Metformin Not Working? - Diabetes Message Board

Nitehawk · 09-18-2007, 07:14 PM

I was diagnosed Type 2 one month ago based on two previous lab fasting BG levels of 126 and 130. My Internal Meds Dr. put me on 500mg Metformin and said see you in two weeks? I have eliminated almost all sugar and have been trying to keep the carbohydrates as low as possible. Now my BG levels are averaging 150 - 170 fasting. Doc raised the Metformin to 500mg twice a day. Now my BG is completely wacky. It will range anywhere from 150 fasting to 300 two hours after a light meal? It's plane to me that my BG is not being controled by the Medformin. I am beginning to get very concerned over this. Diabetes was a key factor in my Mother's passing and I want to get control of this before it does a lot of damage. I am sure my Dr. will just raise the medformin again. Is there any other alternative out there?

I've had a A1C last week, 6.2 reference range was 4.6 to 6.2 ? I am a 57 year old male overweight by about 40 pounds. When I first started the new diet I lost 10 lbs. in two weeks now I've gained 3lbs. back?

Confused and Worried,
Bill

Eagle · 09-25-2007, 07:34 AM

It's easy these days to eliminate all sugar, as if we're allergic to it.

Nearly everything, candy, cake, pudding, comes with sugar substitutes.
I've read that it may be best to avoid Splenda, made from real sugar, and too much Fructose. Still having trouble myself, age 71, T2 dxed in 1980's, complications start after 20 yrs. For me it's foot ulcers, on a bunion, which get infected and if it goes into bone, can cause amputation. Also have advanced proliterating retinopathy, frequent panretinal lasers.

I've recently switched from regular Metformin because it was causing so much heartburn indigestion, to Metformin ER, which is 4 pills a day, two Am and two PM, and my readings aren't as good as before. Yet. A1C's usually 6.5. Recently a pharmacist's instructions on the bottle were to take all 4 pills at night. No way. If you go too low at night I'm afraid you could die in your sleep. I usually wake up when I get anywhere from 74 to 49 or below, but have no guarantee that I always would wake up. Same goes for the Novolog I tried. It doesn't hurt, injecting it into your stomach with a quick jab, but I went too low and it just doesn't feel normal.

Glipizide is the one thing I've been on the longest. And I'm looking for something mild to replace Avandia. Metformin 2000 a day is the limit. You have to add other things.

Probably a hospital or health dept near you has free diabetes classes, which help a lot, imo, informing you of new developments. I need to go again, it's been so long. Not sure my cinnamon toast is helping any more like it used to.