I know this has been spoken about a lot so apologies (I have searched through previous posts…I’m newly diagnosed type 2 HBA1C is 55 and the diabetic team have suggested I go on to slow release Metformin but I’m very hesitant and think I want to try diet changes and exercise for 3 months first but no idea if that’s the right decision. I feel if I go straight on to meds I won’t know if the diet/exercise is helping enough on its own when I have another blood check in 3 months. The side effects of the drugs sound awful if they affect me and I understand you also need to tell the DVLA you have diabetes if you start meds. Any thoughts gratefully received!
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Diet/Metformin
- Thread starter Emylou46
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timehastoldme
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You can knock that 55 into the non diabetic zone with diet and exercise if you're determined enough, many have! I'm hoping I have, waiting on the next blood test to confirm. Good luck ☺️
Thank you! I think I feel that if I go straight on to meds I won’t know if it’s those or the changes I make to diet and exercise that have helped. Such a hard decision but gut is saying try without.
saffron15
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I wasn't given the choice or perhaps fairer I was upset and thought drugs inevitable. My reading was 69 and I am retired. I'm still on medication. If you can be positive and organised, giving you three months to turn things around is good for you and the surgery. You then need to decide if you go for low calorie remission diet ( look at the threads) or go through your own diet and work out how to make it diabetes friendly eg portion size of carbs fewer starch heavy veg and replacement eg pasta by edamame noodles or courgette pieces or cabbage pieces. Try and move more eg brisk walk after eating maybe an aquafit class. You don't have to cut everything 'bad' You may want to invest in a BG meter to check how your body reacts to food stuffs. Keep a food diary.
I was put on metformin which increased to 4. It bunged me up at first then by 4 I had intermittent diarrhea. The following week it was reduced to 2 and I had no side effects at that level. I'm now on one. I am on SR slow release.
Of course you could keep quiet and not take the pills but it is better to show you have thought things through. You will probably be given another hba1c test in three months. I was and had dropped from 69 to 51.
As you have been diagnosed as diabetic you will have the routine of a foot and eye check.
Good luck
I was put on metformin which increased to 4. It bunged me up at first then by 4 I had intermittent diarrhea. The following week it was reduced to 2 and I had no side effects at that level. I'm now on one. I am on SR slow release.
Of course you could keep quiet and not take the pills but it is better to show you have thought things through. You will probably be given another hba1c test in three months. I was and had dropped from 69 to 51.
As you have been diagnosed as diabetic you will have the routine of a foot and eye check.
Good luck
From reading the threads on the forum over the years, I do not believe there is a definitive "YOU can do it".
We are all different from our lifestyles, our mental make up, other medical conditions and how fickle diabetes is.
Many people successfully reduce their HBA1c through diet but they will say it is a lifestyle change not a short term thing.
If I was in your position, I woudl certainly give it a go but I would not beat myself up if I needed drugs.
We are all different from our lifestyles, our mental make up, other medical conditions and how fickle diabetes is.
Many people successfully reduce their HBA1c through diet but they will say it is a lifestyle change not a short term thing.
If I was in your position, I woudl certainly give it a go but I would not beat myself up if I needed drugs.
Martin.A
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- In remission from Type 2
Depends on the meds:-
Lifestyle changes around diet, exercise and (if necessary) losing weight are often enough to turn things around if your HbA1c is not too far into diabetes territory. Some have done so from much higher levels than yours.
Leadinglights
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Personal opinion is that with an HbA1C of 55mmol/mol that if you are committed to making dietary changes and trying to get more exercise then giving it a shot for 3 months would be a sensible option, you would need to make those changes anyway even if you started metformin.
If your HbA1C was a lot higher then that might be a different story and your GP would be following NICE guidelines in offering metformin.
At the end of the day it is your choice whether to take them.
If your HbA1C was a lot higher then that might be a different story and your GP would be following NICE guidelines in offering metformin.
At the end of the day it is your choice whether to take them.
They’ve not mentioned eyes or feet checks, just another blood test in 3 months.
Ditto
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They gave me a heap of Metformin but can't bring myself to take them. Fed-up of all the drugs. My diet is horrendous though, so I have to get a grip. Good luck with your effort, I'm sure you'll do great with diet alone, give it a whirl anyways before starting the drugs I think.
Leadinglights
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The eye retinal screening will normally be done by a screening service, depending on where you live it may be done by an Optician like Specsavers or a mobile unit somewhere or as mine was at a local ADSA in set aside rooms. So you should be referred for that. Feet checks would be done at your GP surgery by a nurse who would usually do weight, blood pressure etc.
Depending on how your GP surgery works, this may be performed or arranged by the practice or local diabetic nurse. In my case, the GP arranged for me to see the nurse who did the foot checks themself and then referred me on to the retinal screening service. I’d be inclined to speak to your surgery to see if an appointment with the nurse is in the works and, if not, how to get one booked. The retinal screening may then be arranged as a result of that appointment.
When I was first diagnosed last yearI was prescribed Metformin and advised to eat what you normally eat. I went home thinking his can’t be right, how can eating the same food be good for me. I did some research and decided to remove carbs wherever possible and I’m so glad that I did.
Metformin along with over 3st. have both now gone.
Good luck to everyone with their endeavours and I hope you find something that works for you.
27 June 2025 - 36 mmol/mol
10 January 2025 -43 mmol/mol
16 September 2024 -62 mmol/mol
28 August 2024 - 65 mmol/mol
Metformin along with over 3st. have both now gone.
Good luck to everyone with their endeavours and I hope you find something that works for you.
27 June 2025 - 36 mmol/mol
10 January 2025 -43 mmol/mol
16 September 2024 -62 mmol/mol
28 August 2024 - 65 mmol/mol
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Leadinglights
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Very well done, good job you ignored that bad advice. I suspect that is what is told to many people which is why they struggle and their condition never improves or gets worse.
I was prescribed metformin. My HbA1C was through the roof. The metformin and diet/exercise saw me reduce to reasonable. I never had any side effects with metformin and so it never worried me. I did report the diabetes to DVLA but I'm not sure that I would now as the rules changed. Informing the DVLA only resulted in a letter saying thanks for informing us, let us know if anything changes. So, all in all, no big deal (that was after I had got over the initial upset at the diagnosis). That having been said, if you can reduce the HbA1C down by diet and exercise, go for it. If you can avoid the drugs that is all to the good but, if you still need drugs now or in the future, you have not lost any battle nor have you failed in any respect, you simply need to adjust tactics to deal with your diabetes.
That is what the World Health Organisation advise all doctors recommend to their patients; Metformin to be prescribed only if targets missed. That applies to anyone with HbA1c at diagnosis up to double yours.
Your obvious target is to get your HbA1c down from 55 to under 48 in three months. Here is some good initial dietary advice from two GPs who take T2 remission without unnecessary drugs seriously: Dr David Unwin and Dr Kim Andrews.
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