Metformin

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  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    so i'm type I diabetic and my dr. prescribed metformin to help aid with insulin resistance. has anyone else been prescribed this? did it help with weight loss? did it also help with lowering the amount of insulin you took? i read on an earlier thread that people combined it with a low carb diet (~50-100 grams per day) -- is that purely grains or fruit/veg/etc?

    thanks for the help!!!
    Type 1 diabetes is not insulin resistance, Diabetes is the result of unchecked insulin resistance and is a more severe chronic condition. I would suggest you get your information from a dedicated diabetes site like the ADA, Prevention etc
    Also try and also check out Dr Bernard Bernstein's site, for up to date and accurate information on the condition.
    By the way fruits are a no-no for diabetics, because of their high sugar content.

    The link below is very helpful, and has loads of information if you have diabetes.

    http://www.diabetes.co.uk/

    Fruits are NOT a "no-no" food for diabetics, you just have to keep track of your serving sizes. Some fruits, like berries, are much lower in sugar than most other fruits (like pineapples, oranges, grapes, and watermelon) and so many of us stick to those with lower sugar content. I ate some pineapple the other day. I had it and some berries instead of the cake that everyone else was having. As always, you should eat to your meter. Even though we are all diabetic, different foods affect us in different ways. I can tolerate white flour tortillas with ease, for example, while my husband cannot have them as it sends his sugar far too high. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Check your blood sugar often to see how different foods affect you. You might find that grapes are too high in sugar, but that watermelon is just fine. Or you might find that any sugary fruit does you in and you stick to berries. You also can see how different times of the day affect your ability to process sugar in foods. I have a really hard time in the morning, but the evening is easy. I save my fruit for after lunch because my body processes it beautifully.

    I've been eating a lot of strawberries and blueberries and I find that my 2-hour reading is around 100.

    I take Metformin (500 mg twice daily) and I'm not sure if it has helped me lose weight because I also changed my diet. I've been off-track with my carbs lately, but I try to stick to 100 or less.

    I also think it's helpful to look at glycemic load as well as glycemic index. Because that takes into account serving size -- and the combination of both is really important for blood sugar. Like watermelon is high-ish GI, but low glycemic load because the serving size would have to be so huge to get to the standard for the GI ratings. So, just keep that in mind too.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I am reading all of your replies and I am so surprised that a lot of you have lost weight on the metoformin. I have been taking it for over 6 years now. At the very beginning I lost 5 pounds and then I just didn't see any results of weight loss. My doctor did diagnose me with insulin resistance. Now I am taking 500mg twice a day, and my blood sugar levels are still a little high from my last doctors visit.. So, now I have lost about 14 pounds but, I think it's because I am eating cleaner and watching my carbs and protein intake. Also, I have incorporated excerise and weight training with my diet. I have been terrible lately checking my blood sugar but, I am going to start this weekend and checking them as often as the doctor would like me to.

    Thank you all for all your responses that I got read this morning! It is very interesting to see how everybodys situation is so different. Have a great day and take care of yourselves!

    I think it's the combination of all of the above. I don't think metformin does the work for you -- you still have to do the work. But, if you do, you're able to lose weight more like a normal person. I did the work before and was barely getting anywhere. Then, I got on metformin and my thyroid meds, and the work I was doing was finally paying off -- I was losing weight like a "normal" person. Since I have both, it's hard to say if metformin alone would have been enough or if it doesn't make a difference. But, the combo is working for me and my sugar levels are slowing dropping.
  • jreimund
    jreimund Posts: 64
    I recently started metformin for PCOS. I have been working my butt off with NO RESULTS until recently. I have lost 7 pounds in this week alone. I'm doing everything the same except taking metformin. So for me it's helping with weight loss! I hope the trend continues. I've been fighting my weight and several other things for years, so it's great to see some results. I have noticed though, I have to be careful with certain foods, but for the most part I feel LOTS better. Hope it works for you!
  • loriyeater
    loriyeater Posts: 8 Member

    My doctor calls me her poster child for the correct way to lose weight & get healthy (eat right, measure foods, exercise, etc). She told me she has NEVER in her career had a patient do this on their own like I have. :blushing: I told her I used MFP and she told me she's tried to get her husband to use it and he sees no benefit in it. Humm; I think he is wrong!

    Anyway .. that is my story ...

    Regards

    I love your story! Way to go and her husband doesn't get it.
  • marykpfist
    marykpfist Posts: 141 Member
    I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in January, and put on 500 mg of metformin once a day. I also went on a very low carb diet- cutting out all grain, sugar (added, not fruit), - I decided on the advice of my doctor to become Paleo.

    I no longer count calories, but I do track my food to make sure I'm eating balanced. I'm not always perfectly clean-- I do have a little fake sugar-- but mostly.

    I dropped 23 pounds since January. My glucose numbers have been good (last A1C down to 6.1) and I do not take insulin.
    I also have hypothyroidism. My periods became closer together (from 28 days to 21).

    Turned out the weight loss had thrown off my thyroid. So, time will tell if that was the cycle problem. Also, because of super clean eating and exercise- not sure if the metformin helped with weight loss, or just the change of lifestyle.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in January, and put on 500 mg of metformin once a day. I also went on a very low carb diet- cutting out all grain, sugar (added, not fruit), - I decided on the advice of my doctor to become Paleo.

    I no longer count calories, but I do track my food to make sure I'm eating balanced. I'm not always perfectly clean-- I do have a little fake sugar-- but mostly.

    I dropped 23 pounds since January. My glucose numbers have been good (last A1C down to 6.1) and I do not take insulin.
    I also have hypothyroidism. My periods became closer together (from 28 days to 21).

    Turned out the weight loss had thrown off my thyroid. So, time will tell if that was the cycle problem. Also, because of super clean eating and exercise- not sure if the metformin helped with weight loss, or just the change of lifestyle.

    Do you know why such a low dose? It's my understanding that it doesn't even become effective until at least 1500/day.

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