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Posted 12/1/2021 3:52 PM (GMT -8)
Doctor threatened medicine, not control with diet, because my blood sugar numbers were too high. Thought for one day, I'll give it everything I have. Had no carb breakfast and lunch. By supper, I was so hungry I ate a high potato (carbs), sausage and cabbage supper just to try and get full and get my sugar balance back up.

Today, doctor gave me Metforum diabetic medicine I believe it was. Realized, that doesn't alter my diet, I still have to cut back on carbs.

I take at least one med that increases my appetite.
Posted 12/1/2021 5:54 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Tim Tam. Oh, gee, sorry to hear this. Medicines that raise blood sugar are frequently prescribed for other medical issues but you do have to deal with the resulting high blood sugar. This happens with steroids. They are notorious for raising blood sugar.

The best I can tell you is to increase some physical activity to help counteract the effects of the medication you're taking along with a decent low-card diet.

There are lots more food you CAN eat than you CAN'T as far as raising blood sugar. Most vegetables but not potatoes or other root veggies are good, leafy greens, celery, radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (shredded cabbage is great sauteed with onions), mushrooms, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, daikon radish, bell peppers. Nuts, natural peanut butter or other nut butters, cheese, eggs - all good.

I would suggest keeping a food log along with your blood sugar readings taken before you eat and about 2 hours afterward. This will give you insight about what food raises your blood sugar.

Also, see if your doctor can refer you to a nutritionist or endocrinologist. They might be able to give you more help with ideas.

I hope you are staying healthy despite this!
Posted 12/2/2021 7:42 PM (GMT -8)
Potato, sweet potato, starch, that breaks down and hits hard a couple of hours later.
Watermelon not good. Yes, we all need carb, especially diabetics otherwise we will crash and have a hypo.
It is having the right amount.
If it white, it usually aint right, bread, pasta, rice. Agree with all of Lanie's wisdom. HT
Posted 4/19/2022 1:57 PM (GMT -8)
I complained on Dec. 1 about my general practitioner giving me Metformin diabetic medicine because I have not been able to control my blood sugar with diet.

Well, she gave it to me on Dec. 1 but I haven't taken it and it is now April 19. That's how my mind works. (I was taking b/s readings in the meantime, hoping I didn't need the Metformin.)

Actually, a few days ago I took the first one. I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep so I didn't take it anymore. I have my standards.

So, today I said take my blood sugar fasting and it was 178. Not good when you consider you haven't even had breakfast.

Then I thought, take the Metformin, but don't take it at night when it might interrupt your sleep. Take it with your breakfast when it may not interrupt your sleep. So, I did take my 2nd Metformin in several days.

Plus, if you do wake up at 4 a.m., take another Melatonin natural sleep aid.

I'll be checking back in during the next week with b/s readings.

It's all in the mind, Lanie G.
Posted 4/19/2022 8:23 PM (GMT -8)
metformin does nothing but lower your numbers.
can't chop n change, listen to your doctor. HT
all in the mind, hmmm......
yes, but not when it has crept into your system, and has already done damage because
people are well..............
Posted 4/20/2022 10:50 AM (GMT -8)
1. On c. April 16, I take my 1st blood sugar medicine Metformin. Took it at bedtime and I woke up at 4 a.m. with 4 hours sleep for the night.

On April 19, I took the medicine at lunch, not at bedtime, so it might not interrupt my sleep. So, this morning, April 20, I wake up at 5 a.m., took a Melatonin health food sleep aid, and woke back up at 7 a.m. for about 7 hours sleep, not 4 a few nights ago.

2. My blood sugar reading (fasting) today (April 20) was 141 while 2 days ago (April 18) without Metformin, it was 178 fasting. That's a 37-point drop with just 1day of taking Metformin.

I can't quite believe that.

I also noticed the Metformin (blood sugar pill) is keying me up more than I want to be so we don't want to have some speeded up chest issues here.

Might end up taking the shots which might not have the side effects that Metformin pill might have.

At least I'm realizing the importance of getting my blood sugar numbers down and am mentally preparing myself to take the shots if the Metformin doesn't work.

Although I've just read there is more than one blood sugar pill, so I might can switch to another kind.

