Hi people. My first post. I saw my 'diabetic' nurse today, for my bi-annual check up. I have had type 2 since 2007 & today is the first time I have been confused! Basically, for the first time since 2007, she told me that my levels have been rising since then. I never even saw these levels before. They were fairly good up to 2010, then they went 42, 48, 53, 53 again & finally today 64! Why she never told me about these 'long term levels' before, I have no idea. I have had no symptoms whatsoever since diagnosis. When I test myself, the levels are always below 7.0, usually about 5.3, 5.4 but no higher. Now she tells me I have to start Metformin, I was on it for about two weeks once, but was told to stop. The side effects scare me more than the diabetes! Coma etc., She says I have to be on these but can start on just one a day (500), then go up to 2 a day soon. I said that since my partner has now been diagnosed with db2 as well, we have been eating better than ever. She said, "Your diet will have very little to do with your blood sugar levels, so you must now take Metformin"! What? I thought type 2 meant you can control it with diet! She is a 'specially trained' nurse who always does the diabetes check-ups. What's going on here? Help clever people, what on earth does this mean???
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Confused about '2' & Metformin
- Thread starter SugarFree
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi SugarFree, welcome to the forum 🙂 For some reason, some nurses and doctors seem reluctant to give out the numbers that we really ought to know, I have no idea why this is. Anyway, now you know that something needs to be done, I would suggest reassessing your diet and start to test before and after meals in order to determine your tolerance for different foods. Of course diet has EVERYTHING to do with your blood sugar levels! Where on earth did she get the idea they didn't? Carbohydrates are the chief culprit, so it's worth starting a food diary so you can assess what you are consuming currently, and whether you might be able to make some changes either to portion sizes or by replacing some items with more 'diabetes-friendly' alternatives.
I would recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Reading these will help you to understand how to control your levels better, and it may be possible that you can improve things so that you do not need the medication - not guaranteed, but some people are able to. You shouldn't worry unduly about metformin though. Its main side-effects are gastric - feeling windy! - but if you don't get on with the ordinary tablets then you can ask for the slow-release version which many fnd is kinder on the stomach.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - there will always be someone here happy to help out! 🙂
I would recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and getting a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. Reading these will help you to understand how to control your levels better, and it may be possible that you can improve things so that you do not need the medication - not guaranteed, but some people are able to. You shouldn't worry unduly about metformin though. Its main side-effects are gastric - feeling windy! - but if you don't get on with the ordinary tablets then you can ask for the slow-release version which many fnd is kinder on the stomach.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have - there will always be someone here happy to help out! 🙂
Mark T
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome to the forum SugarFree 🙂
OK, I'll give the nurse that it's not just diet that's important, but...
42 mmol/mol is equivalent to 6% in old style units. 64 mmol/mol is 8% - which is a tad high by my reckoning.
Metformin is generally considered to be one of the safer diabetes drugs and it's positive effects normally outweigh any negative ones. So I wouldn't start getting too concerned about being on it.
OK, I'll give the nurse that it's not just diet that's important, but...
Ummm, no, it's a fairly significant part.
42 mmol/mol is equivalent to 6% in old style units. 64 mmol/mol is 8% - which is a tad high by my reckoning.
Metformin is generally considered to be one of the safer diabetes drugs and it's positive effects normally outweigh any negative ones. So I wouldn't start getting too concerned about being on it.
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi SF and welcome to the forum.
If you had problems with side effects from the Met, perhaps it would be worth mentioning this to the nurse and requesting some slow release Met instead. Diet is the most important part for someone with type 2 diabetes.
Please note it doesn't mean you have failed if you have to move on to medication, it just means your pancreas needs a bit more help.
If you had problems with side effects from the Met, perhaps it would be worth mentioning this to the nurse and requesting some slow release Met instead. Diet is the most important part for someone with type 2 diabetes.
Please note it doesn't mean you have failed if you have to move on to medication, it just means your pancreas needs a bit more help.
