Metformin and/or Janumet

y0u · Metformin and/or Janumet

I am wondering if anyone here has had some experience, or can give me some advice on Metformin. I was diagnosed borderline diabetic about 7 or 8 months ago. I take 1,000 mg twice a day. I would really like to not take this.

I am in a bit of a pickle because I lost my health insurence 5 months ago, so I cannot make a doctors appointment. I also do not believe in most of what the AMA says. I have left messages with my doctors office, but have not gotten a response yet. They probably cannot give me medical advice without blood tests anyway, which I also cannot afford right now. I would like to add that I do actually like this doctor, she has been very willing to work with me on alternative medicines.

My question is, what if I stop taking it? What if I take 1/2 the amount and wean myself from it? I have a blood glucose meter, so i can test. It just seems to me that since i am eating less than 5 carbs a day, I should be fine. My doctor does know I eat low carb, but not how low. I really don't know very much about diabetes.

Any information would be appreciated, as I do not know much about this.

Thank y0u.

Dean

y0u should find a physician that has worked with those who have tried to control their diabetes with super low carb. If y0u find advice here, or on any message board, I would highly advise y0u to do your own research along with medical consultation. I'm sorry if I can't be of help with this as I'm clueless on these drugs and on that condition. What have you found so far in your research?

y0u

I haven't found much at all. I cannot go to a doctor right now though, I have no insurance. My doctor is the one that put me on Atkins, she is aware of LC not ZC. And I take everything/and all advice that is given online with a grain of salt.

I am really just trying to get peoples opinions/experience and possibly get pointed in the right direction so that I can do some research. I don't even know where to look. Thank you Dean.

Dean

That doc sounds like she would be helpful. I know what it's like not having insurance, as a huge number of folks living in the US do. I've been without it for many years. Do y0u have any free clinics around there? That is what I would have to depend on, but, thank god, I have not had to. Hopefully there will be some here that can share their experiences.

y0u

There are some free clinics, I just haven't been to them yet. I am a bit prideful. Never been without a job or insurance in my life until now. I will go a clinic, but I need to edjucate myself first, as they will just tell me to take some pills, which is what I am trying NOT to do. I want to make an informed, safe decision, as my health is rather important to me. Gotta stay alive to feed the furbabies and give tummy rubs!!

I am sure some folks with diabetes will see this thread and jump in with some info, that is my hope anyway. Grin

Miriam

Here is the website blog of Dr. Mary Vernon who has successfully treated many T2 diabetics with low carb and very low carb eating plans.

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/gi/...rjr10036.typepad.com/askdrvernon/

Bobi

I don't have health insurance either, even when I did, I didn't go to doctors. I had to work with them in the everyday world. Most were my friends...but I never asked any of them for any medical advice, that's what probably made them my friends!

MetalMama

y0u - I was on Metformin for a while also (same dosage as you).

While I was not diabetic I was/am severely insulin resistant and it is a common practice to prescribe it to people with PCOS to help with IR.

Before I had my son it seemed to help with cravings and I lost a little weight while on it as well. After I had my son however it did nothing and when I complained to my doctor, blood tests confirmed that my IR was worse than ever.

Long story short, that's how I ended up on the bus - desperate to reduce my insulin and lose some weight. I've long since quit the Metformin and am finally (although slowly) seeing the scale move.

Here is my non-doctor recommendation: Keep taking your current dosage for the next few days and track your blood sugars. Take them fasting in the am, and after each meal. Then reduce your dosage by half and track your blood sugars again for a few days. If all remains stable I would stop taking it for a few days and continue to track your blood sugars. Your numbers should tell you everything you need to know.

I'd bet that not only are you well below the level of diabetic now but you may even be running a little on the low side on blood sugar with the Metformin, but you need to know for sure where you're at.

Best of luck!

y0u

Miriam and Metalmama, thankyou so much, this info was exactly what I was looking for. Good read Miriam.

Metalmama, I have pcos/insulin resistance and that is the main reason (along with borderline diabetic) that I am on this stuff. I do not know what IR is, please explain. Your experience is very helpful, thank you so much.

Bobi

yOu

IR=Insulin Resistant

Sunny

y0u

DOH!!

MetalMama

hehe - no more Kool-Aid for you!

y0u

I am starting my experiment today. I am taking 500mg in tha am and pm.

fasting reading this morning was 97. I think I am suppose to test and hour and a 1/2 after a meal right? So at 11:30 I will test again. I am gonna run out of these strips so I can't test as often as I want...I think I will alternate..I will always test in the am before..and alternate testing after am meal with after pm meal. I have enough strips to test twice a day for 2 weeks. In 1 week I will cut the meds. In the recent past I have never tested above 112 at ANY time except for once at 120 when I ate some dreamfields pasta.(which is crap for you btw). And never below 89.

MetalMama

Hope this test allows you to kick the meds - I'm pretty confident it will. Man, used to love the Dreamfields.

Good Luck!!

y0u

I was at 84 this morning

83 this evening, 1.5 hours after my meal..that seems kind of low..is this bad?

Yeah..I did bad things with booze last night so maybe that is effecting it? But wouldn't it be high and not low?

jeff

yOu, I belong to a Yahoo group called Saturated Fat For Health. It's run by a couple of ladies who have been doing alot of experimentation with diet, and they take their BG readings frequently as a part of this. Quite a few of the members of the group also take BG readings. They follow a very high fat diet, so consequently it is LC/VLC. According to what I have read there, a BG reading in the low 80's is fine. As long as you feel ok, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

y0u

Jeff, thank you. I do feel fine, actually I have never felt like I had any sort of "off" blood sugar in my life. Interestingly..my fasting BG this morning is 104..now how does that happen? I that normal too?

