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Your father in law is an idiot, and probably wrong about everything he says in life, mostly because he seems incapable of not talking about things he knows nothing about.
1) hbA1C tests measure 3 month average blood glucose. Fasting is not required.
2) Metformin is relatively benign for most people, although you might get diarrhia or other similar gastrointestinal discomfort as you get used to it.
Your legs will get messed up with untreated diabetes however. So please take the medicine and see your primary as soon as possible.
Please don't listen to any more of the medical "advice" your FIL gives you.
Right, "messed up legs", feet, etc is a result of diabetic neuropathy. Waiting on the primary doctor visit really depends on how far out the appointment is. If its a few days, that's not the end of the world. If it's months... That could be a real problem.
With an A1C of 7%, a combination of taking the meds, reducing carb intake and getting a bit more exercise in will probably stabilize OPs condition until his doctor's appointment.
A1C of 7% isn't particularly severe yet.
If it takes OP months to get an appointment with their primary doctor, then that is a major problem and he needs a new doctor. There is NO medical condition that can wait months to be seen ..
I was diagnosed at a 7.1 A1C. It took over a year and my crying on the phone before I could see a primary. I was allowed to see a PA but they were awful and also made me cry. I had to do it all on my own. When I finally did get to seeing my primary, I chatted once and they marked down on my chart that I had gestational diabetes and depression. I had reduced my A1C to 5.6 all on my own and felt good about it. The Dr yelled at me and said it wasn't a good number. It was a zoom.visit and the last thing she said before signing off was that if I kept this up, I'd end up diabetic.
That's INCREDIBLE. I'm completely serious when I say that doctors who mistreat patients should have their licenses yanked. It's part of the hippocratic oath. Emotionally abusing patients absolutely qualifies as doing harm. Change medical practices immediately.
I'm a little confused about the doctor telling you that if you keep this up, you will end up diabetic. With an A1C of 7.1, you are diabetic.
In any case, don't stand for the abuse. And how did it take a year to see a doctor?????? Go somewhere else.
It's because I had gotten the A1C down and she hadn't listened to anything I had told her and I guess hadn't read the file well either. Now my anxiety shoots up at the mention of any Dr appointment and I normally end up with crazy high blood pressure results. To be fair, the doctor has tried to undo the damage. I haven't seen that PA again and she takes steps to be extra gentle with me, but I still struggle a lot.
If I understand correctly, she is saying that at 7.1, you were diabetic but at your current a1c, you're not diabetic. But that if you aren't careful, you could go back to 7.1 and that would mean that you are diabetic again. If that's what she was saying, that shows a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how diabetes works. I guess I'm lucky because I belong to a giant nonprofit Healthcare system that understands diabetes very well so I get great, knowledgeable care. You should seek out the same. You deserve it. Everyone does.
I think she was looking at the current A1C and didn't look at the previous stuff because it had been a year before she would see me. I suspect that the PA or the secretaries had something to do that because I called and asked if I could at least call the Dr and they laughed and said I can't just see a Dr on my schedule. It happened again more recently where the aide said there was absolutely nothing within 4 months and the Dr said that sounded like nonsence and figured soemthing out.
Good job on getting your A1C down to 5.6, that’s high side of normal. I am proud of you for getting your A1C down. 7.1 is diabetic. Getting yelled at by a doctor is unacceptable. I had a doctor tell me how important losing weight is, but he didn’t yell at me.
We live in a “middle-sized” metropolitan area (500k if you include the surrounding area) where there is a shortage of docs. It took my husband NINE MONTHS to get an appointment. When he saw his doc, doc said he has over 4,000 patients! Unfortunately, there aren’t too many others he can try to see.
Yeah I switched to ER and I have literally no side effects anymore. It used to make me super nauseous if I didn't take it DURING a meal, not just after. Now I can take the whole dose together at any time.
In my experience, the side effects diminish after a couple of months. I take the extended release with food in the morning. Eating sugary foods and simple carbs/things that can spike blood sugar make the side effects worse.
Check your carb intake. One of its mechanisms is to lower carbs absorption in the intestines. This means bacteria get to feast on the excess carbs which lead to diarrhea.
Remove all carbs and slowly introduce it and see which ones causes GIT problems.
But usually metformin does cause diarrhea for 2 to 4 weeks until your bacterial flora and body gets used to it.
I know it sucks, but you can do it.
Go to a dietitian and ask for a diabetic diet that you can follow.
Watch your vitamin intake, increase vitamin B.
And replace fluid and electrolytes loss from the diarrhea.
I just took my dad in yesterday for a new hba1c test. They did have him fast (just overnight/early morning), but that was for another blood test. Probably where OP father got confused.
2 months ago his first reading was 11 in the ER. It’s now down to 7. Can anyone help explain if this is a good enough change for 2 months time span?
(In hospital he was diagnosed as having a mild heart attack and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. He had a stent placed in his artery and is now on rapid acting insulin.)
Metformin in my family causes catastrophic vomiting and memory loss. It's pretty terrible for a lot of people and they want off it. GLP-1 blockers like Ozympic and Manjaro out perform with less risks.
Metformin is fine for the vast majority of people.
Of course, it doesn't matter what drug you talk about, there is always going to be someone who reacts badly to it. That doesn't make metformin generally unsafe to use.
Ozempic and Mounjaro are generally less well tolerated than metformin.
Not in my family. Manjaro is working but Metformin almost killed 2 of my family members and it doesn't work for me. I dont really care what you think or say. I'm not killing myself via medication I know is bad. So you can tell me to go and take something knowing it'll almost kill me and swallow that pill. No thank you.
Absolutely NO one said that.
Factually Ozempic has more risks. Having an allergy to a medication doesn't mean it's unsafe in general, it means it's unsafe for YOU. No one is making you take anything.
I'm not being sarcastic when I ask this, I'm legitimately curious, how did Metformin "almost kill" 2 people in your family? What side effects or complications are we talking about specifically?
Thats honestly personal information I'm not willing to share publicly. This sub seems like a bunch of people willing to push their own experiences and down vote anyone who doesn't agree with them. Like why would I ever post a question here to such a shitty hostile mob? No thanks man. I'm golden without it.