Hello Sugarfree, so glad you've found this forum. It was going onto metformin after over 8 years with just 'diet and exercise' that scared me into taking D seriously. Since then, with the chemical help from M and dumping shedloads of weight with Slimming World, my levels are all within non-diabetic range.
In my experience, reducing carbs to a minimum has been effective, and the combination of M, a lower-carb diet and greater activity levels have reduced the insulin resistance that stops the stuff that's still produced by the pancreas from working effectively.
In my experience, reducing carbs to a minimum has been effective, and the combination of M, a lower-carb diet and greater activity levels have reduced the insulin resistance that stops the stuff that's still produced by the pancreas from working effectively.
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome ro the forum Sugar Free.
I'm being lazy, I know, but there's lots of relevant detail on this thread titled Metformin http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=37352
Particularly relevant are the posts about how to take metformin, both regular and modified release / slow release.
I'm being lazy, I know, but there's lots of relevant detail on this thread titled Metformin http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=37352
Particularly relevant are the posts about how to take metformin, both regular and modified release / slow release.
Thanks to all!
Many thanks to you all for your replies. It's nice to find some people who are more helpful & friendlier than the health professional, who should know what she is talking about, but doesn't seem to. I was so shocked when she said my diet had nothing to do with my levels, I felt completely helpless! I have only taken one M so far, & this morning my heartbeat is quite a bit faster than usual, so whether that is the M or not, I don't know as I do get this on occasion. I hope that I can get back to controlling my levels by diet alone as my partner, who was recently diagnosed with db, cannot take M as she is a wheelchair user & the tablets had a very violent disagreement with her digestive system! I had let myself slip a bit on the whole diet thing, but that was due to having no symptoms. I didn't realise that my levels were going up continously, now I know, I shall be really hot on diet & portion control etc. Thanks again.
Just a little addendum here, I've been reading some of the help in the links offered by Northerner (Thanks very much) & A) don't think I'm going to find it easy living without so many carbs (I love carbs!) especially my morning cereals. I usually have a bowl of porridge or shredded wheat, is it really that bad? and the 'Eatwell Plate' tells you to have lots of starchy carbs, only the db tips I've been reading say to stay away from those types of things, like bread etc., & eat more leafy stuff. Ooer! & B) tests. My surgery gave me a test meter when I was first diagnosed, but now they say not to bother with it, as your levels vary during the day & you're likely to get a different reading each time! I thought that was the whole point!? Anyway, following what I've been reading, I think my diabetes (specialist) nurse needs a serious re-training course!
Many thanks to you all for your replies. It's nice to find some people who are more helpful & friendlier than the health professional, who should know what she is talking about, but doesn't seem to. I was so shocked when she said my diet had nothing to do with my levels, I felt completely helpless! I have only taken one M so far, & this morning my heartbeat is quite a bit faster than usual, so whether that is the M or not, I don't know as I do get this on occasion. I hope that I can get back to controlling my levels by diet alone as my partner, who was recently diagnosed with db, cannot take M as she is a wheelchair user & the tablets had a very violent disagreement with her digestive system! I had let myself slip a bit on the whole diet thing, but that was due to having no symptoms. I didn't realise that my levels were going up continously, now I know, I shall be really hot on diet & portion control etc. Thanks again.
Just a little addendum here, I've been reading some of the help in the links offered by Northerner (Thanks very much) & A) don't think I'm going to find it easy living without so many carbs (I love carbs!) especially my morning cereals. I usually have a bowl of porridge or shredded wheat, is it really that bad? and the 'Eatwell Plate' tells you to have lots of starchy carbs, only the db tips I've been reading say to stay away from those types of things, like bread etc., & eat more leafy stuff. Ooer! & B) tests. My surgery gave me a test meter when I was first diagnosed, but now they say not to bother with it, as your levels vary during the day & you're likely to get a different reading each time! I thought that was the whole point!? Anyway, following what I've been reading, I think my diabetes (specialist) nurse needs a serious re-training course!
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