Anyone currently using metformin and getting it online?

[Nelson Vergel]

I had to stop it since it has an interaction with integrase inhibitors (HIV med) that made my CPK and body aches increase. It's too bad since I actually loved the way my gut felt. I lost 6 pounds but regained them after stopping.

People with kidney dysfunction should be careful also.

 

[Matt Leiser]

I’ve learned quite a bit researching this drug, but most importantly, never trust a fart in the first few days...

 

[blackebob]

I do not have diabetes. My doc asked me about taking this after my blood test at end of 2017. Glucose was elevated, and I said no way I am not going to be diabetic. I checked it at work a week later first thing in the morning with a good meter, 91. I ate breakfast and retested 102. 2 hours later 93, ate lunch then tested at 2:30 and my glucose was 92.

Having read this thread, if I take this will it have side effects If I dont have the "D". DOC talked me into taking Berberine 500mg a day.

I was supposed to take a statin 10 years ago for my lipids and I refused it. Doc just told me my pipes are wide open for having eleveted lipids. However, my homocysteine is elevated.

I eat keto, no sugar, very low carb, but I like some bourbon at night when I get home. Is this safe for me to take, or should I just stick to the Berberine?

 

[dnfuss]

I do not have diabetes. My doc asked me about taking this after my blood test at end of 2017. Glucose was elevated, and I said no way I am not going to be diabetic. I checked it at work a week later first thing in the morning with a good meter, 91. I ate breakfast and retested 102. 2 hours later 93, ate lunch then tested at 2:30 and my glucose was 92.

Having read this thread, if I take this will it have side effects If I dont have the "D". DOC talked me into taking Berberine 500mg a day.

I was supposed to take a statin 10 years ago for my lipids and I refused it. Doc just told me my pipes are wide open for having eleveted lipids. However, my homocysteine is elevated.

I eat keto, no sugar, very low carb, but I like some bourbon at night when I get home. Is this safe for me to take, or should I just stick to the Berberine?

We share similar histories. I do not have diabetes, but like you and many, many, many others I have a history of other than normal blood sugars. Although strongly associated with inflammatory processes, the etiology of pre-diabetes is usually unclear, and by no means does it inevitably progress to full-blown diagnosed diabetes. In fact only about 35-40% of those with prediabetes will do so. But you are still right to be concerned. While the majority of pre-diabetics do not progress to diabetes, pre-diabetes is not a benign condition. Pre-diabetics, e.g., experience serious cardiovascular events (stroke and heart attacks) at significantly higher rates than those with normal blood sugars.

Berberine is not something to fool around with. It does seem to work to some degree, but it may do so by affecting your liver in potentially dangerous ways. It has not undergone the rigorous testing process to which all FDA-approved prescription drugs are subjected, and my view is that it currently should not be prescribed for the treatment of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Metformin is a good drug with a good track record. It has been around for many decades and is generally very well-tolerated with almost no serious side effects noted except for the rare possibility of lactic acidosis in those with existing kidney disease. Metformin has occasionally been linked in the literature to a decrease in serum Vitamin B-12, so one might want to have that tested when starting metformin to have a baseline (and perhaps take a low-dose B-complex vitamin or multivitamin with Bs if you don’t already; high doses of B-12 probably aren’t indicated).

I am on metformin and it enabled me to achieve basically normal blood sugars. You may want to consider discussing this with a doctor with experience in the treatment of pre-diabetes and diabetes. For further general information and discussions of treatment protocols for pre-diabetes, see this site and Dr. Richard Bernstein's seminal book on the subject, Diabetes Solution.

You should consult your doctor before taking any medication, including metformin.

 

[blackebob]

We share similar histories. I do not have diabetes, but like you and many, many, many others I have a history of other than normal blood sugars. Although strongly associated with inflammatory processes, the etiology of pre-diabetes is usually unclear, and by no means does it inevitably progress to full-blown diagnosed diabetes. In fact only about 35-40% of those with prediabetes will do so. But you are still right to be concerned. While the majority of pre-diabetics do not progress to diabetes, pre-diabetes is not a benign condition. Pre-diabetics, e.g., experience serious cardiovascular events (stroke and heart attacks) at significantly higher rates than those with normal blood sugars.

Berberine is not something to fool around with. It does seem to work to some degree, but it may do so by affecting your liver in potentially dangerous ways. It has not undergone the rigorous testing process to which all FDA-approved prescription drugs are subjected, and my view is that it currently should not be prescribed for the treatment of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Metformin is a good drug with a good track record. It has been around for many decades and is generally very well-tolerated with almost no serious side effects noted except for the rare possibility of lactic acidosis in those with existing kidney disease. Metformin has occasionally been linked in the literature to a decrease in serum Vitamin B-12, so one might want to have that tested when starting metformin to have a baseline (and perhaps take a low-dose B-complex vitamin or multivitamin with Bs if you don't already; high doses of B-12 probably aren't indicated).

