My Diabetes Update

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addy154

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Type 2
Hey all.

3 months ago I got diagnosed with Type2 diabetes.
My Hb1ac was 93 and I weighed 21st6lbs
Was put straight on metformin, taken one in morning and one in evening.

After 3 months of diet and exercise my hb1ac is now 37 and I weigh 18st5lbs. Safe to say my diabetic nurse was very pleased and said I can stop taking medicine and if my next 3 month test come back still below without medicine I'll officially be classed as in remission.

So I'm very happy what I've achieved so far. But I'm curious how next 3months will be without Metformin. She told me I can stop immediately, which I was surprised about as I thought would have to wane of with them for a couple weeks at least.

So the question I ask for anyone is what should I expect coming off the Metformin? Will there be side effects? Can I expect there to be a normal rise in my blood sugar?

Any feed back would be great and also like to say thanks to this forum. I spent a lot of time lurking on the site at the beginning of my diagnosis and it really help me understand and get usefull tips on how take better care of myself.
 
Well done!
I went 83 to 36 in and it was cut from 1000mg to 500mg
I was told I could stop when the next hba1c was also the same, but I decided as I didn't have any side effects I might as well carry on.
hba1c is still 36, so just as an experiment I stopped taking it two weeks ago.
What has happened?
Not a lot.
Average BG over a day is still around 5.7 but I have noticed reduced heart rate and exercise doesn't leave me with aches anymore.
 
Many many congratulations on a brilliant result!! WELL DONE!

As regards your questions, I was on 4 Metformin a day and I stopped them straight away without problems. I am Type 1 and on insulin so I can't make a comment myself about changes in BG as a result. @harbottle has just stopped taking his Metformin and not seen any increase in BG levels as was just posting about it the other day. You will likely need to maintain the dietary changes you have made to sustain that fab HbA1c reduction. How are you managing with that? Do you feel the diet is mostly sustainable long term or have you gone the Newcastle/Fast 800 route and are hoping to revert to a normal diet and just maintain the weight loss?
 
I see @harbottle types slightly quicker than I do... 🙄
 
Yes, I've been using keyboards to write a lot since I was 12, and could type as fast as my Mum (Who was a trained secretary!) when I was a teenager! 🙂

I handed in school work I'd done on a word processor once and the teacher didn't know what to do with it. She'd never been given word processed work before! (This in the early 1980s.)
 
Wow, @addy154 what a fantastic result, well done you must be very pleased with yourself. 🙂
 
rebrascora said:
Many many congratulations on a brilliant result!! WELL DONE!

As regards your questions, I was on 4 Metformin a day and I stopped them straight away without problems. I am Type 1 and on insulin so I can't make a comment myself about changes in BG as a result. @harbottle has just stopped taking his Metformin and not seen any increase in BG levels as was just posting about it the other day. You will likely need to maintain the dietary changes you have made to sustain that fab HbA1c reduction. How are you managing with that? Do you feel the diet is mostly sustainable long term or have you gone the Newcastle/Fast 800 route and are hoping to revert to a normal diet and just maintain the weight loss?
Click to expand...
I did consider the Newcastle diet but it felt bit extreme, and it seemed that people tended to revert back after 3months. For me the biggest change in my diet has been cut out all junk food. I had gone a bit crazy of the last couple years of stuffing myself with crisps and getting takeaways nearly every day.
rebrascora said:
Many many congratulations on a brilliant result!! WELL DONE!

As regards your questions, I was on 4 Metformin a day and I stopped them straight away without problems. I am Type 1 and on insulin so I can't make a comment myself about changes in BG as a result. @harbottle has just stopped taking his Metformin and not seen any increase in BG levels as was just posting about it the other day. You will likely need to maintain the dietary changes you have made to sustain that fab HbA1c reduction. How are you managing with that? Do you feel the diet is mostly sustainable long term or have you gone the Newcastle/Fast 800 route and are hoping to revert to a normal diet and just maintain the weight los
Click to expand...
 
addy154 said:
I did consider the Newcastle diet but it felt bit extreme, and it seemed that people tended to revert back after 3months. For me the biggest change in my diet has been cut out all junk food. I had gone a bit crazy of the last couple years of stuffing myself with crisps and getting takeaways nearly every day.
Click to expand...
I'm really happy with my diet now, I have 3 meals a day and I'm exerting at least 3 times a week. Feel alot healthier and planning on increasing my exercise now.
 
harbottle said:
Well done!
I went 83 to 36 in and it was cut from 1000mg to 500mg
I was told I could stop when the next hba1c was also the same, but I decided as I didn't have any side effects I might as well carry on.
hba1c is still 36, so just as an experiment I stopped taking it two weeks ago.
What has happened?
Not a lot.
Average BG over a day is still around 5.7 but I have noticed reduced heart rate and exercise doesn't leave me with aches anymore.
Click to expand...
That's good to hear. I think I might cut down to one for a couple weeks then come off it. I just got a new prescription like last week so I've got plenty left. Hopefully my BG will stay same. My average is like 5.7 as well.
 
