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Hangs in Hba1c with metformin

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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Ken Jacques

New Member
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Type 2
I have recently started metformin at 1000mh per day. My last Hba1c was 63. What reduction can I expect over the next 3 months?
 
It is all going to depend on what dietary changes you have made as well, oral medications work alongside reduction in carbohydrate intake. They are not a magic bullet that miraculously removes carbs from the foods you eat. Everybody is different in how their body responds to the changes you make.
 
Leadinglights said:
It is all going to depend on what dietary changes you have made as well, oral medications work alongside reduction in carbohydrate intake. They are not a magic bullet that miraculously removes carbs from the foods you eat. Everybody is different in how their body responds to the changes you make.
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Ok so if I make a reasonable effort to follow a reduced carb diet is there an average I can aim for.
 
Ken Jacques said:
Ok so if I make a reasonable effort to follow a reduced carb diet is there an average I can aim for.
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If you were to take the experience of 100 people they will probably all be different.
I do not take medication, I got my HbA1C down from 50mmol/mol to 42mmol/mol in three months, by doing 70g carb per day.
There is no straightforward answer.
 
Yes I got fro 72 to 39 but literally cutting out every carb I could without metformin, but it was misery. I’ve let things go admittedly but I’ve resisted metformin for about 8 years until about 5 weeks ago. I hate the nausea, gastric upsets, diarrhoea etc. that’s why I’m trying to weigh the benefits or just return to 25g a day carbs.
 
Ken Jacques said:
Yes I got fro 72 to 39 but literally cutting out every carb I could without metformin, but it was misery. I’ve let things go admittedly but I’ve resisted metformin for about 8 years until about 5 weeks ago. I hate the nausea, gastric upsets, diarrhoea etc. that’s why I’m trying to weigh the benefits or just return to 25g a day carbs.
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Do you have a home blood glucose monitor as that would allow you some better food choices without possibly needing to be as extreme as 25g per day as there may be particular foods which cause more problem than others.
If the metformin is causing you such discomfort then if not the slow release version then ask for that. Taking the metformin mid meal is supposed to be better.
 
I do have one but the sticks are very expensive. I already take slow release mid meal in the evening.
Probably time to talk to our clinical pharmacist to seek alternatives
 
Ken Jacques said:
I do have one but the sticks are very expensive. I already take slow release mid meal in the evening.
Probably time to talk to our clinical pharmacist to seek alternatives
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The GlucoNavil is a monitor that many people find satisfactory as the strips are the cheapest around at £13 for 100, the monitor is about £10, so you would soon recoup the cost of a new monitor. Establishing a good testing regime to give to useful information would pay off in the end and keep you on track.
 
I used the glucose monitor for a few weeks when first diagnosed, to identify the foods which most affected me. Since then I have used it when trying new foods and try and stick to foods that don't affect me. For example, I can take a small slice of wholemeal bread or 2 new potatoes, but pasta and rice are lethal for me so I use alternatives, like cauliflower. And I can't take apples or oranges, but berries in small portions are OK. I experimented with carb levels, and settled around 90gm a day. I found even slow release Metformin had side effects, and was placed on Canagliflozin, with just one Metformin tablet. I initially got my HbA1c down from 57 to 48, then became ill, and my HbA1c shot up. It's work in progress but my levels have now dropped from 88 to 60, without making myself miserable.
 
Thank you. Again sound advice. I guess a lot depends on what food and levels of activity but trial and error seems the order of the day
 
Ken Jacques said:
Thanks to all who responded to my first post. I’ve no idea how to close it!!
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Welcome to the forum @Ken Jacques

Hope your experience with Met settles down over the weeks, some members find their gastric upheaval improves with time, particularly if they take their tablets during a fairly substantial meal.

No need to close your thread, it will just drop away down the boards as new threads are created in front of it 🙂
 
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