I am on metformin and it enabled me to achieve basically normal blood sugars. You may want to consider discussing this with a doctor with experience in the treatment of pre-diabetes and diabetes. For further general information and discussions of treatment protocols for pre-diabetes, see this site and Dr. Richard Bernstein's seminal book on the subject, Diabetes Solution.

You should consult your doctor before taking any medication, including metformin.

Thank you.

I have probably read your reply half a dozen times today trying to digest everything in it. Let me first say, and I am terrible at typing, that is why I want to get it out first, THANK YOU. I appreciate the time that it took for you to give me such a detailed reply, time that you could have spent doing any number of other things. I know how long it would have taken me to type that out so I want you to know how much I appreciate your response DNFUSS.

I was under the opinion that metformin was the worse of the two evils. I mean when a Doc says "I want you to think about going on a diabetes drug" , and your brain goes DIABETES! What the hell did you say? I kind of was in defense mode. My parents both have diabetes, but I am convinced it is because of their terrible diet, and sedentary life style. MY older brother takes metformin as a preventive measure. He is more worried about it than me. All I heard was DIABETES/Metformin. Perhaps I was to quick to jump on the Berberine wagon. I was worried about what I might take that could damage my liver, and low and behold my liver enzymes were elevated this test, after starting Berbrerine. My T is also high right now, so yeah it is never easy to pin point what the reason is.

I have also learned about the Dawn Phenomenon, I am going to chose to believe, that is the reason is my glucose test came back elevated for me.

I think, thanks to you, and Vince that I am going to put the Berberine aside for the time being.

 

[Matt Leiser]

Thank you.

I have probably read your reply half a dozen times today trying to digest everything in it. Let me first say, and I am terrible at typing, that is why I want to get it out first, THANK YOU. I appreciate the time that it took for you to give me such a detailed reply, time that you could have spent doing any number of other things. I know how long it would have taken me to type that out so I want you to know how much I appreciate your response DNFUSS.

I was under the opinion that metformin was the worse of the two evils. I mean when a Doc says "I want you to think about going on a diabetes drug" , and your brain goes DIABETES! What the hell did you say? I kind of was in defense mode. My parents both have diabetes, but I am convinced it is because of their terrible diet, and sedentary life style. MY older brother takes metformin as a preventive measure. He is more worried about it than me. All I heard was DIABETES/Metformin. Perhaps I was to quick to jump on the Berberine wagon. I was worried about what I might take that could damage my liver, and low and behold my liver enzymes were elevated this test, after starting Berbrerine. My T is also high right now, so yeah it is never easy to pin point what the reason is.

I have also learned about the Dawn Phenomenon, I am going to chose to believe, that is the reason is my glucose test came back elevated for me.

I think, thanks to you, and Vince that I am going to put the Berberine aside for the time being.

if you are on the fence about trying metformin, Nelson has a link to another post in the earlier part of this thread that will take you to an article on the benefits of taking metformin and a podcast presentation he did with Jay Campbell. They are both excellent and would be well worth your time researching. Your doctor has already offered it as an option so sounds like you can accept if you want. Let us know what you decide.

 

[blackebob]

if you are on the fence about trying metformin, Nelson has a link to another post in the earlier part of this thread that will take you to an article on the benefits of taking metformin and a podcast presentation he did with Jay Campbell. They are both excellent and would be well worth your time researching. Your doctor has already offered it as an option so sounds like you can accept if you want. Let us know what you decide.

Thanks Matt, I will back track and watch it right now.

 

[blackebob]

Thanks to the very intelligent posters on here. Your generous time and efforts are appreciated.

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14046739.php


I feel I am getting close to being able to return to community college and get my doctorate in this stuff, okay maybe just my masters.

 

[dnfuss]

Thanks to the very intelligent posters on here. Your generous time and efforts are appreciated.

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14046739.php


I feel I am getting close to being able to return to community college and get my doctorate in this stuff, okay maybe just my masters.

Glad if I was able to offer some possibly helpful information. FWIW, both of my parents were also diabetic.

As Dr. Saya indicated above, metformin is “a good drug, as drugs go, but as with everything comes with potential side effects.” It is generally well-tolerated, the most common side effect being gastric distress, especially diarrhea (not to get too graphic, but I definitely needed to be able to access a toilet on short notice when I started on metformin). Some aver that the severity of this side effect is directly related to the amount of carbohydrates in one’s diet. I was on a quite low-carb diet and still had this side effect, so YMMV. I found symptomatic relief along with good clinical effect by switching to the extended-release formulation taken just before bed. Some swear by taking the regular formulation with meals. Again, YMMV.

If you are reluctant to go on metformin right away, that is also understandable. Perhaps after going off berberine and a sufficient wash-out period, you could do another round of monitoring blood glucose levels as described here (note the information therein applying to low-carbers under the heading “A Special Consideration if You Have Been Eating A Low Carb Diet”). Depending on the numbers that you then see, you may decide to hold off going on metformin and instead opt for “watchful waiting” and periodic re-testing every few months. I did that for a while, but decided to go on metformin when I saw morning fasting glucose levels consistently above 100 mg/dl.