Insulin Resistance/Metformin

carolinebond0206

My doctor told me I am "starting to become insulin resistant," although my insulin was at a 4.9 when it was tested, which is actually really low. My glucose was 84 which is pretty average. But he said because of some other factors in my life he thinks it could go in that direction. So he put me on metformin - 500mg/day. I just don't understand how this is supposed to affect me. I have searched for it but don't get if it is supposed to change my eating habits in some way and/or lower my insulin when it is already so low. If anybody is on metformin and has experiences with it, or information that I may be missing, I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks!

TrailNurse

Metformin is not formally approved for use in prediabetes, and any use to treat prediabetes is considered off-label by providers. If you are Insulin Resistant....it is not too late to change your lifestyle habits before your pancreas stops producing the insulin needed to deal with the added sugar in your blood stream (type 2 diabetes).The need for insulin can be reduced by altering your diet, particularly carbohydrates (unless you are an athlete) and by exercising on a daily basis. Exercise in particular can drastically reduce the need for drugs such as Metformin. A single bout of exercise can increase insulin sensitivity for at least 16 h post exercise. If you are not exercising, I would start immediately. You don't have your diet open so I can't make any recommendations there. Feel free to message me. I was insulin resistant and close to a diagnosis of diabetes when I was 250 lbs. After changing my diet/exercising and losing weight, all signs and symptoms of insulin resistance are gone. Once you go down the "medication" road to treat symptoms, it's hard to get off of it.

RodaRose

84 is NOT average. It is low. And 4.9 is low also. According to these numbers you are healthy.
Metformin does not change eating habits.
If you want that, you need one of the FDA approved medications for weight loss.
Or find a therapist who can help with changing habits -- someone who does Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

jemhh

Metformin can suppress your appetite somewhat. It can also give you diarrhea, at least when you first start on it. Not sure if you were warned of that.

What kind of doctor are you seeing (GP, endocrinologist, etc?) Trailnurse gave you some excellent info upthread. I would definitely go the modifief diet and exercise route before moving to medication if at all possible.

lemon629

84 is not low. It is average. Normal healthy fasting glucose is 70-100.

I agree about waiting on the metformin. Even when my fasting glucose was in the prediabetes range, 110-115, my doctor said I should not take it.

Instead, increase exercise and modify your diet. Exercise at least four times a week, and when possible take a 15 minute walk within 30 minutes after eating. That will improve your sensitivity to insulin. Also reduce sugar intake. No sweetened beverages and no sugary snacks, including fruit. Save fruit to have as dessert and eat within 30 minutes of a complete meal with protein. All your meals should be approximately 25% protein.

The above is what my dietitian told me to do and within three months my blood glucose and cholesterol numbers were where they needed to be. I also lost 15 pounds.

earlnabby

I had a bad reaction to metformin. After only 3 weeks on it, my EGFR fell 20 points. It can affect kidney function so I would talk to the doctor again and find out exactly WHY you are supposed to take it. Your blood glucose numbers are great and metformin lowers blood glucose. As far as the diarrhea, it usually happens when first starting out or if you take it, then eat a lot of carbs.

carolinebond0206

he wanted to put me on it because I have been taking a medicine for a long time that can cause insulin resistance and diabetes. He said something about if I had other tests, like eating and then seeing how my body reacts, might be a different story that was more negative. I guess also the way I described getting so hungry that I couldn't concentrate and having to eat and he said he thought my blood sugar was shooting up and down. He gave me the prescription BEFORE the results from my tests came back, just assuming that I had insulin resistance. I don't know what kind of doctor he is but something to do with weight loss.

gothchiq

I am thinking perhaps a second opinion would be good? I'm prediabetic, worse numbers than yours at the moment and I got one regular doc and one endocrinologist telling me that controlling it with diet and exercise was currently the safest route to go. I take statins for my cholesterol problem, which can raise blood sugar. The idea of giving you this RX before examining your test results scares me more than a little. I'll tell you what my doctor told me: Always pair proteins with any carbs that you eat. Don't eat any kind of carb alone without a protein to go with it. Even if it's a healthy carb like an apple or some carrots. And you might want to break up your foods through the day so that instead of 3 meals you have 6 mini meals. I have been doing that and it's been working well to keep my sugar stable. Also to prevent the sugar crash after exercise, you can get something like a combination of peanuts and raisins (weigh them out, know the calories) and eat some every 30 minutes. some before exercise, some halfway through, and some at the end. I hope a second opinion is feasible for you, such as an endocrinologist.

lemon629

carolinebond0206 wrote: »

he wanted to put me on it because I have been taking a medicine for a long time that can cause insulin resistance and diabetes. He said something about if I had other tests, like eating and then seeing how my body reacts, might be a different story that was more negative. I guess also the way I described getting so hungry that I couldn't concentrate and having to eat and he said he thought my blood sugar was shooting up and down. He gave me the prescription BEFORE the results from my tests came back, just assuming that I had insulin resistance. I don't know what kind of doctor he is but something to do with weight loss.

It sounds like all you had was a blood glucose test, no HbA1c test and no glucose tolerance test. Before medicating you, these tests absolutely must be done. Metformin is a serious drug. You should go to another doctor. This one sounds really bad.

RodaRose

Please find a second doctor -- a very good internist or an endocrinologist.

milocamolly

I am taking Metformin but it's because my triglycerides are throu the roof (654).All my other tests are normal. Maybe you have high triglycerides? Did you go over those numbers? If yours are high then it would explain why he put you on it. I also have PCOS so at first my dr put me on 500mg of metformin but when she seen how high my triglycerides are she immediately bumped it up to 1500mg.

azulvioleta6

carolinebond0206 wrote: »

he wanted to put me on it because I have been taking a medicine for a long time that can cause insulin resistance and diabetes. He said something about if I had other tests, like eating and then seeing how my body reacts, might be a different story that was more negative. I guess also the way I described getting so hungry that I couldn't concentrate and having to eat and he said he thought my blood sugar was shooting up and down. He gave me the prescription BEFORE the results from my tests came back, just assuming that I had insulin resistance. I don't know what kind of doctor he is but something to do with weight loss.

I would recommend that you run this by an endocrinologist. This approach doesn't really make sense given your A1C and FBS numbers. That is a low dose of Metformin, but I question whether that makes sense for you at all.