metformin

Hi, as anyone been prescribed metformin to take as well as insulin, I'm type 1 and been diabetic for 20 yrs and my sugars have been running high so I have been prescribed metformin to take with my insulin.

Hi Trish,
I have not personally taken metformin but before my retirement I worked in the NHS and used to work in a diabetes clinic where I encountered patients with type 1 diabetes who were treated with metformin in addition to insulin. Metformin is not always easy to take on account of side effects such as feeling sick, reduced appetite or loose bowels and abdominal discomfort . However once one gets used to it side effects seem less prominent. It definitely seems to improve blood sugars. It tends to increase one's sensitivity to insulin and lower morning fasting blood sugars by reducing the amount of glucose released from the liver in the early hours. It can help to avoid the vicious cycle of increasing insulin dosage leading to increased weight gain leading to increased blood sugars etc etc. I do hope you will find it a help.

Thank you stephen

My consultant prescribed it for me some 3 years ago in an effort to reduce my insulin resistance. He told me to take anything between 500 to 3000 mg per day determined by experimentation. He told me that Metformin is probably the most widely used drug of its type with some 40 years of use by the NHS and only well known side effects.
No problems for me with it...once my bowels! and body got used to it.
Has generally reduced my QA ratios by 0.5 across the board resulting in an average TDD of QA down by 8u.
Regards
Garry

I ve been on metformin for about 4 years now, and it does make a difference and noticeable when I don t take it! On 500mg 3 times a day (with meals) which reduces the digestive issues! Awaiting results of first post DAFNE blood test to see if the new set up is working, as even with metformin my control was at best erratic!

Thanks everyone your comments have been really helpful.