Hi feeling overwhelmed

[AnnaBeth]

Hi,
Have been watching YouTube this morning trying to learn and not get scared.
There are so many conflicting opinions about Metformin and diet.
I have hypothyroidism, Type II is considered to run in my family by some but I’m not convinced one cousin and one grandparent ticks that box, but may it does. Dad has heart conditions diagnosed before 60 and a variety of autoimmune conditions. My Hypothyroidism diagnosed after my daughters birth.
Blood sugar regulation always difficult for me growing up, unable to skip a meal without getting shaky etc etc or even delay a snack!
Several miscarriages referred me to endocrinologist who put me on Metformin have had A1Cs of 6.1 and above for years but GP unconcerned endocrinologist was fuming that it wasn’t taken seriously.
Put on Metformin - skin plumped immediately, did my research seemed good, dry skin vanished! Didn’t feel hungry as normal but gastric symptoms were awful.
Stopped Metformin tried diet instead but hard to stick to, have done my research and can see how I crave energy/sugar from food making this genuinely hard.
Ended up worried about Metformin effects longer term and many people put me off.
Have a glucose monitor my sugar, this morning was 5.6 but it hasn’t been that low for ages seems to be generally creeping up to 7s.
YouTube this morning making me panic about blood sugar damage so I’m going to get slow release Metformin prescription. I have regular in the house and have just heard the upset stomach can be a good sign of microbiome changing so maybe I should suffer the symptoms?!?!?
Also want to do a Glucose Tolerance test as I think that’ll convince me one way of the other.
Can you tell I’m an over thinker usually stressed! I don’t want to blindly go in the Metformin or not Metformin direction and get stuck but am ending up with info overload and decision paralysis!!!!!
Hence this forum - so thank you for letting me waffle on.
Plan to BG test, do an oral glucose test and get that Metformin back.

 

[Docb]

AnnaBeth, please stop trying to get information from YouTube!!!!!! There might be some stuff on there which might be worth listening to but you will never know which it is until you have some basic knowledge. Don't forget that many of those putting stuff on that platform don't have a lot of scruples. What they are trying to do is to get "views" in the hope that they will get some payment from somewhere for their stuff and they know that promoting half truths in a sensational manner is a very good way of achieving that goal.

Can I suggest you start again and use this forum and the main site to get the basics of diabetes clear in your mind. There are a lot of folk on here with a lot of experience who will help. Diabetes is controllable, it's not as big a problem as some make out and just about everybody gets on top of it when they work it out. Just ask questions on here and you will get an awful lot of good, unbiased help. 😉

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @AnnaBeth

Please do try not to stress yourself out and worry too much, and I agree with @Docb that some sources of information are likely to make that much more difficult.

As regards Metformin, there are some who have significant gastric upset from it which steers the, towards the SR version, and there are some suggestions of B12 challenges with long term use in some people, but it is also understood to have protective beneficial effects on the heart. It is also SO widely used, by so many people for so long, that I think you should take any grave internet panic with a sizable pinch of salt.

Your levels still seem within the ’at risk of diabetes’ range, so I think you could see some very positive results from moderating your carb intake and tweaking your menu to be a bit more BG-friendly.

But do try to keep calm, and not let anxiety run riot 🙂