Post Edited (Tim Tam) : 4/20/2022 1:07:48 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/20/2022 3:32 PM (GMT -8)
keep of the insulin. Insulin comes to play when all else has failed, and or dependent on the type of
diabetes etc, but in the main, keep away from it if you can.

Yes, many types of pills to help, Metformin is a usual first choice by doctors.
Take the medication as prescribed,. HT
Posted 4/20/2022 5:25 PM (GMT -8)
Tim Tam, I'm sorry you are having sleep problems but I doubt it's the metformin. I am making these suggestions:

1. Follow your doctor's dosage and directions for taking the metformin. You cannot take it arbitrarily (different times on different days) and expect it to help you with your blood sugar.

2. Please try to keep eating correctly for diabetes. Then, taking the metformin as prescribed will help control the blood sugar even more.

3. If you're having problems with sleep or stomach issues (sour stomach, acid, nausea) and you think it's the metformin, speak to your doctor. Or to the pharmacist.

Good luck!
Posted 4/21/2022 10:13 AM (GMT -8)
Laney:

Thanks for your reply.

I took the Metformin blood pressure medicine, 1st pill, at bedtime, 12 midnight, woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. Panic.

Two or three days later, decided to take it at noon, not bedtime, so it would be hopefully worn off at 4 a.m. and I could get back to sleep.

Also decided if I woke up at 4 a.m. or so, to take another Melatonin sleep aid from the health food store to help me go back to sleep. So that next a.m. I slept to 5 a.m., took another Melatonin. and went back to sleep.

First morning after taking my first Metformin, my b/s had dropped (fasting) from 178 the day before to 141.

Missed taking my b/s reading this morning fasting so I could report back what the reading was.
The medicine is probably going to have to do it. I find it difficult to keep up with everything else such as cooking fresh suppers (fresh meat, fresh potatoes, fresh, or frozen, veggies), not packaged such as canned or TV dinners or frozen fish, etc.

I am up to my gills trying to keep up with all of that. If the medicine doesn't do it, I don't know what's going to happen.

So you lived in the Queens section of New York City. Amazing. I lived in New Jersey for 2 years, ages 5 and 6.
Posted 4/22/2022 9:12 AM (GMT -8)
OK, at about 12 noon (not bedtime) yesterday took my 3rd Metformin blood sugar pill.

Today (Friday), took my b/s reading, fasting, shortly after I got up, and it was 133. Much lower than about 4 days ago when it was 178 before I started taking the blood sugar pill.

Other readings:135 to 163 before I started taking the blood sugar pill.

So, the Metformin is working, as in 178 to 133.

But then it dawned on me: yeah, but diabetes starts at 110. Oh, well, I made the effort, and it is an improvement. Glad to see that the pill does work and that I finally tried it after my doctor prescribed it, and that I'm keeping records.

Now the next obstacle is, I'm supposed to be watching my diet along with taking the Metformin.

So, it's back to reading Laney's diet suggestions in the resources part of this forum at the top of the page.

(Or maybe that's going to the diabetes site Lanie recommends (click on it above at the end of a couple of posts).

very low carb way of eating
Check out the following site for more info on blood sugar:
https://www.bloodsugar101.com/

Post Edited (Tim Tam) : 4/22/2022 11:18:31 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/20/2022 11:10 AM (GMT -8)
Last post was on 4-22-2022 which was about Metformin blood sugar medicine.

It's now 5-20-2022. What happened in between was, I was taking Metformin HCL ER 500 a few times and about the 4 time it put me to sleep a few hours after I had gotten up for the day.

Its side effect doesn't say that but it seemed to me it might have had that effect the 4th time I took it. I quit taking it.

Went to the general practitioner a couple of days ago and he said sleep is not one of the side-affects. But he did notice that my bottle of pills was "extended release" (ER) meaning it was having effects all day long, I guess.

So he gave me non extended release of the same Metformin and told me to take it at 8 p.m., 2-3 hours earlier than my other pills at bedtime. So I did that last night, and I'm not sleepy here in the mid-afternoon.

This medicine also has an extra ingredient which helps bring down blood sugar more than the previous Metformin the doctor gave me. It also has a different name, "Janumet" then "50-500 MG tablet."

Well, my blood sugar reading in the doctor's office two days before I took my blood sugar medicine was 181 (fasting).

