Hi all, Can someone explain the main purpose of metformin, I’m not on any meds at the moment as I’m in early days of diagnosis and the nurse is hopeful of a diet and exercise method, which I’m all for, (not a big fan of pills), but I’m curious as to how a true A1C is made if you’re on meds to treat type 2, won’t the metformin mask the truth?
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Confused
- Thread starter Grahamf
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trophywench
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- Type 1
It helps your body deal with nutrition better, by reducing insulin resistance and helping prevent the liver from shooting unnecessary stores of glycogen into the blood stream, thus encouraging the body to use body fat for energy, which is healthier to do when you have a problem with getting your body to deal with excess blood glucose.
By all means try and deal with it by D&E, and don't take any drugs until your body needs em - but if you need em you need em and that's that. Some folk can manage OK on D&E, but some can't, for whatever reason. Some need Metdormin or other drugs for a while and then can stop em again. Nobody's future is written in stone!
I mean isn't it a bit like saying that Morphine only masks pain so you can't see the point in that hence should just be left to suffer when you're in agony. Personally I find I get over things a lot quicker if I'm not in pain !
By all means try and deal with it by D&E, and don't take any drugs until your body needs em - but if you need em you need em and that's that. Some folk can manage OK on D&E, but some can't, for whatever reason. Some need Metdormin or other drugs for a while and then can stop em again. Nobody's future is written in stone!
I mean isn't it a bit like saying that Morphine only masks pain so you can't see the point in that hence should just be left to suffer when you're in agony. Personally I find I get over things a lot quicker if I'm not in pain !
Thanks Jenny, it really is a science and a learning curve im getting used to. I agree entirely if your body needs them it needs them, but it was perhaps my naïve thinking that if through D&E you are lucky enough and can control excess blood glucose to near normal levels without meds then so be it, thanks for explaining, appreciated.
Good question. One that I ask regularly.🙄
trophywench
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- Type 1
Graham - it is complicated cos the body does millions of things for us automatically which none of us not medically trained people do not have the slightest clue about, UNTIL one of em malfunctions. It's so ruddy complicated it's a wonder to me that it ever manages to work properly in the first place - now that IS scary!
silentsquirrel
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
The metformin does not mask "the truth", the HbA1c would be your true reading at that time on metformin.
Certainly a good idea to try D & E first, but don't be afraid to try the meds if D & E alone does not work for you.
Certainly a good idea to try D & E first, but don't be afraid to try the meds if D & E alone does not work for you.
Drummer
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
A prescription for Metformin and a statin was what I got from my doctor at diagnosis.
Nothing in the way of advice about diet or how it would be dealt with in the future.
Nothing about possible side effects or problems which could arise.
Luckily I know a bit about diet and how living organisms should work and don't work so I went low carb straight away.
For me Metformin and the statin meant a dreadful few weeks and then a gradual recovery after I threw them in the bin - now I can resist a lot of temptations simply by telling myself that I might have to take Metformin again. For me, there was no 'Metformin effect' improving my Hba1c, as the low carb regime seems perfectly able to restore normal levels all on its own.
Nothing in the way of advice about diet or how it would be dealt with in the future.
Nothing about possible side effects or problems which could arise.
Luckily I know a bit about diet and how living organisms should work and don't work so I went low carb straight away.
For me Metformin and the statin meant a dreadful few weeks and then a gradual recovery after I threw them in the bin - now I can resist a lot of temptations simply by telling myself that I might have to take Metformin again. For me, there was no 'Metformin effect' improving my Hba1c, as the low carb regime seems perfectly able to restore normal levels all on its own.
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