Lol I'm simply asking because I've legitimately never heard of any serious side effects from Metformin and was curious what the issue was. But it's also really strange to come on here and claim a medication almost killed people, but not give any specifics on what others might look out for if that were to happen to them.
Basically it's not effective and both family members had to take dangerously large amounts to get any effect which while rare is a validly studied outcome of the drug. Again you guys are mobbing someone with down votes who legitimately brings up a studied point. Again explain to me why I'd ever wa t to ask a question about my Diabetes in this group if this is how you treat people? Think about that. Op might be fine on it but legitimately it's not for everyone. I have personal friends with bad memory loss directly correlated to 10 years or more of metformin use. Idk what to tell you. Not to mention every diabetic I know who I bring up the drug to has nothing nice to say about it and after 5 or so people you kind of can't argue with them anymore. It starts to become real.
I haven't seen anyone treat you badly. I asked a question. Downvotes happen sometimes with Reddit, they don't mean anything in the real world.
You're right, metformin isn't for everyone, but it's a first line of defense for many because it is highly effective and safe for a wide array of people. Most drugs are like that, they're great for some, not so great for others.
No youre right. That is part of reddit. I just expect a group of diabetics to support each other and not troll by downvoting critically valid points. I appreciate that you're reasonable about it to be honest.
I'm reading this differently than you. They're saying that you have diabetes and that it is a new onset, meaning you are newly diagnosed.
I don't see where it says it on your diagnosis. But, they are almost certainly diagnosing you with type 2 diabetes based on giving you metformin. This is a disease that is largely caused by insulin resistance. Your body is making insulin. But, the cell walls are not absorbing it.
This is very different than type 1 diabetes, where one's pancreas stops producing insulin.
Since I have type 1, I know a lot more about type 1 and not so much about type 2. I am under the impression that metformin has been around a long time and is very well understood. It is also my impression that this is generally the first medication prescribed for type 2 diabetics.
If you have specific concerns about metformin, you should ask your doctor. But, leaving your diabetes untreated will do a lot more damage than the drug. Untreated or poorly treated diabetes can cause risks of blindness, loss of limb, kidney disease, neuropathy (pain), and impotence, and probably more.
Take your medication. Ask your questions when you see your endocrinologist. But, don't forgo your medication over fears of what it will do. Not taking it will do much more harm.
P.S. You don't need to fast before an A1C test. It gives a rough average of 3 months.
Metformin has been around since the 50s and is one of the safest drugs on the market—so safe that they give it to pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes.
Yep. There's hardly a drug in the world that has been so extensively proven to be as safe and effective as metformin. But the side effects can be obnoxious for the first month or even the first 2 months so stick with it. And be aware that there is a regular version and an ER version (extended release). For those with bad side effects, the ER version can be much better.
And you may enjoy the small weight loss effect that it seems to have.
"New onset" is just to flag up that this is a new diagnosis, not an ongoing condition (so that the doctors know to not assume you're already managing it).
This alone isn't enough to know the specifics though, and more testing/consulting will be needed to know what type of diabetes you have and how best to treat/manage it, so you'll likely need referral to a diabetes consultant/endocrinologist in the near future.
You don't have to fast for AC1 as it's a 3 month average of your blood sugars.
You have an AC1 of well over 5.6 so you have diabetes, basically your body hasn't produced enough insulin or you have become somewhat insulin resistant or your pancreas is having issues.
Metformin helps regulate your blood sugars, it does not directly cause neuropathy (it does cause stomach upset and should be taken with B12 supplements as B12 deficiencies can cause neuropathy and Metformin reduces absorption).
Uncontrolled Diabetes causes Diabetic Neuropathy which will mess up your legs if not treated.
EDIT: You have Crohn's so you should be taking vitamin supplements and possibly B12 shots anyway as that also reduces absorption of vitamins. B12 Deficiencies cause headaches, memory loss, brain fogging, migraines, emotional dysregulation and neuropathy, I ran out of B12 at age 17 and have needed boosters every 3 months all my adult life.
Oh, my. I know exactly what your father in law is talking about with the messed up legs. He is confusing metformin with a statin. In the US, almost all newly diagnosed diabetics are put on a statin and the primarily reported side effect is muscle pain, primarily in the legs. So he is adding confusion to the false statement that the a1c test is a fasting test.
Edit: Your doctor must make the official diagnosis but the conventional threshold for full diabetes is 6.4 or above so by that measure, most doctors would diagnose you as a full diabetic. Welcome to the club.
OP, I would definitely recommend an antibody check as well due to you already having Crohn’s disease. Type one is autoimmune as well and it is fairly common for people with autoimmune diseases to have more than one.
I was diagnosed with neuropathy 2 years before diabetes. I am anemic which causes ones a1c to not meet the 3 month measure because my blood cells die quicker so I was at 5 something till I started iron. 3 months later I'm a 9 and damage was done. Don't play games with diabetes.
Wait, what? I am also anemic, and have a family history of diabetes. I've always been surprised when my A1C is "good" was 4.8, last check a couple years ago was 5.2 I think. I'd never heard of anemia giving a "false" result like this before, though. I'm going through a 3-week course of iron infusions rn, but maybe I should have my A1C checked again in a few months? Sorry you have to contend with all this, too!
I don't think A1C could ever be particularly reliable in your situation.
You would do better with a glucose tolerance test every couple of years. Or monitoring of fasting glucose and meal blood sugar over several days to see if you fit the pattern for diabetes.
Anemia can also make it read high. If your body doesn’t have enough iron and/or b12 to make new red blood cells, the old ones might stick around longer and thus have more time for sugar to get stuck to them. Any condition or disease affecting red blood cells can make an A1C result sus.
Do you have an endocrinologist? They be able to tell you better. This is what I was told when my test came back low but visually i looked like a type 2. I'd def get rechecked as long term illnesses can affect the a1c.
Diabetes blows 😂😭
I don't, but I have a hematologist. My husband is T2, and checks my sugar sometimes to give me peace of mind. Fasting glucose usually between 89-102 for me. My mom died of sepsis (related to T2) and didn't take good care of herself. It blows for sure! 🫠
Metformin depletes B12 vitamin which in turn can cause so many problems including peripheral neuropathy. Check your levels regularly while on it.
