Diabetes Medication - Metformin

**Libby** · 08-22-2010, 12:48 PM

I found this extremely odd that a Diabetes Nurse would say this about a medication. She told both me and my father that the tablet called metformin is used mostly for type 2 diabetes patients who are not overweight but obese and acquired type 2 via poor eating habits, lack of exercise later on in their lives. Basically she kept saying obese.

Both my dad and I have been on this medication for a while now and while admittedly I've been overweight but never have been categorized to anything close to obese and my dad has been average now thrown into the realm of thin due to his stroke.

Now knowing this - she wondered why we were both on this medication as it would not work for us. Now we're wondering too.

This is all news to me - has anyone else heard anything to this effect?! Is this nurse totally wrong and off her rocker?

**azangie** · 08-22-2010, 01:09 PM

I've been on metformin for about 1 year and no one has ever said that to me. It works just fine for keeping my blood sugar under control.

My brother was just diagnosed with diabetes and his doctor told him metformin didn't really work as good on men as women. (Another 1st as I have never heard that either.)

I also have friends on metformin who are not in the least overweight, so it sounds like what you were told is just an opinion.

**nodmicks** · 08-22-2010, 01:19 PM

LOL I think she needs and education. When I went on metformin years ago I was a size 5/6 type 2 diabetic!!!! It has nothing to do with your weight. It has to do with having diabetes. Why on earth wouldn't a diabetes drug work for a diabetic that is not obese?

**dcompton** · 08-22-2010, 02:11 PM

I agree. This makes no sense at all.

**Neeley** · 08-22-2010, 02:34 PM

Makes no sense to me either. I was on it for years before moving on to insulin. My dad has been on it for a couple of years and he is tiny. He has to eat a bowl of ice cream and cookies every night just to maintain his weight. His glucose levels are perfect, A1C stays between a 5-6.

**NikoSan999** · 08-22-2010, 02:41 PM

It is NOT for obese patients. Hubby is about 5'6 and weighs a whopping 135 on a good day. He is on insulin but is still type 2...don't ask. but type 2 never the less.

They took him off of it about 2 months ago because you are not supposed to be in the sun while taking it and he is in it 7 to 9 hours a day and can't be helped.

However, in her defense (which I think yes, she is off her rocker ) this is what is taught...meaning what she said. Putting a link in here that you should read...don't agree but what the hey

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metformin"]Metformin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Metformin.svg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Metformin.svg/220px-Metformin.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/4/46/Metformin.svg/220px-Metformin.svg.png[/ame]

**dcompton** · 08-22-2010, 04:05 PM

One of the sites the medical library where I work references for consumer drug information is MedLinePlus, through the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.

It describes the function of metformin as: "It decreases the amount of glucose you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your body's response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood."

Individual physical differences naturally make some medications more effective than others, but basically it works at this molecular level, and is very widely prescribed for Type 2, as far as I know, regardless of body type.

**frugalwarrior2** · 08-22-2010, 04:18 PM

!. I would say it was an opinion based on opinion. I would ask the DR. what she meant by that when she wasn't there. That could be dangerous to some. kwim.

When I went to the nurse practitioner she said a bunch of outdated stuff too. I wanted to re-educate her but knew it would be pointless. No one should eat a hunk of meat the size of your hand in 1 setting,yes meat not chicken?? Old model,old info.??

**ladykemma2** · 08-22-2010, 05:18 PM

it helps the glucose pass thru the cell membrane. i am insulin resistant due to PCOS.

nurse is stupid.

reminds me of the time the idiot doctor took my blood sugar 4:00 in the afternoon, right after i had eaten my evening meal and chastised me for having a blood sugar of 110.

and she wouldn't listen.

**thefrug** · 08-22-2010, 05:26 PM

I was just put on this medication on Tuesday. My doctor said that I am glucose intolerant ( pre-diabetes). I am considered morbidly obese, as I have been going to the gym for 5 yrs and can not lose weight. My doctor told me this would help me lose weight and keep my sugar at a level count.This coming tuesday I start taking it twice a day. Right now it's at bedtime.

**ladykemma2** · 08-22-2010, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by thefrug

I was just put on this medication on Tuesday. My doctor said that I am glucose intolerant ( pre-diabetes). I am considered morbidly obese, as I have been going to the gym for 5 yrs and can not lose weight. My doctor told me this would help me lose weight and keep my sugar at a level count.This coming tuesday I start taking it twice a day. Right now it's at bedtime.

bedtime? shouldn't you be taking that with food? wake up hypoglycemic?

gives you the squirts.... metformin is a drug that when ya gotta go, you gotta go NOW.

**MaryCarney** · 08-22-2010, 06:07 PM

Metformin doesn't work 'all at once' lots of people take it at bedtime.
Maybe you need to look for a new doctor. and nurse. (Just because she works for a diabetes doctor, does not make her a diabetes nurse. There is a certification program CDE - if she's a CDE, she needs her credentials / continuing education looked at)

**thefrug** · 08-22-2010, 06:29 PM

I take it at the tail end of my supper ( 6 pm) and we go to bed around 8-8:30 at night. I'm not having any issues with the med.Actually, since I've been taking it I feel better when I get up in the morning. Not as groggy.

**Momto5RN** · 08-22-2010, 06:42 PM

i hate when people in the medical field generalize things . makes them look stupid and confuses pts.

#1 who is this nurse- where did she come from - was she sent to you for diabetic teaching or just somene you know from church etc that seems to fancy her self a diabetic nurse or is she truly a nurse educator on diabetes.
while a very high % of people with non insulin dependent diabetes as adults are diabetic because they are overwt and make poor eating choices - not all are .

was she saying there is a newer med you should be on - my pet peeve is anyone in the medical field who thinks people have to be on the newest and latest med when what people are taking works fine - # 1 it can often mess things up that were going just fine and # 2 alot of the time the newest is very $$$ but these drug reps but a bird in the dr's ear and they want everyone on the new stuff then .

Metformin is more of a tried and true drug that has been around a while if it works for you why mess with it .

**Libby** · 08-22-2010, 07:33 PM

Thanks all for the info...I too thought this woman was on drugs. To be honest, I thought this drug was to lower your b/s levels but not sure if its time released or a quick acting one? My dad takes it after each meal, I take it twice a day - when I wake up & bedtime.

As for this 'nurse'...she's a diabetes nurse educator in a diabetes clinic....go figure! I honestly think she's waiting for her retirement pkg to arrive shortly and she's just there to earn a paycheque. When its my turn to go to this diabetes clinic, I want the same dietitian as my dad but a diff nurse (ie one who actually lets you speak, ask questions and allows you time to answer when they ask you a question - won't talk over you) and I will make a stink til I get a new one. Once I get a new one....I will switch my dad over to mine since we want to see the same 2 ppl b/c we live under same roof and should have to follow the same rules.

My dad may have to switch to insulin @ age 79 but we'll see what's going on in the meantime. For him, for now - a bit more monitoring and journalism his food intake etc.

I knew I wasn't crazy! Why would several doctors incl my family & endocrinologist put me on this med for supposed obese people....made no sense. Faux pas on her end.