80 year old type 2

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Anto

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Hello, After being borderline was diagnosed as type 2 in January when hba1c was59 so Doc prescribed 500 mil Metformin once per day.

BMI is 21 so not had to diet too much apart from cutting down on sugary stuff.

Metformin seems be doing it's job as latest hba1c yesterday is 48. So pleased with that.
Happy to be with you.
 
Welcome to the forum. Well done on the reduction in HbA1C that is good progress. There is a suggestion that for 'older' people that there should be more leeway on where your HbA1C should be so worth checking with your GP whether it is wise to try to get it lower than it is or go for maintaining at where you are.
It sounds as if you shouldn't really lose any weight so make sure you are having enough protein and healthy fats.
 
Hi @Anto and welcome to the forum.
I second that suggestion of making sure that you are getting enough protein and traditional fats that come attached to the sorts of food your parents would recognise.

Metformin alone is unlikely to have caused that HbA1C reduction alone, since it has no effect on the glucose your bod makes from digesting carbohydrates, just how much your liver dumps into your bloodstream when it 'thinks' you need extra energy (such as when waking up).
A lower carb way of eating (less of starchy carbs as well as sugary ones) has much more effect than most medicines except for Insulin.
 
Thank you all for your welcome and for your valuable advise.
Do you think metformin can reduce appetite and so weight?
Thanks again.
 
Yes metformin does reduce appetite i some people (not all). However this isn't a good side effect for somebody with a BMI like yours.
I too was slim for the first 60 + yrs of my life, in fact it appeared to be the standard '5 a day', low fat' and 'healthy whole grains' advice which caused me to put on weight up to a BMI of 26 (and give me Type 2 diabetes).
 
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Welcome to the forum @Anto

Congratulations on your reduced HbA1c!

Whatever you‘ve been doing - keep doing it 🙂

Do keep an eye on your weight though, and look for adding extra non-carby calories perhaps from things like olive oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds, or avocado?

I’d also second @Leadinglights suggestion of checking with your GP about an individualised HbA1c target - and tailoring your menu and medication to give you a little ‘wiggle room’ 🙂
 
I have lost 10 pounds in weight since taking Metformin, also suffering loss of appetite having gone from 150 pounds to 140. Weight I can ill afford to lose. As a result I have decided to stop taking Metformin for a week or two. Whilst sticking to a low sugar diet. In the meantime I will keep monitoring blood sugar levels via my finger prick machine.
 
Anto said:
I have lost 10 pounds in weight since taking Metformin, also suffering loss of appetite having gone from 150 pounds to 140. Weight I can ill afford to lose. As a result I have decided to stop taking Metformin for a week or two. Whilst sticking to a low sugar diet. In the meantime I will keep monitoring blood sugar levels via my finger prick machine.
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I hope that it works for you and you put a bit of weight back on. Add some protein and healthy fats to your diet which should help, but be guided by your monitor. Some of the protein yoghurts or full fat Greek yoghurt are good options, as well as eggs, nuts, avocados.
If you continue to lose weight without the metformin then do see your GP as it might be unrelated.
 
After 2 weeks, although I put on 2lbs in weight my waking readings have gone from the sixes to the sevens and my 2 hour post lunch readings have also increased. So reluctantly for the moment until I can get an appointment with my diabetes Doc I have decided to go back on the Metformin.
 
Hope you can get an appointment with your doc soon @Anto. There may be other medication more suitable that metformin if it's causing too much weight loss. That's one of the reasons I've stayed on it because it means I can eat a bit more!
 
Update. Have not lost any further weight still around 140 pounds. I do get occasional stomach cramps but amazingly I used to suffer from arthritis but now I don't! I take it that's because of Metformin's anti inflammatory properties and I also feel much feel much fitter. So at the mo happy days! Oh and my waking bg readings are consistently below 7.
 
I found cutting the sugar from my diet reduced joint pain significantly. I don't take metformin anymore so I don't think it was that. I too am much fitter and healthier as a result of changing my diet.
Well done on taking control of your diabetes and trying different things to see what works for you. I had the occasional cramps with Metformin but nothing worse. Are you just on one still or has the dose been increased?
 
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