Insulin and stopping glucophage when ill - anyone any experience

[margie]

Ok so I am struggling a little with stabalising my BMS.

When I was at clinic in November the Dr told me that if I was ill I should stop taking the glucophage until things returned to normal. So on Thursday I did just that. I am having such a hard time getting things on an even keel.

I have been taking extra correction doses and have been amending meal doses following on from that. Now normally when you are ill you are told to leave the basal and just do this extra correcting.

However I was wondering whether some of the problems I have been experiencing (very high morning levels) are that I need to increase the basal to take into account that the glucophage is not there.

I have sent a couple of e-mails to the DSN - so hope she will get back some time today.

I was wondering if anyone else had any experience of doing this and if they had received any advice.

 

[margie]

Still not heard from DSN ....

I did find out though the reason I was advised to stop taking the tablets if ill, is that its dangerous to take them if you have a condition that can make the blood acidic, so as I have that risk I should stop.

I am not sure how many people are aware of this. It had never been mentioned before. That Dr though was one of the better ones I had seen, she actually asked questions to see if I understood things.

 

[sofaraway]

Metformin can cause lactic acidosis in some people so that is why it is often stopped in illness, just to reduce that risk.

It makes sense that you will be having higher levels, firstly from the illness and then from the reduced insulin sensitivity as you are not taking the metformin. Correction doses are important to get on top of things. I think that you do need to consider increasing your basal dose for the period of illness, but you need to discuss that with your DSN. Which does seem a problem, can you phone up and see if they are avaliable?

 

[margie]

Thanks - I didn't even think about the effect stopping would have on my basal levels till today. I must at least be thinking a bit more clearly.

I have seen a couple of Drs in the last week and neither said that I should do anything. If the Dr at clinic hadn't said anything I would have been none the wiser. It was only a couple of days in that I thought hang on ....

I will call the number of the nurses after lunch if I have no response. and ask should she be ill, could one of the other nurses call. They only check the answerphone a couple of times a day.

Oh she had seen my other messages but didn't think they necessitated her getting back to me or even acknowledging them. I discovered this last Wed when I actually managed to talk to her.

 

[sofaraway]

That doesn't seem very good, she could have sent back saying she had received them and would discuss things at clinic or something like that.
I hope you manage to get in contact with them today.

 

[margie]

I have left a message and asked that one of the other nurses call if she is ill. The answerphone makes me laugh(not really). Its emptied at 10 in the morning and they say if you haven't heard in 14 hours to call again. In an emergency call NHS Direct or GP. Knowing my GPs I would more than likely be told to contact the nurses - I am sure they think you have more instant access than you do.