Hi Everyone,
I think I need a little help.

Background
I’m 61. I was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes at the beginning of August. My HbA1c was 106. The advice from my GP was to go straight onto Metformin (starting with 1 tablet and building up to 4 a day). I was given an appointment with the practice nurse for a couple of weeks later and she gave me my prescription.
However, in the 2 weeks before I saw the practice nurse I’d started on the BSD. I got a Blood Glucose Monitor (after seeing the practice nurse and against her advice) and started monitoring – (thanks to those who gave me advice). I decided to wait a couple of weeks before starting Metformin to see if diet only would work.

My blood sugar readings started at 7.1, 7.3, 6.9 then started dropping into low 6’s – one day they were in the 5’s – yeah! – but there was also the odd 9 or high 8.

The 2 weeks are up today. Just as I thought I’d plough on through just on the diet, yesterday and today my blood sugar readings have started to go up again – 8.7., 8.4, 8.5, 7.4 and a 10.5 (funnily enough that was post-dinner and I think it might have been the beetroot falafels – too many carbs or too big a portion). I did also have a couple of 6’s.

Anyway, now I’m in a quandary – should I carry on only on diet for a bit longer or just start taking the Metformin. I was/am reluctant to take the Metformin as my digestive system isn’t the best to begin with – but don’t want to not take them if they’ll prevent further damage from higher number.

I wondered what people’s experiences of how blood sugars go on this diet – I read the discussion on Bill1954’s thread (is that the right word?) but his issue was with fasting bg’s – generally these have been OK with me. Also, anyone taking Metformin what has it been like ?

I’m OK going back to GP/Practice Nurse to discuss but know what their view will be – just thought I’d gather other views before I decide.

Sunshine-girl, When you responded to my email about BG monitors you told me not to get obsessed with the numbers and I promised I wouldn’t – oops, failed that one!

Oh dear, smack your wrists. LOL. 🙂 I think you are getting a bit out of control with your measuring and your interpretation of the results. Yes they can go up and down but the mistake you are making is measuring at ad hoc times. If you want to see what your post dinner blood is then test say 1 hour or 2 hours after but always the same. My advice would be to ignore those readings, they only tell me you have eaten not what your normal BG is. If you want closer to your HbA1c equivalent it should be first thing in the morning before you have eaten or drunk anything.

Advice, carry on the diet, dont start the Metformin, tell the doctor / nurse that you are managing with diet and ask them to support you in this and ask if they will retest in November, say 3 months after your last test. Then stick with the plan seriously and get those numbers right down. Good luck,

Hi sunshine-girl
Thanks for getting back and for the advice.

I have been monitoring blood glucose at the right times, fasting BG first thing in the morning as soon as I wake, pre-meals and then 2 hours after. I think my problem with the meter readings is I’d expected to see some ‘logic’ behind them so that I could say ‘Oh, I’ve eaten this, my post-meal meter reading is high, I’ll stop eating it or re-test it later. But mostly that’s not the way it’s working. Really frustrating for a logical, rational thinker like me. I didn’t know the fasting reading was closer to the HbA1c equivalent – that’s good because that’s often my lowest reading.

About the Metformin – yes I think I will stay off them for a bit longer and work harder on the diet. I’m doing well losing weight (10lb off to date) but I do get fed up measuring and weighing things so can sometimes tail off on this; I’ll re-look at my carb intake and maybe need to watch portion size sometimes.

I’ve to contact the GP practice to arrange my next HbA1c in November, but you’re right I do need to speak to them now about not taking the Metformin and going for BS control by diet only – which is I guess why I was panicking a bit when I saw the readings going back up.

Thanks for getting back to me – it’s helped me think things through and relax a bit.

Cheers
Marie

Hi Marie, as your ‘fasting’ BG is going down I would stay off the Metformin and, as you are going to be given an HbA1c in November there really is no need to speak to your medical team. Let the results speak for themselves and then tell them what you have been doing. Not saying that is what you should do, it is what I would do and I am sure the book says you should lower medication as your BG comes down. In fact, staying on the meds might made your BG go too low and cause a hypo. Dont want to scare you, just keep any eye on BG but stop testing every five minutes.

Hi Sunshine-girl
Thanks for additional info – I think what you might do is now what I might do too !
Cheers
Marie