MetalMama

For fasting you want 110 and under so you're still in range. I think diabetic is considered 126+

Oh and contrary to what seems logical alcohol actually lowers blood sugar, instead of raising it - so I'd say that's exactly why yours was a little lower than normal.

jeff

y0u

Fascinating....And once again, thank you Jeff.

y0u

y0u

So here are my first weeks experiment results. Bit of background first though...

I have been on 2,000 mg of Metformin (1,000 twice a day) for around 7-8 months. Then 2 weeks ago I started to take 1,000 once a day, and last week I started to take 500 mg once a day. Today has completed 1 week on 500 mg. I didn't have enough test strips to do readings on the 1,000mg week, now I have more. I tested twice a day, the first reading is fasting am, the second is either 1.5 hours after breakfast or dinner (I alternated).

3-12
96, 113 B

3-13
84, 83 D (drank alcohol the night before)

3-14
104, 112 B

3-15
105, 111 D

3-16
108, 96 B

3-17
101, 93 D

3-18
108, 125 B (drank coffee)

It is quite obvious that coffee elevates glucose levels, and alcohol lowers. Therefore I shall now start drinking booze every morning....oh wait....maybe not.

Now I will not take any for 1 week and continue readings. If they are good, I'm not taking the stuff anymore.

Next I will be testing blood pressure, and seeing if I can get off that medication as well. This one I am a bit more concerned about, but I do have a blood pressure machine. I think I will wait a month though so my body can adjust to not taking Metformin.

Miriam

y0u, have you tried decaf coffee? It has made a difference in my blood pressure.

y0u

I drink about 2 cups of coffee a week (at the most), and it is 1/2 decaf. Coffee is something I do when I did not sleep the night before. It's not much of an issue for me, but thank you. And often I don't drink any for months on end...no other caffeinated beverages.

MetalMama

Your results look very promising - I hope you can kick them altogether soon!

y0u

FINAL RESULTS

No Metformin for 1 week. Am BG reading and after meal BG reading, alternating between breakfast and dinner. Comments and or observations welcomed...I don't think I need to take the stuff anymore.

3-20
104, 130 D

3-21
121, 109 B

3-22
107, 123 D

3-23
109, 112 B

3-24
104, 111 D

3-25
93, 93 B

3-26
103, 105 D

Kim

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last August and I wasn't put on any medication. I was sent to the Diabetes Center in our town and given the standard ADA diet which I ignored and eventually went zc instead. My sugar readings are down although I can't afford the strips either so haven't tested in a while. I need to pick some up to see where I am now.

Kim

y0u

I would want to know for sure..but that's just me.

Kim

y0u

Those numbers look good..then i wouldn't worry..especially since your ZC.. It's amazing what eating right can do for ones health. Yup

y0u

I have gained 9 pounds since being off Metformin/Janumet.(in 2 weeks)

I am going to take it again..I cannot gain back what I have lost..I am depressed and saddened by this...On an up side..My blood pressure is still fine so I won't be adding that medication back.

Life sucks sometimes..even when you try really hard to make things better.

Dean

Sorry to hear this. How depressed are you? Don't give up and I'm sure y0u will figure out what to do. Do y0u think y0u need to be closer to ZC? Or is that not the answer. Maybe Kim will fill us in on her experiences. BTW, do y0u have your appetite under control? I'm curious as to what is a good preventative sign. Hang in there. At least y0u got your blood pressure better, so y0u have accomplished that. Cool

y0u

Dean

Maybe y0u need to drink more alcohol. Wink

As long as it aint gonna be a problem for y0u. If so, how 'bout meditation or something? Just a thought. I'm glad to know you aren't that depressed about it. It really is nothing to get really depressed about. Millions of people in Mexico City are without running water. Now that would be something to get depressed about. Yup

http://www.time.com/time/world/ar...0623,00.html?xid=newsletter-daily

y0u

Alcohol is not kind to me..the less I drink the better.
Meditation might be an idea..will mill it around a bit...Getting out of town this coming weekend might help as well...gonna go get me some lovin.. Grin

I need me a food guru..and a stress guru..too bad y0u(me) boo hoo... Bonkers

y0u

Been back on the Metformin/Janumet for a week or two..lost 5 pounds...go figure..

Kim

I just got my results back. I have been zc since January 2 but had 6 days of SAD eating March 12-17 but have been back on zc since then. Before when eating SAD my cholesterol usually runs about 152.

CHOLESTEROL 139 (100 - 199 mg/dL)
TRIGLYCERIDES 54 (0 - 149 mg/dL)
HDL 39 (>39 mg/dL)
VLDL 11 (5 - 40 mg/dL)
LDL 89 (0 - 99 mg/dL)

My TSH was 2.469 (.450-4.500 uIU/mL)

My fasting glucose was 108 (65 - 99 mg/dL) which is good because last August it was running in the 160's. This was a first morning reading. Several weeks ago my first morning reading was 137 even though the rest of the day it was around 104 or so.

My A1c was 6.3 which I think is good considering the 6 days in March that I was not zc.

jeff

Kim, your numbers look terrific, except I'd like to see your HDL be a bit higher. Your HDL should go up with more time on a high fat diet. Do you know what your HDL was before?

Kim

Daryl

yOu, how close to goal weight are you?

I was diagnosed Type 2 in December 2007. Weighed 260 pounds (5'-9"), fasting blood sugar 339. Went VLC (under 20 a day), which corrected both my weight and diabetes.

For many, a ZC diet can cause them to see slightly higher BG numbers. What do you eat, and how much?

y0u

surfergirl

Hello yOu...

Wondering what your status is on the met and I am considering it for IR weight loss. Please let me know if you are still taking it and how you are doing. Any advice from others too please!