• 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.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

What's 'normal' and what's not

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
J

Jenny55

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, thank you for the welcome and responses I received from my introductory thread! I really appreciate all your advice.

Yesterday morning I popped to the Chemist to pick up my new prescription (500mg Metformin and *5mg Folic Acid), and a chat with the chemist about the drugs and about purchasing a blood glucose meter. The chemist to be fair tried to sway me away from having a meter, but as I want to be as informed as possible what's happening to me, I bought an Accu-Chek one. Probably I could get one much cheaper, but as I was in the chemist it seemed right to buy it.

Today:

9:00 am - My fasting BG was 7, same as the fasting blood test last Friday

10:00 am - Had a late but full breakfast and took my 2nd Metformin and a Folic Acid tablet - the 1st tablets I took last night with dinner, without any noticeable reactions.

1:30 pm - BG reading was 6.5 and I felt fine.

2:00 pm - had my daily tipple of one whisky shot with ginger ale (just one drink a day is all the alcohol I have), after about 2 sips I started to feel really light headed, blurry vision, weak, foggy, and got stomach cramps... I felt really awful. I had to lie down for about 20 minutes. Soon after I started to feel better, thought I'd better take a reading:

3:00 pm - had a glass of water and took a BG reading, it was 5.7.

So what went wrong there? Is this a normal reaction to newly taking Metformin? It looks like the two sips of alcohol caused the reaction.

Breakfast was low in Carbs:

breakfast 15 july 2020.png

A question about the meter, instructions say to change the needle every time it's used. I'm sure, seeing that I'm the only one using the meter, leaving it for much longer before it get changed would be fine?

*GP said my Folic Acid count was low which I thought was strange as I try to make sure I eat well - I do take an aspirin every morning for heart support (I've not been diagnosed with a heart problem, just thought it was a good idea at my age of 67), after a Google search I discovered aspirin can lead to Folic Acid depletion. I'll mention this to my GP at the next opportunity.

Thank you for any help.... it's a voyage of discovery 😉
 
Last edited:
Not to sure about what you experienced as your levels were OK but on the point of the lancets I probably change mine once a week its wrong I know but until they start to hurt as the lancet bluntens I just don't see the point.
 
brisr949 said:
Not to sure about what you experienced as your levels were OK but on the point of the lancets I probably change mine once a week its wrong I know but until they start to hurt as the lancet bluntens I just don't see the point.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply, reasuring to know the levels look ok. It's a confidence 'thing' maybe. Good point (pardon the pun :D) about the lancets.
 
hello @Jenny 55
As @brisr949 says your readings look fine.
Some people though do not re-act well to metformin, and may be your symptoms were somehow related to this, but not sure.

If it is a re-action to the metformin, then for some people this diminishes after a while. There is a Slow release version of metformin which works better for some people.
If it continues it may be an idea to talk to your GP about it.

(I also just change the lancets occasionally, when I remember!)
 
I’m another one who changes lancets basically when it hurts or when I look at my fingers & think they’ve had enough of a battering for a while. It can be as often as weekly but it’s more likely almost monthly I’d guess.
 
Hi @Jenny55

The likelihood is the symptoms are side effects of Metformin rather than the small amount of alcohol. As Metformin takes time to build up it would be less likely to cause side effects from the first dose, which is why you didn't get them straight away. They are common and usually subside but that can take a couple of weeks - like @Toucan said, if you find the side effects get significantly worse or do not ease then you may find the slow release version easier to tolerate, but hopefully they’ll settle.
 
Thank you Toucan, Colin and Lucy for your replies.

Reading the text that comes with the Metformin tablets, it does say initially there could be reactions, but it's reassuring to hear from others about this. If the problem continues, I will contact my GP and ask for maybe the slow release ones.
 
Have you read the part of the information leaflet which says not to drink alcohol whist taking Metformin?
 
Drummer said:
Have you read the part of the information leaflet which says not to drink alcohol whist taking Metformin?
Click to expand...

No.... whoops!

" Drinking too much alcohol, especially when taking metformin, can cause a buildup of lactic acid. This buildup can cause serious damage to your kidneys, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. If lactic acidosis is not treated right away, organs may shut down, which can lead to death."

Surely 2 small sips wouldn't be that potent? Would it?

It's fascinating to learn. Had cottage pie for dinner, topping the pie with mashed sweet potato.

7:30 pm - Seconds before dinner BG 5.7 - metformin taken with dinner
9:10 pm - BG 7.1
10:13 pm - BG 5.3 and feeling whoosy (without alcohol 😉)

Think I'll go to bed :D Nite everyone x
 
It does say TOO MUCH alcohol. I don't think your one tipple a day is in the too much category in my humble opinion.
 
Jenny55 said:
It's fascinating to learn. Had cottage pie for dinner, topping the pie with mashed sweet potato.
Click to expand...
Why eat sweet potato? Ordinary potato is bad enough, but the sweet in the name ought to give the clue - it is higher in carbs than the ordinary ones.
 
Drummer said:
Why eat sweet potato? Ordinary potato is bad enough, but the sweet in the name ought to give the clue - it is higher in carbs than the ordinary ones.
Click to expand...

1594876649618.png

Thanks Drummer, for some reason I had it in my thoughts they were better.... best I avoid all root veg in future.
 
The difference is that sweet potato tends to have a lower release of its carbs than white potato, so is normally better for us as it doesn't cause spikes. I am sure someone else will have a better description re GI numbers etc, but basically I have always been told, and believe it from own consumption, that it is OK. Sadly, it doesn't make very good chips, but excellent mash.
 
GI seems to work much better for some than others - and for some it does not seem to work at all!

As always, your meter will tell you what - and how much - you can tolerate.
 
Hi. There have been 'joke' posts on the forums about changing the lancet on St Swithins Day each year! The point being made is that for many of us changing every few weeks is all that is needed but it's your choice. If it's blunt do change it. The risk of infection from continued use is about zero unless you are on an immuno-suppressant.
 
Jenny55 said:
View attachment 14786

Thanks Drummer, for some reason I had it in my thoughts they were better.... best I avoid all root veg in future.
Click to expand...
I was advised by the diabetes nurse to eat sweet potato. TBH i didn't bother. I have recently found zero carb pretend noodles and rice, and make a sauce , mixed eg on the side and hey presto another meal. H&B sell it. My birthday tomorrow, am getting ready and excited about the birthday chocolate eclair!
 
DaveB said:
Hi. There have been 'joke' posts on the forums about changing the lancet on St Swithins Day each year! The point being made is that for many of us changing every few weeks is all that is needed but it's your choice. If it's blunt do change it. The risk of infection from continued use is about zero unless you are on an immuno-suppressant.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, yes I saw that.... lol
 
Sharron1 said:
I was advised by the diabetes nurse to eat sweet potato. TBH i didn't bother. I have recently found zero carb pretend noodles and rice, and make a sauce , mixed eg on the side and hey presto another meal. H&B sell it. My birthday tomorrow, am getting ready and excited about the birthday chocolate eclair!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply Sharron. Not heard of those noodles... will have to research.

Happy Birthday for tomorrow!
 
I have not tried any of these alternatives to noodles or rice, but some say some brands have a strange taste.
 
I thought that there was a bigger difference between sweet and ordinary potato - but I avoid both so it is not on my list - there are so many other less starchy things to chose from.
If a nurse had ever suggested eating sweet potato to me I'd have burst out laughing, but I seem to have a digestion which can break down anything - I used to have a suspicion that I could break down cellulose because I was so sensitive to carbs.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top