After taking the medicine last night, my blood sugar reading this morning fasting was 159. 22-point drop.

I still have a problem of controlling my carbs, but if I don't get enough carbs, my blood sugar drops and I have a low blood sugar shaking attack, from, not enough carbs.

I am walking around the block, or close to it, 4 or 5 times a week, so that helps with b/s and sleep that night.

I'm glad I'm able to tolerate my new blood sugar pills (Janumet). Very glad.

I would recommend going to the doctor concerning your blood sugar if it is not what you want it to be. Taking a list of your readings to show to him or her. Healthy choices in all areas can be made now before they might get worse. We are responsible for our health not the doctor, but he or she can help. We can work as a team.
Posted 5/20/2022 5:01 PM (GMT -8)
Hi TimTam, I'm sorry for the problem you've been having with this but I am VERY glad that you are seeing your doctor and working with him to control the blood sugar.

Yes, the more carbs you eat, the higher your blood sugar will be. Testing will help you realize what is working and what isn't. I'm on regular metformin and it doesn't make me tired but I can tell you that eating a lot of cards can do that (make a person feel tired). When you eat a whole lot of food high in carbs, you may feel sleepy afterward. This happens to some people after large meals like at Thanksgiving.

I hope you do better! Thank you for posting!
Posted 5/21/2022 12:01 PM (GMT -8)
Tim Tam,

Have you seen the "Mastering Diabetes" website or YouTube channel? They also have a podcast. Just something to explore, if you're interested. Either way, I wish you good luck in finding something that works.

Dude
Posted 5/22/2022 11:46 AM (GMT -8)
Lanie: On the first night of taking my new blood sugar medicine (Janumet 50 mg/500 mg), my sugar count went from 181 (two days before I took the new med), down to 159 the next day (fasting before breakfast reading), a drop of 22 points.

Last night, I took the 2nd such Janumet pill at about 9 p.m., and this morning my before breakfast, fasting reading was 136, which is 45 points lower than the 181 reading two days before I took the first Janumet tablet.

So, the Janumet 50mg/500 mg is exceeding all expectations. The pharmacist said the Janumet blood sugar medicine has an extra medicine than does the just straight Metformin to help lower blood sugar.

The net says, "Janumet 50 mg/500 mg tablet is a combination of two antidiabetic medicines: Sitagliptin and Metformin. They help your pancreas produce more insulin, facilitate effective use of insulin by the body, and reduce excess sugar that your liver makes. Together, they provide better control of blood sugar."

Even though my lowest number (136) so far on this new medicine, Janumet, is not 110, the high number for non-diabetic, I'll take it compared to the 170s and the 180s that's I've seen.

I would again suggest people pay a visit to their doctor to find out what the latest medicines are for diabetes and other conditions, and perhaps get some tips on how to possibly avoid these conditions to begin with.

I think the best way to treat diabetes is not to get it. (Exercise, low carb diet, weight loss, large sugar reduction or elimination. Positive attitude.)

Post Edited (Tim Tam) : 5/22/2022 1:56:45 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/30/2022 11:26 AM (GMT -8)
In the above post I sang the praises of a new diabetic medicine I just started taking, "Janumet 50 mg/500 mg."

I mentioned I had gotten my blood sugar number down from 181 two days before I started taking the Janumet to 136 two days after I started taking it, which is 45 points less than the 181. I had been taking Metformin b/s medicine.

(The doctor told me that the Metformin I had been taking was time release. He said this Janumet was not time release.)

(I was told and read on the net that "Janumet 50 mg/500 mg tablet is a combination of two antidiabetic medicines: Sitagliptin and Metformin. They help your pancreas produce more *insulin, facilitate effective use of insulin by the body, and reduce excess sugar that your liver makes. Together, they provide better control of blood sugar.")

As for more recent numbers since starting to take (at about 9 or 10 p.m.) the Janumet 50 mg/500mg on May 19, in the last 7 days the numbers have been 122, 127, 125, 147, 123, 106, 117.

I'm wondering if anyone else has taken Janumet 50mg/500mg to help lower their blood sugar?

I'm wondering what Laney thinks about Janumet?

(Net says, *IN-suh-lin) A hormone made by the islet cells of the pancreas. Insulin controls the amount of sugar in the blood by moving it into the cells, where it can be used by the body for energy.")
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