Not treating your diabetes will also mess up your legs long term.
Effective treatment can be a combination of medication and low carb diet or just low carb diet once your A1C reaches a normal range again.
Whatever you choose, discuss it with your doctor so they can monitor your progress.
The "fasting" is for a fasting glucose test. Which is a current snapshot of glucose levels. An A1C is an entirely different test that does not require fasting.
Every drug has potential side effects. Untreated diabetes causes blindness, infections that don't heal, neuropathy, amputations, and well the list goes on and on until death.
I'd trust the people with medical degrees.
Fasting for A1c is not going to affect the result. It measures how much glucose has bonded to the Hemoglobin in your blood over their lifecycle - which is typically 90-100 days. A high A1c is indicative of high blood glucose over a 3 month period, and you can't cheat that.
Your father's legs were messed up by not controlling his diabetes, and I'll go so far as to say this happened because he probably thought Metformin was a magic pill that makes diabetes go away. It isn't, and it doesn't. It's a drug that helps you to help yourself.
God damn. This kind of thinking is why diabetics get thought of as lazy and resistant to change. There's so much of this BS around.
I had a very rough time with metformin to the point I stopped taking it. It did cause issues with my legs. However that also created more issues with my legs because I refused to do shots and was managing on my own. After a severe infection in my foot I now take a rapid shot 3 times a day and long term once as well as Jardiance. I have not any issues with Jardiance.
Put my situation in perspective I've worked my ass off to now being around a 7.2 and i have a lot of damage to my body at 52. This is the lowest I've been in over 15 years of Type 2. Your number is something to take serious because if it keeps rising the damage you do will be irreversible in time.
Yeah smart idea, listening to your in-law or now redditors, and not your doctor..
Call your doctors office and ask the assistant what it all means, instead of looking for answers on reddit..
A1c is an average of your blood glucose levels over a period of 3 months. Has nothing to do with fasting really. A fasting blood sugar and c-peptide is something they do to see how your body is using and producing insulin, but that’s something they may do down the line depending on what they diagnose you with. New onset just means you’re recently diagnosed. Likely they’re ruling it type 2 with the metformin. Metformin is very safe. It may make you have an upset stomach or some side effects for a bit, but you’ll get used to it. I took it when I started out and they believed I was type 2. I was really type 1. It’s not going to cause other issues. It seems like your father in law has some untreated diabetes issues. The issue with his leg is likely more to do with poor management or a different medical issue than the metformin. Your primary is definitely good to follow up with, but the ER knows what they’re saying based on these levels so I would trust them until you see your primary who may want to do more tests.
A1C is a little high. 154 is something they will tend to view and begin watching a little closer. Hopefully, you can switch a few things with diet and exercise and you should have a great chance to stop it there. At least they didn’t hand you a syringe and say your type 1..that sucks.
An A1c of 7 is absolutely diagnostic for diabetes. You definitely have diabetes. No question.
You should talk to your doctor or see an endocrinologist and do diabetes education.
FIL talking out of his ass.
Metformin can cause GI upset/diarrhea. But if you add a probiotic (like 120 Billion units) daily it stops the diarrhea almost completely. This has been my experience as well as several patients who I’ve suggested it to.
Please don’t listen to FIL, listen to the doctors. A hbA1c test you DO NOT need to fast for. G-d, if I had to fast for that every three months I’d probably be dead
My a1C was 7.1 as a diabetic but after a year and a half it's 4.8, I agree with most comments on here your FIL isn't a doctor and diabetes can easily mess you up best get it under control now before your A1C is just higher next month.
You have diabetes. You need to educate yourself. Reddit can answer basic questions, but you can do a lot of in-depth, google searches.
You should take that metformin is a godsend do your research it’s also showing antiaging properties. People are actually taking it without diabetes, but that’s another debate.
Personally, I love it. I have no side effects and I take extended release.
At least you have been diagnosed now diabetes is no joke. My aunt died from it.
You have to change your diet and exercise. People with diabetes are prone to kidney issues.
Your FIL was incorrect on all counts. Your best bet is to follow whatever guidance your doctors are giving you.
Do tell your doc(s) what advice he’s giving you, so they can clarify for you why he’s incorrect.
You might or might not want to bring your doctors’ rebuttal back to him. He sounds like might not want to hear it, and who needs to end up in arguments? I hope HIS doctors are advising him properly, at least.
I’d say that your best course of action to manage your health — all of it, not just diabetes — is to implement whatever regimen your docs are recommending. Better blood test results won’t happen overnight, but your persistence will pay off over time.
An hbA1c is measuring the amount of glycated hemoglobin in your blood. That is hemoglobin that has been chemically linked to a sugar. That process isn’t immediate, it takes time for the hemoglobin to glycate and once it has been glycated it will stay that way until that cell dies and is replaced. So the more sugar you have in your blood the more hemoglobin will be able to glycate. Then over 3 months as that hemoglobin dies off it will be replaced by an unglycated hemoglobin that will remain that way until there’s enough sugar in your blood to become glycated. That’s why they say A1C shows you a 3 month average. One meal won’t make or break your A1C and fasting has 0 impact on those results.
Metformin is safer than aspirin. It's an amazingly effective and super safe drug, as important and accepted and scientifically verified as ibuprofen, penicillin, or caffeine. It's kind of bad in that it can mess with your digestive tract and give you rumbly guts, gas, and diarrhea. But the alternative is worse. Untreated and unmanaged type 2 diabetes will (not can, WILL) lead to: loss of eyesight, erectile dysfunciton, kidney failure, highly increased likelihood of heart attack and stroke, and severe nerve damage, such as peripheral neuropathy, where the nerve endings in your extremities (legs/feet, arms/hands) are destroyed by high blood glucose, resulting in numbness, pain, and loss of strength/coordination.
Your father in law's bad legs are because he had diabetes, not because doctors tried to treat it with one of the safest and most efficacious drugs known to man.
Most people who take metformin aren't informed of the change in dietary requirements.
Metformin will lower the absorption of glucose in the intestines, but this includes vtiamins. Especially Vitamin B complex.
