Confused! A couple of questions re Metform & Glucose Monitors

[Caroline]

Good evening all,

I have a couple of questions:-

1) I was prescribed Metformin this morning. I read somewhere that you can't have hypos on this drug. Is that correct? Does anyone know different?

2) I'm in the market for a glucose monitor, (didn't think I'd be saying that a couple of weeks ago!). Any recommendations for most accurate/easiest to use brand? My GP says he will prescribe test strips for me, does that limit my choice of glucose monitor?

Thanks to anyone who replies. 🙂
Jo
x

Hi Jo

1) my undestanding is you are less likely to have a hypo on metformin, but it's not impossible. It depends on how much you have eaten and what your activity levels have been too.

2) I don't think your choice of monitor is restricted by your doctor prescribing the strips. Moitors were about ?15-?20 last time I looked. Sometimes youcan talk the companies into giving you a monitor, although I was given mine by the hospital when I went for the education day soon after I was diagnosed. Also talk to the receptioist or nurse atthe doctors as they get given stuff by the reps from various companies and spare meters are floating around.

 

[Jules A]

One Touch meters are only given away now. For insulin takers you just need to phone them but T2s not taking insulin need to get them from their GP/Nurse/Clinic. You could of course phone them and tell them you are on insulin!! 🙂

 

[PhilT]

Metformin is used to stimulate the release of insulin and helps restore the body's proper response to insulin. It does not lower blood glucose levels so will not cause hypos.

 

[sofaraway]

Boots are selling the accucheck meter for half price at the moment if you don't any luck bagging a freebie

 

[Tezzz]

Just a thought - The Accu-chek Aviva Nano has the lancets in a cassette of 6. No accidental stabbings and no sharps box needed.

In my opinion it has the least painful finger pricker I've come across. PM me if you want the offer code and freephone number for a free meter.

 

[RachelT]

I've got a One Touch Ultra. i was given it on diagnosis (hey, you've got diabetes but on the plus side, have a free gadget!😛) but i can't get strips prescribed.

On Metformin
From "Pharmacology, Rang, Dale, Ritter and Moore, 5th edition"

Metformin lowers blood sugar, nobody is too sure how it works but it's supposed to "increase glucose uptake" and the use of glucose in the muscles "thereby reducing insulin resistance" and reducing the formation of glucose in the liver.

It isn't supposed to make the pancreas pump out more insulin (like gliclazide et al) so you're supposidly immune to hypos if you take it. I've never had a proper hypo myself while on it, although i do get a bit shakey and spaced out at about 4. I guess that if you didn't eat any carbs or sugar at all, then you could be at risk of hypos. However i've never given up carbs for long enough to find out.

 

[JoJoBoo]

Thanks Guys. I struck it lucky this evening, the nurse was feeling generous and I bagged myself a free GlucoMen Lx glucose meter. I'll see how I get on with it. Anyone got one of these? The nurse told me to only test once a week.... that doesn't seem very sensible to me and contrary to much of the information I've read. I was going to test several times at regular times of the day, before and after meals etc...and cross compare the results with the food I've eaten to get an idea of what causes my BG to shoot up. Does anyone think I should only be testing once a week, (bearing in mind I was diagnosed last Friday) ?