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GP is halving my Metformin.

Posted , 6 users are following.

ruth51315
ruth51315

I was diagnosed type 2,3 years ago with an HbA1c of 60. ( 7.6% ).

I was prescribed Metformin, 1000mg a day, taken 500 mg at breakfast and 500 mg at dinner.

Since 2016, by paring carbs to the bone and exercising, it steadily fell to 41 ( 5.9%) at my blood test last December.

The nurse said I should reduce the Metformin to 500mg, taken with dinner. I wasn't keen, so since January I have been cutting my 500mg tablet in half at breakfast and taking 500mg at dinner. So I have been having three quarters of what I took for 3 years. ie 750mg.

My last blood test, last week, showed that my HbA1c has gone up to 42 (6%). An increase of 1 or .1% in 3 months.

Now my GP has said I must only take 500mg a day. As my levels rose in 3 months by reducing my dose by a quarter, I am expecting that reducing the dose to half, they will rise further.

My question is, isn't it better to be as close to a "normal" level as possible? Why does it seem that I am being punished for all my dedicated efforts?

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • Jonathan57679
    Jonathan57679 ruth51315

    Posted

    Technically, a doctor is your employee. You are in charge, as long as you are conscience. My doctor has prescribed me many medications and I just can not take them as they upset my stomach. If I took all those meds I would surely have ended up in the ER.

    So, you can basically take as many Metformin as you consider to be needed. You are in charge. Your doctor may fear that you are moving out of the Diabetic range and you may lose some medical benefits or he may lose you as a patient. As long as you feel healthy and are not light headed or fainting, then you are doing very well. There are some doctors that worry about that issue.

    Three months ago my A1C went up to 7.2. My doctor wanted me to up my Metformin, but I can only handle 1 per day. So, I looked online for other natural treatments. I found that potassium is critical for blood sugar issues. I tried juicing Kale. It did work, and my morning glucose went back down. So now, along with my veggies and smoothies I have added one or two potassium per meal. It has made the most impact on my glucose levels. Most people are very low on potassium, but the medical community does not want to publicize it. They want to prescribe it as a medication.

    You sound knowledgeable and you have worked hard to make this progress, you should do whatever you think is best for you.

    One last thing, most Metformin is 24 hour extended release and if you break them, they will fully release in an hour or so.

    • ruth51315
      ruth51315 Jonathan57679

      Posted

      Hi Jonathan, thankyou for your reply. I know what you mean about medics prescribing stuff which isn't good for us! We have to be our own physicians, don't we? I shall get my potassium checked and maybe implement supplementation. I'll try the reduced dose till my next blood test in June and see what to do re the Metformin after I get the results

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