Want to stop Metformin

[Laconic]

Dx type 2 early October and put on gliclazide and metformin, I stopped glic as it was sending sugar levels too low, my gluco results have been ok since always around 5.0 mmol and today two hours after eating 5.1.
I want to know how well my low carb diet is working so stopping the met is the only way to tell.
I feel a bit anxious about doing so as my HBA1C was 110, and I was told I’d be on diabetes meds forever. Just wish hcps at my practice where more keen on the diet alone route.
I’ve only got about 3 days worth of met left, just wondered if it’s safe to stop it, I will test more often when on no medication

 

[Eddy Edson]

Dx type 2 early October and put on gliclazide and metformin, I stopped glic as it was sending sugar levels too low, my gluco results have been ok since always around 5.0 mmol and today two hours after eating 5.1.
I want to know how well my low carb diet is working so stopping the met is the only way to tell.
I feel a bit anxious about doing so as my HBA1C was 110, and I was told I’d be on diabetes meds forever. Just wish hcps at my practice where more keen on the diet alone route.
I’ve only got about 3 days worth of met left, just wondered if it’s safe to stop it, I will test more often when on no medication

Shouldn’t be any probs with seeing how you do without it - you can always go back on if necessary.

 

[Drummer]

I found that I was well motivated to stick to low carb after stopping the Metformin - I really, really did not want any reason to need to take it again.
I truly felt a lot better without it, and by eating low carb my Hba1c went from 91 to 47 in about 80 days.
Although your Hba1c was rather high, if you are seeing normal numbers after eating then your level should be dropping week by week.

 

[Laconic]

That’s how I feel motivated to go diet alone, but when hcps don’t give any encouragement it’s like I’m fighting them and diabetes

 

[Grannylorraine]

Have you asked to have your HbA1c checked again, that will tell you how you are doing, and then if the results are good, you can ask to stop taking the Metformin and see if you can control by diet alone.

 

[Laconic]

I got an appointment for Wednesday, I’m going to ask for a blood test form to take to hospital.
Only thing is my shift is 6am to 2pm I’m going after work and am not going to be able to fast for 12 hours, although that shouldn’t affect HBA1C, just glucose reading.

 

[Ralph-YK]

I was told I’d be on diabetes meds forever.

I've heard of people coming off meds, some reducing them.
Your best bet is to have consistandly low HbA1c results to come of meds altogether.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. Metformin only ever has small effect on BS so I suspect if you stop it the change in BS will be small. Note that if you are slim but diagnosed as T2 there is always the possibility of being LADA in which case meds would be increasingly needed leading to insulin

 

[Drummer]

I got an appointment for Wednesday, I’m going to ask for a blood test form to take to hospital.
Only thing is my shift is 6am to 2pm I’m going after work and am not going to be able to fast for 12 hours, although that shouldn’t affect HBA1C, just glucose reading.

No need to fast for Hba1c - nor for a random blood glucose test -
Good luck for a non problematic result.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

No need to fast for Hba1c - nor for a random blood glucose test

No, but for a fasting plasma glucose test you do. Depends what the doctors want.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi
Getting readings in the 5s so soon after a diagnosis with a very high HbA1c bodes very well for you coming off meds. Very well done by the way! If you had relied solely on the Metformin/Gliclazide for that achievement then it would be a concern coming off them, but since you have modified your diet and reduced your carb intake then it is fair to assume that has made a big difference to your readings and the medication may or may not be redundant.

How much Metformin are you taking now? If you are on more than one a day then try reducing it by one tablet a day. Since you obviously have a BG meter, you are able to monitor the effects on a daily basis and can therefore increase the dosage again if your readings start to go up..... One of the many benefits of being able to self monitor. Mention this to your nurse or GP when you ask to reduce it so that they know you are able to keep a close eye on your levels. I would reduce it slowly rather than just suddenly stopping. If you are on just one a day, maybe go to one every other day for a fortnight and see how it goes. I reduced, stopped and then restarted my Metformin use a few months ago. The only benefit I found was that it helped suppress my appetite (but then I had blood tests that confirmed I was Type 1 rather than the initial Type 2 assumption on first diagnosis) but now that I am adjusted to my low carb diet I don't find I get hungry so no benefit to them in respect of that or my BG levels and the consultant has agreed I don't need to take them, but |I did feel that my health care team were happy for me to experiment with it.

 

[Drummer]

No, but for a fasting plasma glucose test you do. Depends what the doctors want.

No HCP has ever shown the slightest interest in finding out my fasting plasma glucose level so it can't be a required check. Probably not worth fretting over.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Fasting glucose is a standard check here in Oz. Which is a pain because it's the only thing you really need to fast for (cholesterol you don't, according to the latest thinking, even if many GP's don't seem to have caught up to that).

But it's a useful piece of information for T2's - eg gives insight into how your hepatic insulin resistance is travelling. High hepatic insuling resistance => overactive over-night etc gluconeogenesis => high fasting glucose.

 

[Laconic]

I’m on 2000 metformin daily 2 tablets morning and 2 in the evening

 

[Bruce Stephens]

No HCP has ever shown the slightest interest in finding out my fasting plasma glucose level so it can't be a required check. Probably not worth fretting over.

No. If I understand correctly it's useful as a diagnostic test to determine whether someone has diabetes. I could imagine it being useful if you were thinking someone might need medication (or might be able to come off medication). Otherwise, yes, it seems unlikely to be of much value (especially for people with T1). I think I get it because I'm fasting anyway for blood lipids (so it's just a checkbox), and maybe that'll go if they change how they do the lipids tests.

 

[rebrascora]

I've never yet been asked to do a fasting test for glucose or lipids and I have had quite a few sets of tests done in the last 9 months

 

[Jodee]

Dx type 2 early October and put on gliclazide and metformin, I stopped glic as it was sending sugar levels too low, my gluco results have been ok since always around 5.0 mmol and today two hours after eating 5.1.
I want to know how well my low carb diet is working so stopping the met is the only way to tell.
I feel a bit anxious about doing so as my HBA1C was 110, and I was told I’d be on diabetes meds forever. Just wish hcps at my practice where more keen on the diet alone route.
I’ve only got about 3 days worth of met left, just wondered if it’s safe to stop it, I will test more often when on no medication

I wouldn't stop the metformin until you've had another HBa1c test. 110 on your last one was much too high. Check out my progress below I am still doing 1 metformin daily for now.

 

[Jodee]

I’m on 2000 metformin daily 2 tablets morning and 2 in the evening

Wow I would definitely get the HBA1c test done and just discuss reducing your dose initially.

 

[Drummer]

The OP had a test today - results eagerly awaited to see how things have gone.

 

[Laconic]

Hi I went to Doctors today was told that an HBA1C test now would not prove anything as only two months since my last one, however I insisted and he gave me a form to take to hospital tomorrow will post results as soon as