[Guest]

Other than the obvious possibilty of increased blood glucose.

My glucose readings have been so good lately I decided to try stopping the Metformin a couple weeks ago. I'm having to be a bit more careful of my carbs, but as long as I exercise I can keep my fasting glucose readings down (92 this morning)

However, I have been feeling some low grade flu like symptoms (aches and pains, etc, especially when exercising)
Just curious if these are common when discontinuing metformin or perhaps I've picked up a bug.

Thanks.

 

[jwags]

Metoformin will stay in your system for up to a month or so. So you really can't tell the effects until after that. I don't think you should see any symptoms going off of it. You may see some increased insulin resistance or even weight gain since that is what metformin works on. The aches and pains could be from anything or just a coincidence.

 

[RayH]

Are you stopping Metformin under medical supervision?? Sometimes, when medication does what it's supposed to be doing and they are inexpensive, we think they don't do anything.

I ran out of Metformin for a few weeks and was unable to get the Rx moved to Costco for a bunch of reasons. I got scared. I'm a guy who doesn't scare easy on my numbers. I got scared.

In a similar vein, I have a friend who stopped taking her thyroid medication for some reason. She's been in the hospital over 3 months struggling with failing organs...

 

[skb]

Like jwags said metformin takes at least 3 weeks to get depleted from the system. Though I would add, that basing the decision solely on your morning numbers might not be the best approach. You would need to maintain good control with your PP numbers as well, (say <125)

 

[VeeJay]

In a similar vein, I have a friend who stopped taking her thyroid medication for some reason. She's been in the hospital over 3 months struggling with failing organs...

That's comparing apples to oranges. Not relevant!

 

[moon]

Are you stopping Metformin under medical supervision?? Sometimes, when medication does what it's supposed to be doing and they are inexpensive, we think they don't do anything.

And sometimes we just keep taking meds because we think the meds are doing things they aren't.

Metformin is not a drug that is dangerous to tinker with a bit - it just isn't. I'm not encouraging people not to seek medical advice, only saying dropping a bit of metformin when one's numbers are good and stable is not a big deal experiment.

Repetition: I cut back my 2000 mg to 1000 mg when I had good numbers and although first got a slight bump up, my numbers didn't suffer. I told my doc afterwards and she didn't gasp - thought it was great. She never would have suggested that, just have kept prescribing. Same with my more recent cut to 500 mg -

 

[clebo]

The only thing I remember when I went off the metformin was my bathroom breaks wasn't as easy. I start eating more things with fiber and nature took care of itself.

 

[David Burke]

Back in April I was getting daily hypo reactions. I had finished reducing my carbs to under 50g/day and was starting to reduce my insulin as well. Within three weeks I had stopped insulin completely. Does my doc know? Nope. Haven't seen him since December. All I did was set a BG limit that when I consistently cross, effects of more than just one meal IOW, i would consider taking meds again and test frequently. I learned more about my D than any doc could have taught me. Especially one pushing the ADA guidelines.

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[marshagolightly]

Back in April I was getting daily hypo reactions. I had finished reducing my carbs to under 50g/day and was starting to reduce my insulin as well. Within three weeks I had stopped insulin completely. Does my doc know? Nope. Haven't seen him since December. All I did was set a BG limit that when I consistently cross, effects of more than just one meal IOW, i would consider taking meds again and test frequently. I learned more about my D than any doc could have taught me. Especially one pushing the ADA guidelines.

Sent from my iPhone

I agree David I adjust my meds myself. Especially my insulin. It's my body that I'm taking care of on a daily basis. I know how it reacts or doesn't react to meds. If I feel like it I may or may not tell my Dr at my next appt.

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[RayH]

All patients have the right to determine their own medical treatment. They may accept all, part of, or none of the recommendations of the attending medical practitioners and staff.

But to not tell the attending medical practitioners that the patient has changed their prescription(s) is irresponsible and could be dangerous. Should the patient be involved in a medical emergency, that patient will be treated with incorrect information.

What's to be solved by not telling the doctor your true state? I fight my diabetes case manager all the time. My medical records reflect how I am doing my treatment, not what the medical staff thinks I'm doing!

 

[Shanny]

I think you have no right to tell me how to conduct my relationship with my doctor and and calling me irresponsible is offensive.

Our doc has been taking care of us for many years; my own husband is a retired GP, and neither of us has a problem with temporarily withholding information from our doc. I communicate regularly and frequently with doc through his online patient software - sending him the home readings we get for b/p and bg, etc. If he were to directly ask 'are you taking the statins I prescribed?', I would not lie to him, and he would be reminded that we have had the statins conversation before. He knows only too well how we feel about the wholesale distribution of statins. I continue to take metformin because it curbs my appetite & that helps. But if I decided to stop it, I would tell doc the next time I see him. There's nothing sacred about any of this except to the drug companies who sell all these pills.

