Metformin

I would be interested to hear from Type 1s who are on metformin. I've been on it for years, and as I understand it, it is to help with blood glucose control but also to help you lose weight or at least keep weight down? Well I've never lost ANY weight on it, ok it might be helping me keep it down but I do wonder, if my blood glucose is well controlled, what is the point of me being on it. I mean, how do you know, how do the professionals know, if you should still be on it.

It basically decreases insulin resistance and I think suppresses appetite, and therefore helps weight loss, and prevents weight gain....

the specifics are unknown to me but I believe it decreases absorption of glucose into the blood and calms the livers secretion also as well as increasing the bodies effective use of insulin....

I wouldn't know how to assess its need either as I am not a doctor, but the only way to find out would be to come off it, you can ask your doctor this. I personally would try without the doctors consent, but I wouldn't advise that to anyone else......

I started Metformin use just over 14 months ago following discussion with my consultant who had concerns about my insulin resistance.
Ratios, which at the time of starting were 2.0 to 2.5:1 have not come down much, as now are 2.2, 2.0 and 2.0, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Took a spell of 10 days off them, to see what impact it had....and would have had to go back to my old ratio regime. So have stuck with them.
Although not a long term user yet....having been used by Type 2s for decades without adverse reports....I would like to think we are on safe ground.

Regards
Garry

Thanks for that that is helpful, I suppose if it doesn't have any proven adverse reaction then I should stick to it, it's just that it's frustrating - I know it's not a instant weight loss wonder drug but I thought I would have seen SOME loss, I take quite a few drugs, for blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, and I know how drugs can make you put on weight so I want to be sure that I'm not taking anything I don't need to, but from what yu say metformin is needed.

Should have mentioned that I take 2 x 500 mg daily. Was told that I could take up to 3000 mg daily. But for me, stepping up the dose gradually had no beneficial effect on ratios so have stuck with 1 g per day. Metformin adversely affected my digestion at higher dose anyway.

Regards
Garry