T1D & Metformin

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This post is essentially the whole reason I joined the forum, I'm not going to lie

I've taken my first metformin tablet this morning.

T1D for 21 years, 'non compliant' for at least 12 of them. Started to turn things around about 3 years ago and was prescribed tresiba when I was at my 'road to damascus' appointment when the weight gain started. DAFNE was going to be the next magic cure, yet I finished the (excellent) course needing more insulin than when I started, and with a prescription for fiasp to see if the spikes would stop. More weight gain. I exercise 4-6 times a week (fairly intensively) and eat a balanced diet. Some thought starting the pump might help cut the insulin requirements, but that is a big fat no, and yet more weight gain.

I have been thinking metformin might help for AGES, and was lucky with the consultant I last saw at the pump clinic who was happy for me to try it. I think to be completely honest, it is ONLY because I am so active so basically I have exhausted all other options yet have creeping insulin requirements and pretty horrific weight gain. I don't think it is going to a magic pill (and I am so scared of the side effects) but I'm happy to report back in a few weeks/months?
 
geekypants said:
This post is essentially the whole reason I joined the forum, I'm not going to lie

I've taken my first metformin tablet this morning.

T1D for 21 years, 'non compliant' for at least 12 of them. Started to turn things around about 3 years ago and was prescribed tresiba when I was at my 'road to damascus' appointment when the weight gain started. DAFNE was going to be the next magic cure, yet I finished the (excellent) course needing more insulin than when I started, and with a prescription for fiasp to see if the spikes would stop. More weight gain. I exercise 4-6 times a week (fairly intensively) and eat a balanced diet. Some thought starting the pump might help cut the insulin requirements, but that is a big fat no, and yet more weight gain.

I have been thinking metformin might help for AGES, and was lucky with the consultant I last saw at the pump clinic who was happy for me to try it. I think to be completely honest, it is ONLY because I am so active so basically I have exhausted all other options yet have creeping insulin requirements and pretty horrific weight gain. I don't think it is going to a magic pill (and I am so scared of the side effects) but I'm happy to report back in a few weeks/months?
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I am not on Insulin, but hope it works for you. Not everyone loses weight on Metformin.
 
grovesy said:
I am not on Insulin, but hope it works for you. Not everyone loses weight on Metformin.
Click to expand...

So true, and I'm very cynical of anything promoting a magical overnight cure. Still, as my control has improved, it has been disheartening to see that creep up. I don't envisage any weight loss as a direct result of metformin, more as a side effect of needing even slightly less insulin. We shall see.
 
Well - as with everything diabetes - YMMV so the only thing to do is try it, as ever. Good luck!

Better usually if you take it WITH food so people using it say, anyway.
 
Hi again. Good luck with the Metformin. I did find it helped a little with appetite suppression and the side effects were manageable and reduced with time but as I turned out to be type 1 after an initial Type 2 assumption, I was taken off them. I am really surprised they were reluctant to try this option with you as they seem to be doled out like Smarties to Type 2s often unnecessarily so you would think they wouldn't blink about trying them for you.

Do you keep a food diary and can you give us an idea of what an average day's food and drink input would look like for you. ie... what you eat and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner on an average day.

What I found with following a very low carb high fat way of eating is that I eat so much less than I used to and I don't feel hungry anymore because the fat takes longer to digest. I enjoy my food but I am not constantly thinking about my next meal or wanting to snack as I did when I ate carbs. It provides slow release energy and much longer lower BG spikes. Once your body gets used to not running on carbs, you don't crave them anymore but it does take some effort and planning to learn what to buy and how to cook it, and also how to bolus for protein/fat, so the first couple of months can be challenging. If your body is becoming resistant to insulin as it seems then eating low carb so that you need less along with the Metformin should help.
 
geekypants said:
T1D for 21 years, 'non compliant' for at least 12 of them. Started to turn things around about 3 years ago and was prescribed tresiba when I was at my 'road to damascus' appointment when the weight gain started. DAFNE was going to be the next magic cure, yet I finished the (excellent) course needing more insulin than when I started, and with a prescription for fiasp to see if the spikes would stop. More weight gain. I exercise 4-6 times a week (fairly intensively) and eat a balanced diet. Some thought starting the pump might help cut the insulin requirements, but that is a big fat no, and yet more weight gain.
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Welcome to the forum @geekypants

Thanks for sharing your story.