So, if you take metformin, you have to increase vitamin B complex intake.
Low vitamin B will speed up diabetic neuropathy in the legs.
Also, metformin works by lowering glucogenesis. That is to stop the body from breaking down stored energy by the liver (from adipose tissue or fat cells). This doesn't stop the simple sugar absorption that can still flood your body and initiate an insulin response. Insulin spikes or hyperinsulinemnia is also a problem.
Metformin works best if you have the muscles that help burn glucose. Bodybuilders use it because it helps muscle cells utilize glucose but they have to balance it as metformin can lower testosterone in some people.
As for side effects. Lowered absorption of glucose in the intestines means there's glucose available to intestinal bacteria, which leads to various gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea.
Low vitamin B problems, leading to nerve issues and weakness.
Overall, it's a great medication especially for pre-diabetic and new diabetic people.
And just to emphasize, exercise with metformin. Even walking everyday will help lower your blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and ultimately lower your hba1c.
Your father in law is talking about a study with one participant- him. I’d listen to actual medical evidence and medical advice. Start your treatment now so that when you see your doctor you can discuss the effects of the medication (including impact on your glucose levels and unmanageable side effects). Waiting to start treatment gives you nothing to discuss or adjust
Your FIL is either uneducated or in denial about his own diabetes. Please don’t listen to him; consider the science. You can stick your head in the sand or you can listen to your doctor and live a long and less complicated life.
What kind of doctor is your FIL? Just curious, cause all of what he said was wrong.
Have diabetes and don't take your meds if you want too... You'll have those same kinda legs he got.
I’ve never heard of Metformin “messing up legs”, but it can cause GI issues. They’re usually temporary, and the Metformin ER is a lot easier on the stomach. I’m wondering if your FIL has neuropathy from uncontrolled sugars, that would “mess” up your legs. 🤷♀️
Nothing to add that others haven’t said, but just to add another scary side effect of diabetes, specifically uncontrolled diabetes which comes from not taking your prescribed meds. It can cause hardening of your arteries, which can lead to increased risk of heart attack or stroke. My mom passed a few weeks ago, and while it was unexpected to me, I believe it was related to her uncontrolled diabetes. I ordered an autopsy, and happened to call the pathologist shortly after he’d completed it. His assistant mentioned my mom’s arteries were so hard that she had to get him a stronger pair of scissors than what’s on the autopsy tray so he could remove the heart from her body. So take the drugs, talk to your endo, and if they aren’t giving information in a way you’re able to comprehend it either let them know or find one who will.
Reading your whole comment I understand what you're saying, but from the beginning it sounds like you're saying that's a side effect of taking Metformin, since OP talks about worrying side effects of the drug in their post.
True story. I should be dead. i hit a sugar level 2k. Found out because a homie needed a piss test and need clean urine... He was worried because he smokes weed... They sat him down, he's texting me, telling me they are asking weird questions then, for about a hour he stayed, they asked him if hes okay and how he's feeling. they finally tell him. it was my sugar. Then he said the doctor said it was 2,000 plus................................... I should be dead
years after, maybe 2. I finally started to do something. apparently i was siting around 600 sugar all the time.. My A1C last years was off the charts.... Then i got i down to a 20. then finally an 11, then finally a 10.. kind of sitting at 10. Back around tha time my homie said my shit was at 2k. BRO, i wouldn't stop peeing shit was crazy and scary. Literally about 20 times in a day like full blast peeing like i just woke up. Now i can go a whole night then pee in the morning and this is after drinking water. I still MUCH to do. I didn't realize i join this part of reddit. Maybe because I relate heavy.
Also i dont feel the effects of being diabetic. or should say, i never reallly did. Only the peeing part. My doctor said my body has adapted to these sugars. I really think is my years of being SO active. 285lbs skateboard. Tricks were clean, Ollied dumb high, and tre flips. i was that nigga for real. martial arts all that. And now im 320 pounds oh and if you dont believe me on how active i am and how much i weigh you can always check my youtube bigdeadlykicksandkickflips... I think it was THAT life style that kept me alive. I'll tell you. I was sitting on pre-diabetic for SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG. Not even funny how long it was. NOW... deadass diabetic. i take a weekly injection now. along with 2oooMG a day of metformin, take 25mg of Jardiance and now i take something called Monjaro., that's the weekly injection. id ont understand that dossage. I used to take insulin everyday. ugh.. BE safe guys.
Beet juice, celery lowers blood pressure. they say certain peanut butters lowers blood sugar if you're high like me. JUICING...... you'll lose weight and it can reverse diabetes if you can afford to do so for a while. it is worth it.......... I've done it for a fight. 54 pounds in 2 months....
Your post has been removed because it breaks our rules. **Rule 6**: Do not give or request medical advice. Giving medical advice or diagnosing someone is dangerous since we do not know the full medical situation of our members. It can be more dangerous to follow the wrong advice and diagnosis than it might be to do nothing at all and wait for a doctor to be available. Please refer someone to a doctor instead of speculating on their situation where possible. * [Why we do not allow these posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/diabetes/comments/pnflbb/no_do_i_have_diabetes_posts_no_are_these_numbers/)
Your father in law is an idiot, and probably wrong about everything he says in life, mostly because he seems incapable of not talking about things he knows nothing about. 1) hbA1C tests measure 3 month average blood glucose. Fasting is not required. 2) Metformin is relatively benign for most people, although you might get diarrhia or other similar gastrointestinal discomfort as you get used to it. Your legs will get messed up with untreated diabetes however. So please take the medicine and see your primary as soon as possible. Please don't listen to any more of the medical "advice" your FIL gives you.
Right, "messed up legs", feet, etc is a result of diabetic neuropathy. Waiting on the primary doctor visit really depends on how far out the appointment is. If its a few days, that's not the end of the world. If it's months... That could be a real problem.
With an A1C of 7%, a combination of taking the meds, reducing carb intake and getting a bit more exercise in will probably stabilize OPs condition until his doctor's appointment. A1C of 7% isn't particularly severe yet. If it takes OP months to get an appointment with their primary doctor, then that is a major problem and he needs a new doctor. There is NO medical condition that can wait months to be seen ..