You are being far too judgmental in your assessment of how people here conduct their medical business.

 

[VeeJay]

Should the patient be involved in a medical emergency, that patient will be treated with incorrect information.

If I have an emergency, either the paramedics come to me, or I go to the emergency room. They will ask me a number of questions, including any meds I'm on, but if I'm unconscious, they'll just run tests. No one will call my doctor and check with her before treating me for the emergency. First of all, there's no time for this. And second, ER staff and doctors just don't do that.

 

[HardBackStrider]

I stopped over 2 months ago and doing Ok numbers higher but tolerable. I would be doing better if I got more exercise

 

[RayH]

@VeeJay: Hypoglycemia is the leading cause of diabetics being treated in the emergency room. One of my greatest fears, and those of my diabetic friends, is going into a hypoglycemic coma while sleeping. I live alone and the paramedics won't come because there's no one to call them. Hence, a better a little higher than too low.

Thus far, I have been conscious of my body giving me warnings when I'm too low. As I've been improving my diabetes management, I am now able to tolerate lower numbers.

But sometimes I'm not sure if the low numbers represent better tolerance or asymptomatic hypoglycemia. Recently, I went from 143 to 48 in about 2-1/2 hrs. I only found out because I was showing someone how I test.

While I respect the decision of those who wish to maintain their BG within normal range, I'm going with the thought that normal people aren't on medication that wants to drive their blood sugar down. I am and a lot of it!

 

[VeeJay]

@VeeJay: Hypoglycemia is the leading cause of diabetics being treated in the emergency room. One of my greatest fears, and those of my diabetic friends, is going into a hypoglycemic coma while sleeping. I live alone and the paramedics won't come because there's no one to call them. Hence, a better a little higher than too low.

Thus far, I have been conscious of my body giving me warnings when I'm too low. As I've been improving my diabetes management, I am now able to tolerate lower numbers.

But sometimes I'm not sure if the low numbers represent better tolerance or asymptomatic hypoglycemia. Recently, I went from 143 to 48 in about 2-1/2 hrs. I only found out because I was showing someone how I test.

While I respect the decision of those who wish to maintain their BG within normal range, I'm going with the thought that normal people aren't on medication that wants to drive their blood sugar down. I am and a lot of it!

Ray, you didn't specify what the emergency would be, just mentioned a medical emergency, which could be anywhere from a shooting to pneumonia. So I addressed it in general terms.

Granted, hypoglycemia is a real problem for those on insulin or insulin-promoting drugs, and I expect those folks would be wearing a medical alert bracelet. Metformin, the subject of this thread, does not cause hypos, and if that is the only medication a diabetic takes, then it does not factor in to the hypo scenario.

Ray, you have made your position known. Myself, and others, do not fully agree with you. We all have a right to our own opinions and conclusions based on our own experiences with our diabetes.

 

[moon]

I'm going with the thought that normal people aren't on medication that wants to drive their blood sugar down. I am and a lot of it!

I'm not on insulin, so my comments are based only on what I read, but ...

The fewer carbs one eats, the less insulin one has to take to cover, which reduces the hypo risks. A common analogy is driving at 120 mph vs the speed limit or slower. One can speed without incident, but it's a lot tougher - the slower one goes, the less insulin one takes, the less the risk of a hypo ...

 

[Shanny]

Well Ray, there are other remedies for some of your issues, but you seem disinclined to even consider them. So since it's such a big deal in your mind, and you get so defensive about it, I guess the only resolution for you is to get a service dog like Wilmaforce has.

@VeeJay: Hypoglycemia is the leading cause of diabetics being treated in the emergency room. One of my greatest fears, and those of my diabetic friends, is going into a hypoglycemic coma while sleeping. I live alone and the paramedics won't come because there's no one to call them. Hence, a better a little higher than too low.

Thus far, I have been conscious of my body giving me warnings when I'm too low. As I've been improving my diabetes management, I am now able to tolerate lower numbers.

But sometimes I'm not sure if the low numbers represent better tolerance or asymptomatic hypoglycemia. Recently, I went from 143 to 48 in about 2-1/2 hrs. I only found out because I was showing someone how I test.

While I respect the decision of those who wish to maintain their BG within normal range, I'm going with the thought that normal people aren't on medication that wants to drive their blood sugar down. I am and a lot of it!

 

[mbuster]

There may be more to the saying 'you are what you eat' than even credited to it. If someone does not like where they are, maybe they should start to eat like what they want to be.

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