New T2 Glucophage, metformin for weightloss???

[susique333]

Hello folks, Im 50 yr old Susan:hello: , recently rediagnosed as T2. I had 3 diabetic pregnancies 10,12,14 yrs ago complete with insulin for all 3. :frown: Would revert back to "normal" after each pregnancy...but age eventually caught up with me! My GP wants to put me on Metformin for my Dawn phenomena (180s even with a LOW carb diet of under 30 carbs) but also she says it assists with weightloss. I would like to hear from anyone who had success with this. My other Q is, Glucophage or Metformin? Ive heard horror stories of folks who are given different manufactures of the generics and their difficulty in keeping their BS stable. Thanks in advance!:o

[mho357]

Hello Susique and welcome to the forum.

I'm not on any meds for D right now so I can't answer your questions. However, I'm sure that you will find plenty of folks here who can.

Mark

[BlueSky]

I have heard of doctors reporting better results with patients using the branded Glucophage than generic metformin. But it isn't always the case. I think you need to try it out for yourself. I found that metformin helped with the DP. But I was able to chieve the same effect with insulin, which I was using anyway.

[MJB]

Hi. I'm on 500mg metformin daily, down from 1000 daily and 30mg Actos daily when first diagnosed a little over a year ago.

I was able to drop 15lbs quickly though I also changed diet and exercise patterns drastically so I can't say how much the metformin helped with weight loss.

Don't fear it, the most highly prescribed T2 medication with a great track record. It takes some people a little while to get used to, gastrointestinally speaking.

I'm not sure that's a word. :D

[sugardumplin]

hello, i am on metformin and i dont see that it helps with weightloss. i heard byetta does. when i was initialy diagnosed, i lost 20 pounds. but it was from all the water i was drinking. the cycle was endless. now i am on metformin 1500 mg a day and insulin. and my weight has stayed the same. but im not eating all that junk food anymore. good luck.

[davef]

Hi,

I was diagnosed T2 at the end of November. I am "a big guy", when diagnosed I was 339 pounds and ALWAYS hungry. I could eat a full dinner, laden with carbs and be hungry an hour later.

I'm on Glucophage (metformin) 500mg twice a day and since starting on it I have not felt hungry at all. I eat my meals but if I'm late having dinner it doesn't bother, before starting the Glucophage I would have been really hungry.

I did mention this here on DF and to my Doctor, it seems that with some people Glucophage can suppress your appetite and I think I'm lucky that this is the case for me. So far I have lost 16.5 pounds.

Just to be clear though, I have been watching my Carbs and intake and exercising, so for me the Glucophage has helped by taking away the hunger, the weight loss is down to diet and exercise.

[EasyType2]

Hi Susan.

I've taken metformin now for some 18 years, and have seen no effect at all on weight. I weigh almost exactly the same now as I did then.

I've taken both types of metformin - the "brand name" and assorted generics - and have noted no differences.

[princesslinda]

Hi Susan, welcome! I was put on metformin 500 mg twice daily at diagnosis. With a low-carb diet, exercise and metformin, I did have some weight loss, esp. at first as my eating habits changed dramatically and I stopped being so sedentary. Now, i'm at the point where i'm maintaining unless I really "step-up" the exercise. I'm now off metformin, taking Byetta twice daily to help with weight loss....it certainly does make you feel satieted more quickly.

While on the metformin, I had no problems with blood sugar control.

My doctor told me that on metformin, the risk of going low is rare if you eat regularly. I had a couple of low blood sugars on it, but these were MY fault, as I skipped a meal and then over-exercised. In my opinion, it is a good medicine, often given as a first-line treatment for the newly diagnosed.

It can take up to 3 weeks to see optimal results, and the results are much better when you add lower carb diet and regular exercise.

[kgm0612]

Hi Susan and Welcome!

I'm a type 1 pumper and a 5-year Metformin user. My endo says studies show a combination of the two helps to maintain weight. It has worked for me all these years.

Karen

[davef]

It can take up to 3 weeks to see optimal results, and the results are much better when you add lower carb diet and regular exercise.

Susan,

I forgot to mention about the time it took for the Glucophage/Metformin to kick in. As Linda said, it took about 2-3 weeks for me to start seeing better BG levels, I was worried that after a week that my numbers had only dropped slightly and mentioned here on DF, where the great people reassured me that it was normal for it to take a 2-3 weeks.