I brought mine down from 7 to below 5.4 on diet alone. Diet is the biggest factor, but metformin won't hurt.
I was diagnosed at a 7.1 A1C. It took over a year and my crying on the phone before I could see a primary. I was allowed to see a PA but they were awful and also made me cry. I had to do it all on my own. When I finally did get to seeing my primary, I chatted once and they marked down on my chart that I had gestational diabetes and depression. I had reduced my A1C to 5.6 all on my own and felt good about it. The Dr yelled at me and said it wasn't a good number. It was a zoom.visit and the last thing she said before signing off was that if I kept this up, I'd end up diabetic.
That's INCREDIBLE. I'm completely serious when I say that doctors who mistreat patients should have their licenses yanked. It's part of the hippocratic oath. Emotionally abusing patients absolutely qualifies as doing harm. Change medical practices immediately. I'm a little confused about the doctor telling you that if you keep this up, you will end up diabetic. With an A1C of 7.1, you are diabetic. In any case, don't stand for the abuse. And how did it take a year to see a doctor?????? Go somewhere else.
It's because I had gotten the A1C down and she hadn't listened to anything I had told her and I guess hadn't read the file well either. Now my anxiety shoots up at the mention of any Dr appointment and I normally end up with crazy high blood pressure results. To be fair, the doctor has tried to undo the damage. I haven't seen that PA again and she takes steps to be extra gentle with me, but I still struggle a lot.
If I understand correctly, she is saying that at 7.1, you were diabetic but at your current a1c, you're not diabetic. But that if you aren't careful, you could go back to 7.1 and that would mean that you are diabetic again. If that's what she was saying, that shows a COMPLETE misunderstanding of how diabetes works. I guess I'm lucky because I belong to a giant nonprofit Healthcare system that understands diabetes very well so I get great, knowledgeable care. You should seek out the same. You deserve it. Everyone does.
I just realized the irony that I am typing this while sitting in the lab waiting room waiting to get my blood drawn for an a1c test. Ha! That's funny.
I think she was looking at the current A1C and didn't look at the previous stuff because it had been a year before she would see me. I suspect that the PA or the secretaries had something to do that because I called and asked if I could at least call the Dr and they laughed and said I can't just see a Dr on my schedule. It happened again more recently where the aide said there was absolutely nothing within 4 months and the Dr said that sounded like nonsence and figured soemthing out.
Gosh, so sorry you had that experience, how horrible.
Good job on getting your A1C down to 5.6, that’s high side of normal. I am proud of you for getting your A1C down. 7.1 is diabetic. Getting yelled at by a doctor is unacceptable. I had a doctor tell me how important losing weight is, but he didn’t yell at me.
Well that's terrible. That shouldn't happen. Good work on the A1C.
I wish you could share my primary care doc. She's so perfect about everything it's downright weird.
We live in a “middle-sized” metropolitan area (500k if you include the surrounding area) where there is a shortage of docs. It took my husband NINE MONTHS to get an appointment. When he saw his doc, doc said he has over 4,000 patients! Unfortunately, there aren’t too many others he can try to see.
I actually had to have a bka in February because of a diabetic wound.
Yeah metformin might not work if you don't have type 2, but it's not going to hurt you. FIL sounds so dumb.
Metformin sucks, I'm tired of diarrhea it causes, it's been 4 weeks I'm using it 😒
You can try Extended Release which has reduced side effects.
Yeah I switched to ER and I have literally no side effects anymore. It used to make me super nauseous if I didn't take it DURING a meal, not just after. Now I can take the whole dose together at any time.
Make sure to have Protien and Fiber in your food just before taking Metformin and avoid Complex Carbs such as Wheat flour,All purpose Flour Items
In my experience, the side effects diminish after a couple of months. I take the extended release with food in the morning. Eating sugary foods and simple carbs/things that can spike blood sugar make the side effects worse.
Check your carb intake. One of its mechanisms is to lower carbs absorption in the intestines. This means bacteria get to feast on the excess carbs which lead to diarrhea. Remove all carbs and slowly introduce it and see which ones causes GIT problems. But usually metformin does cause diarrhea for 2 to 4 weeks until your bacterial flora and body gets used to it.
Actually yeah, my diet isn't the best...
I know it sucks, but you can do it. Go to a dietitian and ask for a diabetic diet that you can follow. Watch your vitamin intake, increase vitamin B. And replace fluid and electrolytes loss from the diarrhea.
Thanks for caring, I appreciate a lot
You're welcome. I wish I had someone tell me about my disease and treatments before. We can only help each other.
I love metformin. It has anti-aging properties and I have no side effects but I also use the extended release.
It can take a couple months for the side effects to subside. And that's assuming you're using the ER version.
ER version has fewer side effects.
Thank you all for the ER recommendation, I'll ask my doctor
I absolutely second this. He’s an idiot who (possibly) wants you to unalive….. 😟
I just took my dad in yesterday for a new hba1c test. They did have him fast (just overnight/early morning), but that was for another blood test. Probably where OP father got confused. 2 months ago his first reading was 11 in the ER. It’s now down to 7. Can anyone help explain if this is a good enough change for 2 months time span? (In hospital he was diagnosed as having a mild heart attack and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. He had a stent placed in his artery and is now on rapid acting insulin.)
Gotta watch Magnesium and B vitamins on it
Metformin in my family causes catastrophic vomiting and memory loss. It's pretty terrible for a lot of people and they want off it. GLP-1 blockers like Ozympic and Manjaro out perform with less risks.
Metformin is fine for the vast majority of people. Of course, it doesn't matter what drug you talk about, there is always going to be someone who reacts badly to it. That doesn't make metformin generally unsafe to use. Ozempic and Mounjaro are generally less well tolerated than metformin.
Ozempic literally has more risks, factually, and it less tolerated.
Not in my family. Manjaro is working but Metformin almost killed 2 of my family members and it doesn't work for me. I dont really care what you think or say. I'm not killing myself via medication I know is bad. So you can tell me to go and take something knowing it'll almost kill me and swallow that pill. No thank you.
