Hypo and metformin with Type 2

[SomethingElse]

Hi all.

Diagnosed last week, given metformin, started it today (was out of country). One a day, slow release, took it at 9am with breakfast.

Been using a Libre 2 today to test my tolerance to foods. My A1C result was 96 last week.

My numbers aren't where they need to be yet given it's only a week, but I'm eating lower carb and now also seeing how my body reacts to things. This morning I had a fat piece of bread with my yogurt and went from 8.5 (woke up on this) to 10 an hour later, then down to 8.9 and lower another 20 minutes later. I had a pack of ready to wok wholewheat noodles with lunch and went from 6.1 to 8.7. Neither of these spikes, 1.5 and 2.6, seem horrifically bad but I'm a newbie so maybe I'm wrong.

Immediately after those noodles at 1.30pm and other food at lunch I took the dog for a very brisk half hour walk. I went from 7.6 to 4.3 in 15 minutes, further going down to 3.9 before eating a banana. As I type this at 3pm I'm on 7.4.

I'm not sure the metformin has had a chance to get into my system, but is it possible to hypo on metformin if it has? I'd say the Libre 2 is playing up, but I did feel a little faint when I got down to 4 and slightly below.

 

[helli]

A few things to bear in mind
- Libre has limitations. One of these is that it may not be very accurate (I find it to be a random number generator) on the first day or two after application. This is why many of us will wait 24 to 48 hours before activating.
- Another limitation is that it is most accurate at "normal levels" and may over report when high and underestimate when near 4 or below. This why it is recommended to check highs and lows with finger pricks.
- for someone not treated with insulin or glycacide (sp?) a hypo is considered to be under 3.5. The higher level is put on those of use with insulin because we are more at risk.
- Our bodies are amazing things. They can get used to different "normal" levels. As a result, when we start to treat our high levels with exercise and change of diet, our body is suddenly seeing lower levels that it is not familiar with. This may feel like a hypo but is actually a "false hypo". I appreciate it can feel as scary as a "real" hypo but it is not as dangerous (our brain needs 2.8mmol/l to work).

It looks as if you have things going in the right direction. Take care not to correct things too quickly, When our bodies are used to the higher levels, lowering them too quickly can result in neuropathy and problems with eye sight. Therefore, it is advised to slowly adapt your diet rather than going sudden cold turkey. Like most things diabetes related, we all react differently so there will be some on this forum who successfully reduced their levels quickly we no issues but that does not mean there is no risk for others.

Back to your question about whether your Libre is playing up, I would suggest giving it time to bed in before drawing any conclusions.
I would also say it is frustrating that manufacturers of CGMs do not share these limitations.

 

[SomethingElse]

A few things to bear in mind

- Libre has limitations. One of these is that it may not be very accurate (I find it to be a random number generator) on the first day or two after application. This is why many of us will wait 24 to 48 hours before activating.
- Another limitation is that it is most accurate at "normal levels" and may over report when high and underestimate when near 4 or below. This why it is recommended to check highs and lows with finger pricks.
- for someone not treated with insulin or glycacide (sp?) a hypo is considered to be under 3.5. The higher level is put on those of use with insulin because we are more at risk.
- Our bodies are amazing things. They can get used to different "normal" levels. As a result, when we start to treat our high levels with exercise and change of diet, our body is suddenly seeing lower levels that it is not familiar with. This may feel like a hypo but is actually a "false hypo". I appreciate it can feel as scary as a "real" hypo but it is not as dangerous (our brain needs 2.8mmol/l to work).

It looks as if you have things going in the right direction. Take care not to correct things too quickly, When our bodies are used to the higher levels, lowering them too quickly can result in neuropathy and problems with eye sight. Therefore, it is advised to slowly adapt your diet rather than going sudden cold turkey. Like most things diabetes related, we all react differently so there will be some on this forum who successfully reduced their levels quickly we no issues but that does not mean there is no risk for others.

Back to your question about whether your Libre is playing up, I would suggest giving it time to bed in before drawing any conclusions.
I would also say it is frustrating that manufacturers of CGMs do not share these limitations.

Thanks @helli. I'm probably throwing myself too quickly into it all. I'm someone who likes being in control, so this diagnosis has shocked me and I'm maybe jumping in at the deep end too quickly.

I'm eating around 130g carbs a day and exercising a bit more (brisk walks at first, false hypo theory noted!) so hopefully not too nuts. I honestly must have been eating 250g to 300g carbs before. Always thought being veggie made me able to.

 

[Leadinglights]

A

Thanks @helli. I'm probably throwing myself too quickly into it all. I'm someone who likes being in control, so this diagnosis has shocked me and I'm maybe jumping in at the deep end too quickly.

I'm eating around 130g carbs a day and exercising a bit more (brisk walks at first, false hypo theory noted!) so hopefully not too nuts. I honestly must have been eating 250g to 300g carbs before. Always thought being veggie made me able to.

As you have a estimate of what you were having you know where your starting point is and is is suggested that reducing your carbs over a few weeks will be kinder on your body, so by a third for a couple of weeks, then another third until you get to where you need to be.
Metformin has more long term effects rather than acting directly on the food you eat.