Hi @addy154 - when I got to your HBA1c I came down off 2 x 500mg metformin, then to 1 x 500 mg, and then stopped altogether over the space of a few weeks. I had no side effects nor did I have a rise in BG levels. Well done to you btw.
 
Well done. Good lass. I hope it all works great for you. Your weight loss itself should help. I have to stop the green eyed monster coming out.
Well done 🙂🙂🙂
 
Fantastic! Good luck over the next 3 months.
 
addy154 said:
Hey all.

3 months ago I got diagnosed with Type2 diabetes.
My Hb1ac was 93 and I weighed 21st6lbs
Was put straight on metformin, taken one in morning and one in evening.

After 3 months of diet and exercise my hb1ac is now 37 and I weigh 18st5lbs. Safe to say my diabetic nurse was very pleased and said I can stop taking medicine and if my next 3 month test come back still below without medicine I'll officially be classed as in remission.

So I'm very happy what I've achieved so far. But I'm curious how next 3months will be without Metformin. She told me I can stop immediately, which I was surprised about as I thought would have to wane of with them for a couple weeks at least.

So the question I ask for anyone is what should I expect coming off the Metformin? Will there be side effects? Can I expect there to be a normal rise in my blood sugar?

Any feed back would be great and also like to say thanks to this forum. I spent a lot of time lurking on the site at the beginning of my diagnosis and it really help me understand and get usefull tips on how take better care of myself.
Click to expand...
I’m in the same position as you and Hb1ac is 37 as well. Was told at review just over a week ago to stop taking metformin straight away I surprised too thinking the dose would gradually be reduced. Threw me a bit and any advice would be welcome
 
Well done @addy154 a great achievement.
My story is almost the same as yours 87 to 38.
My DNurse also said to stop Metformin, which I was delighted to do!
My bowels were eternally grateful, took a couple of weeks to get back to normal in the tummy department, but other than that feel great.
Morning fasting result was slightly higher to start with, but has settled now. And I have way more energy so the exercise has increased. Feel better than I have for years.
Next hba1c test in 3 weeks, will see how I’ve done med free. I’d love not to have to take Metformin again.
Keep up the good work
 
Anji53 said:
I’m in the same position as you and Hb1ac is 37 as well. Was told at review just over a week ago to stop taking metformin straight away I surprised too thinking the dose would gradually be reduced. Threw me a bit and any advice would be welcome
Click to expand...

Did you ask if you could do it more gradually as an option?

I’ve never taken Metformin, but my understanding is that it sort of ‘soaks into’ the system over a number of weeks. So I wonder if when you stop taking it (even if all at once) it will gradually taper back down again?

Hopefully some of our ex-Metformin takers will share their experiences.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Did you ask if you could do it more gradually as an option?

I’ve never taken Metformin, but my understanding is that it sort of ‘soaks into’ the system over a number of weeks. So I wonder if when you stop taking it (even if all at once) it will gradually taper back down again?

Hopefully some of our ex-Metformin takers will share their experiences.
Click to expand...
Three months ago when HbA1c dropped from 62 to 34 they reduced dose from 2000 twice a day to 1000 twice a day Then at the end of September although it had gone up slightly to 37 they said stop taking it straight away. I did question it and say couldn’t I halve it again and see in 3 months but was told no. Said I was being over medicated and that was dangerous
 
Anji53 said:
Three months ago when HbA1c dropped from 62 to 34 they reduced dose from 2000 twice a day to 1000 twice a day Then at the end of September although it had gone up slightly to 37 they said stop taking it straight away. I did question it and say couldn’t I halve it again and see in 3 months but was told no. Said I was being over medicated and that was dangerous
Click to expand...
There has recently been some guidelines that people of a more mature age should have a more relaxed level for their HbA1C so they could be just following those guidelines in saying your level is such that you do not need that amount of medication now.
 
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