I tried Fiasp, and found that I began to become resistant to it after a few weeks, then began to need more and more to achieve the same effect. I don’t know if this is what’s happening for you, or whether you could try switching back to your previous rapid insulin for a while?

Weight gain with insulin seems to be a very individual thing... some people struggle with it far more than others. I’m a few years ahead of you diabetes-wise, but I find my weight is more food-based than insulin-based. If I get hungrier and more ‘snacky’ I put on weight... but so would anyone!

Lots of circulating insulin, alongside high BG seems to promote fat storage (one of insulin’s tasks). But moderate carb intake, and an average ratio of ‘Kg of weight : units of insulin’ intake keeps my weight stable (and not far off what it was when I was in my 20s at diagnosis). For me that ends up being about 150-170g of carbs a day, with a balanced amount of good fats and protein etc.

Hope the Metformin works well for you if you end up trying it 🙂
 
I hope I never achieve the weight I was on diagnosis though Mike, even though I was skinny with what I'd lost before that day! - it was too skinny!
 
trophywench said:
I hope I never achieve the weight I was on diagnosis though Mike, even though I was skinny with what I'd lost before that day! - it was too skinny!
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Haha! Yes I meant around that time, not immediately at diagnosis. I’d lost about 20% of my body weight at that point and didnt have much to lose tbh!
 
Exactly Mike, I was quite miffed when I quickly replaced it but there again even though I just looked exactly the same as I always had prior to the downward dive everyone else said Phew - that's better! LOL
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @geekypants

Thanks for sharing your story.

I tried Fiasp, and found that I began to become resistant to it after a few weeks, then began to need more and more to achieve the same effect. I don’t know if this is what’s happening for you, or whether you could try switching back to your previous rapid insulin for a while?

Weight gain with insulin seems to be a very individual thing... some people struggle with it far more than others. I’m a few years ahead of you diabetes-wise, but I find my weight is more food-based than insulin-based. If I get hungrier and more ‘snacky’ I put on weight... but so would anyone!

Lots of circulating insulin, alongside high BG seems to promote fat storage (one of insulin’s tasks). But moderate carb intake, and an average ratio of ‘Kg of weight : units of insulin’ intake keeps my weight stable (and not far off what it was when I was in my 20s at diagnosis). For me that ends up being about 150-170g of carbs a day, with a balanced amount of good fats and protein etc.

Hope the Metformin works well for you if you end up trying it 🙂
Click to expand...

I really really really am not lying when I say I've tried EVERYTHING, LOLz; going back to novorapid, trying low carb (when left to my own devices, I'm fairly moderate carb on a average day). I exercise most days, a solid mix of cardio and weight training, and generally stick to three meals a day. I am so happy to be the exception to the rule, I do think for most people sorting out the above massively helps. For now, this is the only alternative for me.

A week in and no terrible side effects except paranoia that I might have them. I can see quite a dramatic change in insulin:carb ratios at certain times of day already, and I'm only on a low dose. We shall see.

And thanks for the friendly welcome, it is so good to hear everybody else's stories!
 
Three weeks week, TDD of insulin has gone done from ~80 units a day to ~40. I do find I'm eating fewer carbs because I'm eating all my meals at home at the minute, so I reckon a third of the insulin taken.

No terrible side effects. I tried upping the dose but this just meant complete appetite loss, so I'm sticking with what I've got for now, it seems to be a good compromise between insulin reduction and side effects.

I don't have scales so don't know about weight. Need to do 'proper' basal testing to see what needs to change there (I was having loads of hypos so just did a fairly aggressive cut back across the board). Am also quite aware that the stress and change in daily activity of late will be affecting BS overall (although I am still doing 10k steps a day and getting 1 home workout in every other day).

The absolute best part is the lack of spikes, it's quite magical. Yesterday I was 99% TIR on libre, the day before with an Indian takeaway high and an unexpected hypo I was still 83% in range.

Obviously I am only one person, and the plural of anecdote is not data, but for now I am loving metformin life.
 
But grovesey - you are T2, not T1. It has different effects - but anyway Metformin was originally marketed as a weight loss drug. Anecdotally doctors noticed that the overweight diabetics they'd prescribed it to, had improved blood glucose results - and bob's your uncle.
 
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