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Reducing Meds - Good or Not ?

G

garymj

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I was diagnosed Type 2 in March 2025 and put onto 3 Metformins per day. (Blood sugar was 92)
I decided to work really hard to reduce weight and change lifestyle.
I've managed to lose 2stone and my blood sugar test 4th July was 44 .
I asked about reducing numbers of tablets but the nurse wanted me to continue on 3 metformin and do a next review in Jan 2026.
Is this normal ? Am I focusing too much on getting off the Metformin ?
 
garymj said:
I was diagnosed Type 2 in March 2025 and put onto 3 Metformins per day. (Blood sugar was 92)
I decided to work really hard to reduce weight and change lifestyle.
I've managed to lose 2stone and my blood sugar test 4th July was 44 .
I asked about reducing numbers of tablets but the nurse wanted me to continue on 3 metformin and do a next review in Jan 2026.
Is this normal ? Am I focusing too much on getting off the Metformin ?
Click to expand...
Well done on bringing your levels down. I suspect the nurse might want you to continue until you've got yourself back into normal range, as your 44 is in the pre-diabetic range. As a general rule it's unwise to reduce or stop medication without the approval of your GP or DN.

As for your question, once I'd learned about remission I was hell-bent on getting back into normal range and coming off meds and managed to do so, although it took me 5 months, but it was my DN who told me I could stop the Metformin.
 
Cheers Martin, I agree that I'm still diabetic but I just felt that 1500mg of Metformin seemed high dosage for 44 blood sugar level - plus come back in six months.
Well done on your acheivment
 
Metformin has been shown to have some positive health benefits in addition to the well-known diabetes effects.

If you are tolerating it well, it might be worth asking your Dr about any other possible benefits which Metformin might offer you?

I suppose as a T1 I am ‘set free’ from any temptation to want to manage my diabetes without medication, from the very beginning it was always going to be insulin for ever.

What attraction does reducing the tablets have for you?
 
Metformin can have long term negative effects too like preventing your body from absorbing vitamin B12 which can have an impact on your nerve health. In my opinion, if you don't need tablets for the purpose they are prescribed, then I would not continue to take them for some other vague benefit.
 
garymj said:
I was diagnosed Type 2 in March 2025 and put onto 3 Metformins per day. (Blood sugar was 92)
I decided to work really hard to reduce weight and change lifestyle.
I've managed to lose 2stone and my blood sugar test 4th July was 44 .
I asked about reducing numbers of tablets but the nurse wanted me to continue on 3 metformin and do a next review in Jan 2026.
Is this normal ? Am I focusing too much on getting off the Metformin ?
Click to expand...
If you’re still at 44 then I’d stay on the metformin. Whilst 44 is a great improvement it’s still above normal range.
 
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