[tcpandi]

Hi..
I have been reading all the posts to me and to others... it's all very helpful.. but I have a couple questions...
I'm working very hard at trying to control my BG without meds... but... I seem to be quite consistent with my night time levels.. and frankly they are too high. The lowest I've managed to get a bedtime level is 139, but the average is around 170... and the lowest I've managed to have my wake up level is 162 (the morning after my 139 bedtime level). My average wake up is around 170-180.

I am starting to see a pattern of 'normal' readings for my before lunch, 2hrs after lunch and before dinner readings... they are 140 or below.. I've gotten as low as 102.

I've taken in all the advice about taking the meds...and I've been considering it... honest... but it still scares me.. in particularly the side effect of lactic acidosis.
My doctor has prescribed me 500mg 2 times a day... I'm curious.. does anyone just take 1 dose a day of the metformin?? I'm wondering, if I just took it at night, after dinner.. if that would help...??
Any thoughts?? Has anyone tried this??

Thanks again everyone..
Traci

[MJB]

Hi Traci.

Lactic acidosis is quite rare, ask your doctor if he thinks you are at risk.

I understand being scared about the side effects of medicine. But you also need to understand the dangers of high BG levels and their direct connection to various complications of diabetes. Going blind, losing limbs, kidney failure etc. are all pretty scary too!

What other people do, how they medicate, and what their results are unfortunately can't be used as a yardstick as to how well they would work for you. We are all different.

Please get your BG levels down. There are millions of type 2 diabetics taking metformin.

You should have a serious talk with your doctor about all of this. If he doesn't have time for you then you need a new doctor.

[bsr2002]

Yes, ask your doctor. Mine allows me to take my 1500mg in the morning.

[ladytaz]

I take, and have been taking 2000mg of Metformin a day (1000mg 2x daily) for a year and a half now. I've never had any problem with lactic acidosis, ever! Infact, I've never personally heard of anyone having that problem with it!If you need the meds, please don't fret ... know that Metformin is one of the oldest (and probably safest) anti-diabetic drugs on the market! Been around for a LONG time now! So, if you find you can't do it on your own, please consider the meds!

[sweetcheeks]

i take 1 tablet of 500 mg a day

and it works just fine for me
.... it also takes about 2 / 3 weeks to kick in really good...

dont be alarmed with the lactic acidosis... very very very few people get it... and id say youd have a better chance of getting struck by lightning lol


its one of the best and oldest meds for diabetes on the market... so if your reading are not good... which according to this post... they really really need to be lower...


my fasting numbers are anywhere from 95 -110 and my before meals numbers are generally around 80 - 90's, after meals generally around or under 120.... its not good for me,,, but i can even splurge on things i like to eat occasionally without it affecting me

[paulT2]

I take 1 x 500 mg Metformin (with breakfast) daily. It seems to work for me. We are all different but you should consider taking the Metformin.

I hope to get my BGLs to a consistently normal level. I'm making great strides in achieving that through sensible diet, regular exercise and yes, Metformin.

My doctor is pleased with my progress to date and has even suggested that if I can get (and maintain) my A1C below 6.0, I might be able to stop taking the meds.

With your current BGLs you are not really doing as well as you could be. I don't know if taking the Metformin would help but its worth considering.

I hate taking pills but the potential consequences from poor BGL control seem worse to me.

I guess, we all have to do what seems best for us.

[EricG]

Originally Posted by sweetcheeks

i take 1 tablet of 500 mg a day

dont be alarmed with the lactic acidosis... very very very few people get it... and id say youd have a better chance of getting struck by lightning lol

It is rare, but some of us have suffered from it.

For me, the first sign was shooting, intense pain in the toes and fingers that came out of nowhere. Later, severe muscle pain and weakness in the legs.

Metformin is a great, low cost drug that works well for 99.9% of the people. Try it as your doctor prescribed. If you start to get unexplained pains in your toes and fingers see your doctor immediately.

[DonnieD]

I too was concerned about LA, but I've had no side affects from Metformin whatsoever. I'm happy to have it in my Blood Glucose contol toolbox.

[princesslinda]

I've been on metformin 500 mg 2 times a day since being diagnosed 8/31/06. Have had no problems with it. It, along with diet and exercise, has brought my a1c from 9.6 at diagnosis to 6.2 3 months later, and i've lost 40 lbs.

I know many people who are on metformin, none who have had much problem with it (the main problem being diarrhea when they eat something they shouldn't).

I think the XR metformin (extended release) is supposed to limit the gastric side effects, and you only take it once a day. I've done fine with the twice a day dosage myself.

[mzizgayle]

I take the time release metformin, only 1 pill of 750mg, and it has done a better job of maintaining my readings. I was on 500mg metformin, fast acting, but had side effects but worked thru those. I have none with the slow acting version.

I did it with diet and exercise for 5 years, but this disease does progress in many...

[FTW]

I took my first does of Metformin XR, 500 mg last night. I asked for the prescription during my last doctor's visit because my fasting BG was running high, (usually 110-130). This morning I tested at 93.

I delayed starting the meds because I was in China for a week and I didn't want to start a new drug that far from home. By coincidence, I read the following on the ADA board after getting the prescription which reinforced it was the right thing to do for me.

The following is copied from part of this post by oldal4865, a very respected contributor to the alt.support.diabetes newsgroup:

--------------------------------

Metformin is an odd drug. Doctors prescribe it to help control blood sugars but when you look at all the effects, it seems to be more of an anti-death pill for diabetics. For sure, it's an anti-heart attack pill (the #1 problem for T2 diabetics is premature heart attack)

Some reading on metformin:

I am a "metformin pusher" in the diabetic newsgroups, i.e. “in my opinion”, start taking it as soon as possible. Talk to many diabetic educators and you will get the recommendation to put all Type 2 diabetics on metformin as soon as diagnosed.

