have managed to come off all diabetes drugs and treat theirs with diet and exercise - every person is individual and because T2 isn't caused by just ONE thing - and the actual way it manifests for each person will be different - without having detailed scientific knowledge of the inside of your body and your metabolism - who knows? Neither medics, you or us.

You would need to discuss what you want to do with your doctor so you can work together to achieve it, cos if you've been on Metformin a while, with nothing to substitute for it - you would presumably need to wean yourself off it a bit at a time rather than stopping it dead ?

How much carbohydrate do you usually consume a day? and as Copepod has enquired - how much exercise currently?

 

[sue witt]

Very little exercise (hangs head in shame..) and I work from home as a dressmaker so don't have to go far either!
I've got docs on Monday so I'll go armed with a list of questions & see what happens.
Thank you folks xx

 

[bilbie]

I lost 10kg sitting on the lounge, reading about diabetes. If that's any motivation?
Have a read about metformin's other benefits. If you can stay on it. It might be a good idea.

As to losing weight, see if this rings true to you?
This gives a simple overview to how it works for me. The more carbs we eat the more carbs we want. They don’t give up easy and it’s biochemical

what to expect the first week, besides being starving hungry for the first 36 hours, then it stops
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm

a long page and a few good things (he has a paid section now, you don't need it. There is plenty free on the net)
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

 

[Copepod]

Very little exercise (hangs head in shame..) and I work from home as a dressmaker so don't have to go far either!
I've got docs on Monday so I'll go armed with a list of questions & see what happens.
Thank you folks xx

In that case, include questions about exercise referral schemes, health walks etc in your area. I guess you can choose your working hours, so that gives you a wide range of times when you could exercise. So, find something you enjoy that fits in with your life. Good luck.

 

[SB2015]

Something I found useful for when I was working from home was to stick to

Don't sit down for 15 minutes after eating

Simple to do by going for a walk round the block, doing some ironing, walk up and down stairs,... anything.
Just set an alarm for 15 min. I was amazed how easy it was to stick to and how often I ended up doing more than 15 min so felt good about the achievement, and a lot got done at home.

It could be a starting point

 

[SB2015]

Ps I still do this now I am retired.

 

[Alison Carr]

I've known other people - but all women as it happens, but don't know enough about it to know if that's significant or typical - who have become massively photosensitive in their later years. One of them was most certainly not diabetic, don't know about the others.

Metformin can and does cause Vit B12 deficiencies for some people, but I have never heard of it causing or exacerbating photosensitivity. The B12 is 'easily' sorted by having regular jabs to counteract it - but the people I've known who were T2 and C12 deficient most likely caused by their taking Metformin for a few years - have all been taken straight off it by their doctors and put on other things - eg Gliclazide, insulin, etc.

I wonder why your doctor hasn't taken you off it? - is there a NICE Guideline that covers B12 deficiency caused by Metformin?

And yes - some T2 folk have managed to come off all diabetes drugs and treat theirs with diet and exercise - every person is individual and because T2 isn't caused by just ONE thing - and the actual way it manifests for each person will be different - without having detailed scientific knowledge of the inside of your body and your metabolism - who knows? Neither medics, you or us.

You would need to discuss what you want to do with your doctor so you can work together to achieve it, cos if you've been on Metformin a while, with nothing to substitute for it - you would presumably need to wean yourself off it a bit at a time rather than stopping it dead ?

How much carbohydrate do you usually consume a day? and as Copepod has enquired - how much exercise currently?

Hi Jenny - you might be knowledgeable on this, and may be of interest to Sue too. On part of my research I came across an AMERICAN research result which stressed the need for diabetics to take lots of B12 supplements, and something called: Pterostilbene 2 x 50mg tablets daily, as they had been proved to help in diabetese control. I asked at Hollands & Barratts, but they had never heard of it - nor had the chemist at the local pharmacy. Seems it is the 'stuff' found in the skin of the Blueberry, and I gather blueberries are one of the new wonder-foods. Seems they are extracting the naturally-produced chemical and making it into tablets (Amazon US have them), but it hasn't reached the UK yet. They seem pretty certain their research proves it is very beneficial for diabetics to take this daily - but I am on low income and have not tried it yet! Regards, Alison

 

[Martin Canty]

cut out dairy fats

Hi Sue, I wouldn't worry about cutting the cheese, if anything full fat is better (low fat foods have added carbs to make them palatable).... Just cut the carbs & add exercise & you will be amazed at the results. Oh, another tip, drink plenty of water.....

 

[trophywench]

I can't get a Vit D test, even though I was deficient some years ago and told I had osteopenia - so the chances of getting Vit B test with no reason is pretty slim, I'd say. I just eat the whole blueberries myself, when I fancy some.

It was recently said on TV that if you eat a balanced diet you don't need anti-oxidating any more than that's doing and they also said that the body isn't even capable of doing it anyway! - as long as your gut bacteria are all present and correct, and haven't been destroyed by eg chemo or radiology treatment.