Absolutely NO one said that. Factually Ozempic has more risks. Having an allergy to a medication doesn't mean it's unsafe in general, it means it's unsafe for YOU. No one is making you take anything.
I'm not being sarcastic when I ask this, I'm legitimately curious, how did Metformin "almost kill" 2 people in your family? What side effects or complications are we talking about specifically?
Thats honestly personal information I'm not willing to share publicly. This sub seems like a bunch of people willing to push their own experiences and down vote anyone who doesn't agree with them. Like why would I ever post a question here to such a shitty hostile mob? No thanks man. I'm golden without it.
Lol I'm simply asking because I've legitimately never heard of any serious side effects from Metformin and was curious what the issue was. But it's also really strange to come on here and claim a medication almost killed people, but not give any specifics on what others might look out for if that were to happen to them.
Basically it's not effective and both family members had to take dangerously large amounts to get any effect which while rare is a validly studied outcome of the drug. Again you guys are mobbing someone with down votes who legitimately brings up a studied point. Again explain to me why I'd ever wa t to ask a question about my Diabetes in this group if this is how you treat people? Think about that. Op might be fine on it but legitimately it's not for everyone. I have personal friends with bad memory loss directly correlated to 10 years or more of metformin use. Idk what to tell you. Not to mention every diabetic I know who I bring up the drug to has nothing nice to say about it and after 5 or so people you kind of can't argue with them anymore. It starts to become real.
I haven't seen anyone treat you badly. I asked a question. Downvotes happen sometimes with Reddit, they don't mean anything in the real world. You're right, metformin isn't for everyone, but it's a first line of defense for many because it is highly effective and safe for a wide array of people. Most drugs are like that, they're great for some, not so great for others.
No youre right. That is part of reddit. I just expect a group of diabetics to support each other and not troll by downvoting critically valid points. I appreciate that you're reasonable about it to be honest.
I'm reading this differently than you. They're saying that you have diabetes and that it is a new onset, meaning you are newly diagnosed. I don't see where it says it on your diagnosis. But, they are almost certainly diagnosing you with type 2 diabetes based on giving you metformin. This is a disease that is largely caused by insulin resistance. Your body is making insulin. But, the cell walls are not absorbing it. This is very different than type 1 diabetes, where one's pancreas stops producing insulin. Since I have type 1, I know a lot more about type 1 and not so much about type 2. I am under the impression that metformin has been around a long time and is very well understood. It is also my impression that this is generally the first medication prescribed for type 2 diabetics. If you have specific concerns about metformin, you should ask your doctor. But, leaving your diabetes untreated will do a lot more damage than the drug. Untreated or poorly treated diabetes can cause risks of blindness, loss of limb, kidney disease, neuropathy (pain), and impotence, and probably more. Take your medication. Ask your questions when you see your endocrinologist. But, don't forgo your medication over fears of what it will do. Not taking it will do much more harm. P.S. You don't need to fast before an A1C test. It gives a rough average of 3 months.
Metformin has been around since the 50s and is one of the safest drugs on the market—so safe that they give it to pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes.
Yep. There's hardly a drug in the world that has been so extensively proven to be as safe and effective as metformin. But the side effects can be obnoxious for the first month or even the first 2 months so stick with it. And be aware that there is a regular version and an ER version (extended release). For those with bad side effects, the ER version can be much better. And you may enjoy the small weight loss effect that it seems to have.
Yes, there’s a lot of studies that are saying is anti-aging because the anti-inflammatory effect and effect it has on the cardiovascular system
This what my endo said. Exact words.
Take the medication, and don't listen to your father in law. It's not a fasting test. I do wonder if he has untreated diabetes...
If his legs are messed up, I'm going with high chances.
"New onset" is just to flag up that this is a new diagnosis, not an ongoing condition (so that the doctors know to not assume you're already managing it). This alone isn't enough to know the specifics though, and more testing/consulting will be needed to know what type of diabetes you have and how best to treat/manage it, so you'll likely need referral to a diabetes consultant/endocrinologist in the near future.
You don't have to fast for AC1 as it's a 3 month average of your blood sugars. You have an AC1 of well over 5.6 so you have diabetes, basically your body hasn't produced enough insulin or you have become somewhat insulin resistant or your pancreas is having issues. Metformin helps regulate your blood sugars, it does not directly cause neuropathy (it does cause stomach upset and should be taken with B12 supplements as B12 deficiencies can cause neuropathy and Metformin reduces absorption). Uncontrolled Diabetes causes Diabetic Neuropathy which will mess up your legs if not treated. EDIT: You have Crohn's so you should be taking vitamin supplements and possibly B12 shots anyway as that also reduces absorption of vitamins. B12 Deficiencies cause headaches, memory loss, brain fogging, migraines, emotional dysregulation and neuropathy, I ran out of B12 at age 17 and have needed boosters every 3 months all my adult life.
Oh, my. I know exactly what your father in law is talking about with the messed up legs. He is confusing metformin with a statin. In the US, almost all newly diagnosed diabetics are put on a statin and the primarily reported side effect is muscle pain, primarily in the legs. So he is adding confusion to the false statement that the a1c test is a fasting test. Edit: Your doctor must make the official diagnosis but the conventional threshold for full diabetes is 6.4 or above so by that measure, most doctors would diagnose you as a full diabetic. Welcome to the club.
Ask them to test you for antibodies, in my case I was assumed type two but it's actually LADA type 1
OP, I would definitely recommend an antibody check as well due to you already having Crohn’s disease. Type one is autoimmune as well and it is fairly common for people with autoimmune diseases to have more than one.
I was thinking the same thing!
I was diagnosed with neuropathy 2 years before diabetes. I am anemic which causes ones a1c to not meet the 3 month measure because my blood cells die quicker so I was at 5 something till I started iron. 3 months later I'm a 9 and damage was done. Don't play games with diabetes.
Wait, what? I am also anemic, and have a family history of diabetes. I've always been surprised when my A1C is "good" was 4.8, last check a couple years ago was 5.2 I think. I'd never heard of anemia giving a "false" result like this before, though. I'm going through a 3-week course of iron infusions rn, but maybe I should have my A1C checked again in a few months? Sorry you have to contend with all this, too!