Some say put them on metformin before they are diagnosed! !

Some reasons for that enthusiasm:

a. Metformin reduces blood sugars
Metformin, Glucophage and Glucovance

b. Metformin improves cholesterol and triglycerides
Diabetes Self Management

c. Metformin cuts heart attack risk in T2
Diabetes In Control Dot Com. The weekly newsletter for medical professionals in Diabetes care.
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article...

also,

“Common diabetes drug lowers risk by inhibiting proinflammatory factor”
Heart Disease Weekly, July 27, 2003

"This action of metformin may help prevent Atherosclerosis," said Dandona, "and may explain why persons with type 2 diabetes who are treated with metformin are at lower risk of dying from heart disease."

(BTW, so do the TZD, Actos and Avandia)

d. Actually, Metformin just plain reduces overall mortality rates among T2 diabetics
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract...

e. Metformin probably protects dying beta cells which are the proximate cause of T2. Metformin restores insulin secretion altered by chronic exposure to free fatty acids or high glucose: a direct metformin effect on pancreatic beta-cells
“. . . These data raise the possibility that, in diabetic patients, metformin (in addition to its peripheral effects) may have a direct beneficial effect on the beta-cell secretory function. . . .”
Metformin restores insulin secretion altered by chronic exposure to free fatty acids or high glucose: a direct metformin effect on pancreatic beta-cells -- Patane et al. 49 (5): 735 -- Diabetes

Pancreatic Islets from Type 2 Diabetic Patients Have Functional Defects and Increased Apoptosis That Are Ameliorated by Metformin Piero Marchetti, Silvia Del Guerra, Lorella Marselli, Roberto Lupi, Matilde Masini, Maria Pollera, Marco Bugliani, Ugo Boggi, Fabio Vistoli, Franco Mosca and Stefano Del Prato
Pancreatic Islets from Type 2 Diabetic Patients Have Functional Defects and Increased Apoptosis That Are Ameliorated by Metformin -- Marchetti et al. 89 (11): 5535 -- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Diet and Exercise Dramatically Delay Type 2 Diabetes: Diabetes Medication Metformin Also Effective
NIDDK : Welcome : News Briefs : Diet and Exercise Dramatically Delay Type 2 Diabetes: Diabetes Medication Metformin Also Effective

(Regular, heavy exercise is an extremely potent defense against the host of T2 "bad effects". Metformin is decidedly in second place [see DPT-2} when compared to, say, becoming an aerobics instructor. However, if you are exercise-restricted, metformin becomes a "miracle" drug)

f. Metformin protects against the formation of Advanced Glycosylation End Products (A.G.E.)

Humans “must” die because of two factors involving DNA replication, and a third factor, the formation of Advanced Glycosylation End-Products (A.G.E.) which slowly destroy organs. Since A.G.E. formation is proportional to blood glucose level, diabetics encounter more A.G.E. production and therefore die prematurely.

We can’t do a thing about the DNA (except not smoke). Metformin protects against A.G.E. and, in fact, folks are thinking about using it in non-diabetics to extend life spans.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query...

g. Metformin simulates exercise
University of Dundee, Press Release

h. Metformin helps folks lose weight (though usually only in the first year)
metformin information supplied by manufacturer

i. However, metformin can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and a related high homocysteine levels.
News - Metformin Treatment Leads to Increased Homocysteine, Decreased Vitamin B12 and Folate in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

IMHO the benefits far outweigh the risks. I hope this helps in making your decision.

FTW

[princesslinda]

FTW: Thanks for posting such an encouraging read!

[tcpandi]

FTW

Wow! That's quite a list... thank you for supplying it... I must admit, you're advice is encouraging and has helped to ease some of my fears.
I guess I'm finding it hard to admit that I'm a diabetic. I don't want to be,...but I guess you have to work with the cards you're dealt with.

Thank you..

[FTW]

Originally Posted by tcpandi

FTW

Wow! That's quite a list... thank you for supplying it... I must admit, you're advice is encouraging and has helped to ease some of my fears.
I guess I'm finding it hard to admit that I'm a diabetic. I don't want to be,...but I guess you have to work with the cards you're dealt with.

Thank you..

Hi Traci,

I was diagnosed in Nov. 2006 so I know where you're coming from. (Although I knew it was coming for at least a month before that, I still cried in the doctor's office.) It's perfectly normal to go through denial, depression, anger, and even grief.

Take a deep breath. As I've seen others say, this is not a sprint, it's a marathon. You'll figure it out. It'll be OK.

After I was diagnosed I spent literally hour upon hour reading everything I could about T2. You may have run into the advice here, Test, Test, Test.

Taking a cold hard look at the complications of diabetes, I decided I want to aim for tight control, the non diabetic numbers listed there:

Here's my opinion on what numbers to aim for, they are non-diabetic numbers.

FBG under 110

One hour after meals under 140

Two hours after meals under 120

or for those in the mmol parts of the world:

Fasting Under 6

One hour after meals Under 8

Two hours after meals Under 6.5

Initially, like you, I thought I might be able to get to these numbers through diet and exercise alone. Actually, by keeping my carb intake to about 100 per day, and eating about 1200 calories per day, I can meet the after meal numbers with no meds.

However, I can't get my fasting number down to where it should be. Hence the decision to start taking Metformin.

FTW