My blood sugar is higher on Met...questions

lovemychris · 09-26-2007, 12:27 PM

I started 500mg of Met ER on 9/12 and then doubled my dose on 9/19 (500mg Met ER x2 per day). My dr didn't think I needed to increase it, but he wrote me a script anyway and told me to watch it.

I don't think I ever had an IR test (but how would I know since I didn't ask). According to my lab results:

GLUCOSE: 106 (high) Range: 65-99 mg/dL
INSULIN: 17 (high) Range: <17 iUI/mL

I know they're borderline. My problem is that my blood sugar has increased while on Metformin. I checked it last night and it was 145. I hadn't eaten in at least 4 hours prior to checking my sugar. In fact, I hardly ate at all yesterday.

Is the Met causing my sugar to drop so low that my body is compensating and releasing too much glucose? Type I Diabetes (insulin dependent) runs in my family (I have 2 siblings who had juvenile diabetes) so I'm really confused.

I suppose I need to see my doctor. I was hoping to get some insight here before I make the appointment. What is the test for IR, the one in which you fast and then drink the sugary drink? I didn't have that done. In the meantime, I have reduced my Met to just one pill per day (500mg ER).

Also, yesterday I felt nauseous and dizzy all day. HPT is negative (darnit).

Can someone tell me what may be going on? TIA!

tlz769 · 09-28-2007, 03:50 AM

Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) is the test where you drink the sugary drink & then have blood drawn, usually at one & two hour intervals.

As far as your sugar levels & the met, did you take your sugar levels before you started on the met? If your fasting blood sugar was only 106, I'm sorta surprised your doc feels you need the met two times daily. (in my hospital, 70-100 is normal, but everywhere is different). Yes, it's very important to have very stringent blood sugar levels to avoid all complications of diabetes in the long run, but if your baseline is SO barely IR (Insulin Resistant..NOT diabetic)...i'd question taking met twice daily.

I would take met once a day, and monitor the sugars; make sure you record these, to show them to your doc. If your sugars start to climb, I'd say you need to increase it back to 2 a day. And also watch when you take your sugars: they'll be higher 1-3 hours after eating, while your body is digesting.

Ask for a GTT, as well as a HBA1C (glycolsalated hemoglobin...since sugar binds to hemoglobin, this test is a measure of the past three months of blood sugars. A great way for docs to outsmart noncompliant patients!!!). If your HBA1C is less than 6, that's a NON-DIABETIC level and does NOT require medication. Anywhere between 6 and 7 is pre-diabetic, and 7-9ish sounds diabetic and 10+ is poorly controlled diabetes. (at least at my hospital).

Hope this helps & let me know what's goin on, especially following your appt!! good luck!!!

lovemychris · 09-28-2007, 09:21 AM

Hi Tara! Thanks for your reply. I have dropped back down to one pill per day and that seems to be working just fine. Do you have any idea if the slight dizziness I've been having could have anything to do with the Met? It comes and goes throughout the day. Should I still see my dr; I don't want to seem like I'm complaining of petty things? Thanks again and take care.

Danger Kitty · 09-28-2007, 11:25 AM

Hiya,

The dizziness is worrisome - it could be blood sugar related, or it could by thyroid related. Or it could be something else entirely. Or it could be nothing.

I would talk to your doc - don't EVER feel like one of your concerns is too petty to bring up with a doc. And (having lived through this) don't EVER let a doctor dismiss something as a "nothing" if you have a little inner voice saying "hmmm. . . I don't think so." You never know when one of those "too petty to discuss" issues might be the sign of something more serious. It's ALWAYS best to ask and find out it was nothing, than to not ask and find out it was something!!

dk

tlz769 · 09-28-2007, 08:01 PM

Sounds like Danger kitty covered everything! AND, I could not agree more, with not worrying about bringing up all of your concerns to your doc, no matter HOW petty they may seem. That is their job & what you pay them for. (I had to practically smack some of mine, to make them understand & do more tests!!!) Good luck with everything

autumnleaves · 09-28-2007, 11:12 PM

I wouldnt think the met was causing your sugar to increase. It could be that you have become diabetic. I know you dont want to hear that. Everyone thinks that a fasting blood sugar that is normal means you dont have diabetes. However you also have to see what your sugars are doing after you eat. My fasting's are normal in the 80-90 but after I eat are up around 140-150 2-4 hours after eating. So seems like you should take your blood sugar fasting every morning and 2 hours after eat every day for a few days. Show the results to your dr.

lovemychris · 09-29-2007, 07:08 PM

Now I'm really bummed. I took 500mg Met ER last night...I ate 3 hours ago and I just checked my bs and it's at 160! I can't believe this. My bs was fine before taking Metformin. Does anyone know what meds they can give you for PCOS if you are unable to take Met? I am able to take 2 pills per day (1000mg) but I think it will just make this worse; and I know that doesn't make a lick of sense, lol.

Either way, I'll make an appt with my Dr on Monday.

I really thought this would be my magic pill.

deblynnc · 09-29-2007, 08:27 PM

What was your typical post-meal bs reading before starting Met? How much has it increased?

I tend to agree with the pp that maybe it isn't the Met that's *causing* the high readings, but just that you have developed diabetes in spite of it.

Try eating a low GI diet until you see your doctor. I hope you get some answers soon!

lovemychris · 09-29-2007, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deblynnc

What was your typical post-meal bs reading before starting Met? How much has it increased?

I tend to agree with the pp that maybe it isn't the Met that's *causing* the high readings, but just that you have developed diabetes in spite of it.

Try eating a low GI diet until you see your doctor. I hope you get some answers soon!

My readings were always under 120. The weird thing is that I stopped the Met for 2 days and everything was fine (no more lightheadedness, either). I restarted the Met last night and here I am again with high bs and I am lightheaded. :/ I'm stopping the Met for now. I just read that I have 3 symptoms of Lactic Acidosis, (and it's doubtful I have it, but I don't want to chance it). Thanks.

Danger Kitty · 09-30-2007, 10:22 PM

Lynn - hope you get it sorted out soon!