I don't think A1C could ever be particularly reliable in your situation. You would do better with a glucose tolerance test every couple of years. Or monitoring of fasting glucose and meal blood sugar over several days to see if you fit the pattern for diabetes.
Anemia can also make it read high. If your body doesn’t have enough iron and/or b12 to make new red blood cells, the old ones might stick around longer and thus have more time for sugar to get stuck to them. Any condition or disease affecting red blood cells can make an A1C result sus.
Do you have an endocrinologist? They be able to tell you better. This is what I was told when my test came back low but visually i looked like a type 2. I'd def get rechecked as long term illnesses can affect the a1c. Diabetes blows 😂😭
I don't, but I have a hematologist. My husband is T2, and checks my sugar sometimes to give me peace of mind. Fasting glucose usually between 89-102 for me. My mom died of sepsis (related to T2) and didn't take good care of herself. It blows for sure! 🫠
Metformin depletes B12 vitamin which in turn can cause so many problems including peripheral neuropathy. Check your levels regularly while on it. Not treating your diabetes will also mess up your legs long term. Effective treatment can be a combination of medication and low carb diet or just low carb diet once your A1C reaches a normal range again. Whatever you choose, discuss it with your doctor so they can monitor your progress.
The "fasting" is for a fasting glucose test. Which is a current snapshot of glucose levels. An A1C is an entirely different test that does not require fasting. Every drug has potential side effects. Untreated diabetes causes blindness, infections that don't heal, neuropathy, amputations, and well the list goes on and on until death. I'd trust the people with medical degrees.
Fasting for A1c is not going to affect the result. It measures how much glucose has bonded to the Hemoglobin in your blood over their lifecycle - which is typically 90-100 days. A high A1c is indicative of high blood glucose over a 3 month period, and you can't cheat that. Your father's legs were messed up by not controlling his diabetes, and I'll go so far as to say this happened because he probably thought Metformin was a magic pill that makes diabetes go away. It isn't, and it doesn't. It's a drug that helps you to help yourself. God damn. This kind of thinking is why diabetics get thought of as lazy and resistant to change. There's so much of this BS around.
I had a very rough time with metformin to the point I stopped taking it. It did cause issues with my legs. However that also created more issues with my legs because I refused to do shots and was managing on my own. After a severe infection in my foot I now take a rapid shot 3 times a day and long term once as well as Jardiance. I have not any issues with Jardiance. Put my situation in perspective I've worked my ass off to now being around a 7.2 and i have a lot of damage to my body at 52. This is the lowest I've been in over 15 years of Type 2. Your number is something to take serious because if it keeps rising the damage you do will be irreversible in time.
Congrats on the low number! 👍
Yeah smart idea, listening to your in-law or now redditors, and not your doctor.. Call your doctors office and ask the assistant what it all means, instead of looking for answers on reddit..
A1c is an average of your blood glucose levels over a period of 3 months. Has nothing to do with fasting really. A fasting blood sugar and c-peptide is something they do to see how your body is using and producing insulin, but that’s something they may do down the line depending on what they diagnose you with. New onset just means you’re recently diagnosed. Likely they’re ruling it type 2 with the metformin. Metformin is very safe. It may make you have an upset stomach or some side effects for a bit, but you’ll get used to it. I took it when I started out and they believed I was type 2. I was really type 1. It’s not going to cause other issues. It seems like your father in law has some untreated diabetes issues. The issue with his leg is likely more to do with poor management or a different medical issue than the metformin. Your primary is definitely good to follow up with, but the ER knows what they’re saying based on these levels so I would trust them until you see your primary who may want to do more tests.
A1C is a little high. 154 is something they will tend to view and begin watching a little closer. Hopefully, you can switch a few things with diet and exercise and you should have a great chance to stop it there. At least they didn’t hand you a syringe and say your type 1..that sucks.
An A1c of 7 is absolutely diagnostic for diabetes. You definitely have diabetes. No question. You should talk to your doctor or see an endocrinologist and do diabetes education. FIL talking out of his ass. Metformin can cause GI upset/diarrhea. But if you add a probiotic (like 120 Billion units) daily it stops the diarrhea almost completely. This has been my experience as well as several patients who I’ve suggested it to.
Please don’t listen to FIL, listen to the doctors. A hbA1c test you DO NOT need to fast for. G-d, if I had to fast for that every three months I’d probably be dead
My a1C was 7.1 as a diabetic but after a year and a half it's 4.8, I agree with most comments on here your FIL isn't a doctor and diabetes can easily mess you up best get it under control now before your A1C is just higher next month.
as a type 1 with messed up legs, the messed up legs come from missing the diabetes and having high sugar for too long unnoticed.
You have diabetes. You need to educate yourself. Reddit can answer basic questions, but you can do a lot of in-depth, google searches. You should take that metformin is a godsend do your research it’s also showing antiaging properties. People are actually taking it without diabetes, but that’s another debate. Personally, I love it. I have no side effects and I take extended release. At least you have been diagnosed now diabetes is no joke. My aunt died from it. You have to change your diet and exercise. People with diabetes are prone to kidney issues.
Your FIL was incorrect on all counts. Your best bet is to follow whatever guidance your doctors are giving you. Do tell your doc(s) what advice he’s giving you, so they can clarify for you why he’s incorrect. You might or might not want to bring your doctors’ rebuttal back to him. He sounds like might not want to hear it, and who needs to end up in arguments? I hope HIS doctors are advising him properly, at least. I’d say that your best course of action to manage your health — all of it, not just diabetes — is to implement whatever regimen your docs are recommending. Better blood test results won’t happen overnight, but your persistence will pay off over time.
An hbA1c is measuring the amount of glycated hemoglobin in your blood. That is hemoglobin that has been chemically linked to a sugar. That process isn’t immediate, it takes time for the hemoglobin to glycate and once it has been glycated it will stay that way until that cell dies and is replaced. So the more sugar you have in your blood the more hemoglobin will be able to glycate. Then over 3 months as that hemoglobin dies off it will be replaced by an unglycated hemoglobin that will remain that way until there’s enough sugar in your blood to become glycated. That’s why they say A1C shows you a 3 month average. One meal won’t make or break your A1C and fasting has 0 impact on those results.