[susique333]

Thank you everyone! Excellent answers and it helps so much. :)

David, I know the hunger thing. My night eating syndrome is out of control, never had it before, of course its all low carb stuff but too much of it. :mad: Dr. Bernstein says if you 'stuff' yourself, it doesnt matter if its bread or sawdust, your insulin (in T2s) WILL rise causing that hunger cycle. Im praying the meds help.
Linda, Im curious about Byetta, is the action the same as for metformin/gluc? Its injectable, yes? Im keeping that one in the back of my mind in the event the metformin disagrees with my stomach too much. Im kind of a queezy sorta gal, Im praying Im one who has no trouble with it. I want to visit the Dr. informed as best as I can be. Im like so many folks I read on here, hate to be diagnosed and then put on meds without knowing what the heck theyre giving me. Can ya tell Im Irish? LOL :T

[princesslinda]

Metformin works by helping your body better utilize the insulin you are making. As a type II, we are often insulin resistant. We still produce insulin, some of us produce A LOT...but our cells can't properly absorb it....this sends signals to our brain that the cells aren't being nourished, we get hungry, eat, produce more insulin that we can use, get hungry, eat....and so on, a vicious cycle. Often women who are not diabetic, who have "metabolic syndrome" or "PCOS," take metformin to help with the insulin resistance.

The hunger you're experiencing may be a direct result of insulin resistance. I know that my extreme hunger did resolve (for the most part) on the metformin.

Byetta, on the other hand, gives a feeling of early satiety....you eat less, and many lose weight for this reason. It is an injection, twice daily in the stomach or thigh. Byetta is generally given when metformin (or some other medicine) alone is not enough to keep levels down. I'm quite overweight, so I wanted to try it for the weight loss effects, as I seem to have hit quite a plateau. It is certainly not without side effects. I had EXTREME nausea the first 10 days or so, so much that I almost decided to stop taking it. Finally, it resolved. I haven't lost that much more weight with it....actually, I find I can eat more carbs as it keeps the post meal #s down, so I have to be MUCH more diligent about what I eat, or i'd probably cheat more.

[moorejames]

I lost 30 add'l pounds or so when I started metformin over about 6 months, but frankly it was because my stomach was cramped all the time and I was nauseous 24/7.

I dropped my dose until I felt human again and once my appetite came back, I gained a lot of that weight back.

Still, I'd say the metformin has helped with controlling my weight to a degree beyond the too sick to eat factor.

[susique333]

Thank you all again. James, this seems to be a common theme, that nausea with the Metformin. Ive got my fingers crossed Im going to do ok on it.

[moorejames]

Thank you all again. James, this seems to be a common theme, that nausea with the Metformin. Ive got my fingers crossed Im going to do ok on it.

I was fine with it when I first started taking 500mg. Still OK when they increased it to 1000mg. When my endo doubled it again to 2000mg, I had nothing but problems for 6 months.

I cut myself back to 1000 mg until things settled backed down. My endo switched me to Glumetza (an extended release version) and increased the dose back up to 1,500mg/day.

This seems to be working well. I'm tolerating it well, and my last A1c was 5.4.

If you have issues, talk to the doc about some of the various extended release versions out there and keep trying different versions/doses until you find something that works for you that you can live with.

Here's hoping you don't have any issues from the get go....

[DCaplinger]

Welcome to the forums. I too am on Metformin, however I've only been on it for 2 weeks, so I don't know if the weight I've gained is because of this, or because of my smoking cessation.

Regards,

[Isometric]

I was placed on Glucophage at diagnosis, and I ended up losing about 30 pounds over the next six months, but I didn't really exercise all that much (just being honest). I switched to metformin once the samples of glucophage ran out, and I did notice a slight rise in my averages around that time, but I can't state to a certainty that the generic drug was the cause. I also noticed that my appetite was dampened when I was on it that first time - and I say first time because I had some pretty bad GI trouble with it on and off for a couple of years, which led to me giving up on metformin altogether. I'm back on it now, at a higher dose, and don't seem to be experiencing the same trouble. I no longer experience the reduced appetite, either, but that is probably because I'm also taking insulin. I wouldn't worry too much about being one of the people that has their guts tied in knots with this drug - it really is one of the best tolerated medications available for D. Even if you experience some mild GI discomfort at first, I'd stick it out until you've given it a good few months. You've got to keep hydrated while you're on it, and that by itself will give you a great shot at not having any side effects. Good luck!

[susique333]

Hello and thanks to all who answered my Qs. Ive been reading so much on all of this forum and I see that most of the people see fairly well read on this disease and post quite helpful info! I "searched" for Metformin and sound oddles too :T !