Metformin vs Insulin

[Wendyg]

Evening all 🙂

As you may know, my Husband was recently diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2. This was due to having Pancreatitis.

We went to see his consultant today and he is very please with the latest CT scan result. Pancreas is healing nicely. Hubby is tolerating food well so all is good .

He was put straight on Insulin for his Diabetes when in hospital - Humulin M3. He was on 10 units in the morning and 10 before evening meal. That is now reduced to 7 units as his readings have been stable, between 5 and 7 mostly, with the very occasional spike of around 10 but only about 4 times since the diagnosis in December.

I was wondering, what is the difference between Metformin and Insulin? Could he switch to the tablets or are they only used in certain cases?

Thank you in advance

Wendy x

 

[Drummer]

If your husband needs insulin to control his blood glucose levels then that is what he must have - metformin is not an alternative treatment.

 

[Ljc]

Metformin helps to make your body more sensitive to the insulin the pancreas makes and also helps stop the liver secreting some extra glucose. In many It also comes with the possibility of keeping the loo roll manufacturers in profit , often this is only temporary, we often not so fondly call it Metfartin on here for its other well known side effect.

In my non medical opinion due to pancreatitis at least for the time being , your husbands pancreas needs the help of the injected insulin so it doesn’t have to work so hard at doing it’s job or rather one of them while it’s trying to heal itself. Also the higher blood glucose levels that may result in stopping insulin atm could slow down the healing process.

It is good to hear that your husbands pancreas is healing well