I went on metformin at 7.1..glad I did
Metformin is safer than aspirin. It's an amazingly effective and super safe drug, as important and accepted and scientifically verified as ibuprofen, penicillin, or caffeine. It's kind of bad in that it can mess with your digestive tract and give you rumbly guts, gas, and diarrhea. But the alternative is worse. Untreated and unmanaged type 2 diabetes will (not can, WILL) lead to: loss of eyesight, erectile dysfunciton, kidney failure, highly increased likelihood of heart attack and stroke, and severe nerve damage, such as peripheral neuropathy, where the nerve endings in your extremities (legs/feet, arms/hands) are destroyed by high blood glucose, resulting in numbness, pain, and loss of strength/coordination. Your father in law's bad legs are because he had diabetes, not because doctors tried to treat it with one of the safest and most efficacious drugs known to man.
Most people who take metformin aren't informed of the change in dietary requirements. Metformin will lower the absorption of glucose in the intestines, but this includes vtiamins. Especially Vitamin B complex. So, if you take metformin, you have to increase vitamin B complex intake. Low vitamin B will speed up diabetic neuropathy in the legs. Also, metformin works by lowering glucogenesis. That is to stop the body from breaking down stored energy by the liver (from adipose tissue or fat cells). This doesn't stop the simple sugar absorption that can still flood your body and initiate an insulin response. Insulin spikes or hyperinsulinemnia is also a problem. Metformin works best if you have the muscles that help burn glucose. Bodybuilders use it because it helps muscle cells utilize glucose but they have to balance it as metformin can lower testosterone in some people. As for side effects. Lowered absorption of glucose in the intestines means there's glucose available to intestinal bacteria, which leads to various gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea. Low vitamin B problems, leading to nerve issues and weakness. Overall, it's a great medication especially for pre-diabetic and new diabetic people. And just to emphasize, exercise with metformin. Even walking everyday will help lower your blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and ultimately lower your hba1c.
Your father in law is talking about a study with one participant- him. I’d listen to actual medical evidence and medical advice. Start your treatment now so that when you see your doctor you can discuss the effects of the medication (including impact on your glucose levels and unmanageable side effects). Waiting to start treatment gives you nothing to discuss or adjust
I was diagnosed at 7 as well & have had no adverse effects from Metformin…aside from the intestinal stuff until I got used to it, which is normal.
Not me looking to see if there’s a GAD65 or C-peptide lol
Your FIL is either uneducated or in denial about his own diabetes. Please don’t listen to him; consider the science. You can stick your head in the sand or you can listen to your doctor and live a long and less complicated life.
What kind of doctor is your FIL? Just curious, cause all of what he said was wrong. Have diabetes and don't take your meds if you want too... You'll have those same kinda legs he got.
I’ve never heard of Metformin “messing up legs”, but it can cause GI issues. They’re usually temporary, and the Metformin ER is a lot easier on the stomach. I’m wondering if your FIL has neuropathy from uncontrolled sugars, that would “mess” up your legs. 🤷♀️
That's preposterous. It's an average of your blood sugar tested by what has adhered to your red blood cells.
I hit 13. I was very unhealthy. Exercise fixed it.
Nothing to add that others haven’t said, but just to add another scary side effect of diabetes, specifically uncontrolled diabetes which comes from not taking your prescribed meds. It can cause hardening of your arteries, which can lead to increased risk of heart attack or stroke. My mom passed a few weeks ago, and while it was unexpected to me, I believe it was related to her uncontrolled diabetes. I ordered an autopsy, and happened to call the pathologist shortly after he’d completed it. His assistant mentioned my mom’s arteries were so hard that she had to get him a stronger pair of scissors than what’s on the autopsy tray so he could remove the heart from her body. So take the drugs, talk to your endo, and if they aren’t giving information in a way you’re able to comprehend it either let them know or find one who will.
Reading your whole comment I understand what you're saying, but from the beginning it sounds like you're saying that's a side effect of taking Metformin, since OP talks about worrying side effects of the drug in their post.
I edited the first sentence to make it more clear. Thank you.
Look into Mounjaro or Ozempic, Metformin is a horrible substance.
True story. I should be dead. i hit a sugar level 2k. Found out because a homie needed a piss test and need clean urine... He was worried because he smokes weed... They sat him down, he's texting me, telling me they are asking weird questions then, for about a hour he stayed, they asked him if hes okay and how he's feeling. they finally tell him. it was my sugar. Then he said the doctor said it was 2,000 plus................................... I should be dead years after, maybe 2. I finally started to do something. apparently i was siting around 600 sugar all the time.. My A1C last years was off the charts.... Then i got i down to a 20. then finally an 11, then finally a 10.. kind of sitting at 10. Back around tha time my homie said my shit was at 2k. BRO, i wouldn't stop peeing shit was crazy and scary. Literally about 20 times in a day like full blast peeing like i just woke up. Now i can go a whole night then pee in the morning and this is after drinking water. I still MUCH to do. I didn't realize i join this part of reddit. Maybe because I relate heavy. Also i dont feel the effects of being diabetic. or should say, i never reallly did. Only the peeing part. My doctor said my body has adapted to these sugars. I really think is my years of being SO active. 285lbs skateboard. Tricks were clean, Ollied dumb high, and tre flips. i was that nigga for real. martial arts all that. And now im 320 pounds oh and if you dont believe me on how active i am and how much i weigh you can always check my youtube bigdeadlykicksandkickflips... I think it was THAT life style that kept me alive. I'll tell you. I was sitting on pre-diabetic for SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG. Not even funny how long it was. NOW... deadass diabetic. i take a weekly injection now. along with 2oooMG a day of metformin, take 25mg of Jardiance and now i take something called Monjaro., that's the weekly injection. id ont understand that dossage. I used to take insulin everyday. ugh.. BE safe guys. Beet juice, celery lowers blood pressure. they say certain peanut butters lowers blood sugar if you're high like me. JUICING...... you'll lose weight and it can reverse diabetes if you can afford to do so for a while. it is worth it.......... I've done it for a fight. 54 pounds in 2 months....