Metformin

mellzer

Probably been asked here before but was unable to find a thread near the top.
Had my very first A1C results of 9.9 (only found out i was diabetic about three weeks ago).
My doctor put me on Metformin, im taking ONE 500mg pill at dinner.

I am wondering what it does, what kind of changes i am supposed to be seeing, and how soon?

So far..the only thing that feels different is that i don't feel like im starving all day long though i have no idea if this is something metformin is supposed to do. I am not feeling any side effects..thankfully because I've read they can be pretty terrible! My morning/fasting BG levels have not changed, they are over 250bg.

Also, can i take other medications/vitamins with it?

Im taking a women's daily, cranberry, fish oil, b12.
some times id like to take tylonal PM since i sleep terrible and often wake or unable to fall back asleep from being in pain.

RaineyLaney

I can not really answer what you should feel etc from metformin. I took it for awhile way back. I have to say, I don't really remember feeling anything other than it lowers the sugars.. It takes a few weeks to do it's job 100% from what I have read too.

I would think you could take your suppliments, etc with it. I use too, but you may want ask your doctor to make sure.

momjmd

I don't really notice a lot of changes when taking Metformin but it does lower my blood sugar. I take 2 500 mg every night and Bydureon weekly. My sugars are typically under 150 with a 6.3 A1C. I have been on it for years though.

My husband just started taking Met a couple of months ago and has lowered his A1C from a 8 to 6.9 already- he is taking the same dosage that I am on.

Glad that you don't have side effects. Remember to avoid high fat foods as it can really upset your stomach.

mamajenb

it makes my stomach a little upset so I think that helps me eat a little less. I would ask you physician or pharmacist about the other meds.

djshari

In the beginning it did make my stomach upset but I found once I made sure to take it with my meal (before or in the middle of) and I was fine. Now I am able to take it at the end of the meal or shortly after (when I forget) without any problems.

I saw my sugars come down a lot with 4 weeks. I also reduced carbs & tried to be more active.

I almost forgot... I heard/read that it helps reduce your hunger so it's funny that you say that, have you changed your diet at all? It might be that. I have actually had less food cravings I think. I can be very hungry on some days but no food actually seems appealing to me so I'm not sure if that is the met or my mind!

Gentyl

I was put on Metformin (1000 mg twice a day) when I was diagnosed with diabetes, type 2, back in September. I think I had to work up to the dosage for a week, however. My A1C was a 10.5, and my fasting blood sugar was a 317. My doctor said that I can take vitamin supplements with it, but I couldn't mix fish oil and vitamins together as the fish oil would counteract the vitamins altogether. So, I have to really schedule those.

Other than an off stomach for the first few weeks. I was fortunate to not have any other symptoms whether I took them with food or not. Oh, and the doctor said that I was in no way allowed to take niacin (other than what is in a multivitamin, that is). I was taking those to help to lower my cholesterol which were off the charts.

The Metformin definitely curbed my appetite. In fact, it's often prescribed as a weight loss and anti-aging medication to nondiabetics. I was recently taken off of the medication because my last A1C was 5.0 and my fasting blood sugar was 68, my cholesterol is also normal for the first time in over a decade due to the Metformin and a high fat and very very low carb diet.

But, everyone is different. I was really fortunate to be able to take the Metformin with little to no adverse affects. And now that I'm off of it, it took quite a few hungry days with fluctuating BGs for things to return to normal. But they were invaluable to me when I was initially diagnosed.