Hi to all!

Hello to everyone!

You have no idea for how long I have been looking for such a forum in Europe. I am Slovene and I have been diagnosed with diabetes type II two years and half ago. Initially things seemed under control but I started having issues similar like IBS (i still think it's because the metformin I am taking). The last blood exams were perfect but due to an experiment I made.
One day three years ago I came across an article saying about the Rosedale diet and I was curious, so I bought the book, read it and I decided to try it. Well in only three months I lost a lot of weight but what is most important, my blood sugar was so normal that my doc wanted to take me off the meds. Well the problem is that if you like food like me, a restrictive diet is the worst thing in that moment. So I came back to the old and wrong foods which made my situation worse so I decided to try it again but I had to mentally prepare myself before that. I had to accept that I want to live and that this requires a complete changing not till the next medical check but for life. So now I am on again and except my issue of IBS I am doing great and in the meantime I have collected many recipes that I will be able to do from next week on (after the transition period ends). Besides all other dietitians where I was at, wanted me to eat about 50% of carbs which is insane since this is exactly the problem here. So basically now I have my blood sugar normal and I just need to loose even more weight. For now I have lost 19 pounds in three weeks. The most important thing however is measuring the progress analyzing your body composition. I bought a Tanita and I am constantly loosing fat but not lean mass so I feel fine. My goal is to arrive at the next blood check with such a low and normal hba1c that the doc will definitely need to put off the meds for good. The only trouble for me is that I cannot eat so many vegetables, nuts because of my IBS and initially I got loose stools too.
I am not exercising yet but I will need to start and usually this brings my blood sugar much lower.

I am happy I found all of you that you see carbs from the same perspective as I do. I really hope that I have found my support group somehow!

Hi to you and welcome aboard, I very much hope we can be of assistance to you. Metformin can a big problem for some people regarding gut problems. Most get over it but some do not. There is a slow release version but much more expensive. That being said the BG improvements it brings about are minimal. The key to controlling type two diabetes is diet.

Did you have IBS before you went on to Metformin?

Stick with us and remember there is no such thing as a dumb question so ask away.

Kind regards

Eddie

Welcome aboard!

You're with like minded people here-Many of us here too have had appalling advice from dietitians,diabetes nurses etc regarding making half of our food plates up with starchy carbs which we all know is a diet of doom for weight and blood glucose control but through forums and blogs we have found the low carb way to be our saviour and looking at your results it's working wonders for you too-19 pounds weight loss in 3 weeks,wonderful progress and well done!

Best regards

Paul

Oh what a welcome! Thank you Eddie and Paul!

Eddie, previous I was diagnosed with diabetes I tried the Montignac diet based on a lot of whole carbs full of fiber. Well, at one point I started having issues with digestion and I think this added a point more for my diabetes to develop. Then it was ok also because I wasn't eating so much fiber but the situation really become drastically worse after starting meds and I am taking two pills of 850 mg daily. What I discovered lately is that probably I cannot tollerate also the sorbitol it contains which is in many meds unfortunately.

I am so happy to be with you I felt alone in this for so long...

thinestever82 wrote:Oh what a welcome! Thank you Eddie and Paul!

Eddie, previous I was diagnosed with diabetes I tried the Montignac diet based on a lot of whole carbs full of fiber. Well, at one point I started having issues with digestion and I think this added a point more for my diabetes to develop. Then it was ok also because I wasn't eating so much fiber but the situation really become drastically worse after starting meds and I am taking two pills of 850 mg daily. What I discovered lately is that probably I cannot tollerate also the sorbitol it contains which is in many meds unfortunately.

I am so happy to be with you I felt alone in this for so long...

Hi welcome thinestever82 to our forum 

I don't know which type of metformin your taking but if your IBS symptoms coincided with starting it that would indicate your on the on the standard version. I would consult with your doctor with a view to changing to the SR version which is far kinder to the digestive system.

Of course I've no idea how the the system works in Slovenia it may be your restricted in your choice of medications

Hi graham!

I have just asked about other solutions on one Slovene forum where docs reply. I know there are other options but have no idea which one I am taking though. I take Aglurab 850 mg. How can I recognize which type of metformin is?

By the way which LCHF diet are you on? A specific one or just made on your own? I have difficulties in digesting fats too.

Welcome to the forum. There is a lot of experience on this forum so ask any questions you may have. Look forward to reading more of your posts. Mo

... a warm welcome from me to

All the best Jan

thinestever82 wrote:Hi graham!

I have just asked about other solutions on one Slovene forum where docs reply. I know there are other options but have no idea which one I am taking though. I take Aglurab 850 mg. How can I recognize which type of metformin is?

By the way which LCHF diet are you on? A specific one or just made on your own? I have difficulties in digesting fats too.

Had a look round the net and it looks like the Aglurab is just standard metformin see http://www.almp.hr/?ln=en&w=lijekovi&d=opsirnije&id=5880, you would be better having a word with your doctor about changing to a prolonged release version which would be far better for you.

There are lot of side effects listed for metformin most thankfully are rare, but digestive problems, abdominal pains and diarrhea are common side effects.

I'm not on any specific diet just experimented using my meter.

Graham,

thank you so much for this research! I should be having a blood check at my doc in few months so I will definitely ask him to do so in case he will not want me to stay off the meds. This is my goal actually.

thinestever82 wrote:Graham,

thank you so much for this research! I should be having a blood check at my doc in few months so I will definitely ask him to do so in case he will not want me to stay off the meds. This is my goal actually.

Your doctor should be aware of the side effects, if you can check the leaflet that comes with your tablets it should have a list of side effects. I have just been looking at the one that comes with my tablets and the digestive problems effect more than one in ten people. If they are affecting you this can possibly be making your IBS symptoms worse

Graham, attached to my tablets, the leaflet says that the side effect are:

- very frequent: digestive issues, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, abdomen pains and loos of hunger. It says that these side effect usually last in the start and that can be lowered by taking the tablet during the meal or immediately after. If the symptoms don't disappear stop taking this med and talk to the doc.

Then there are four others rare side effect.

You know, I made a change in the last two days and dropped all the supplements and my digestive issues are almost gone. I used to take several of them but were not of good quality. I realized that cause my stools were green water. Now the situation seems under control. I should have done that before. Keep fingers crossed that this works!

thinestever82 wrote:Graham, attached to my tablets, the leaflet says that the side effect are:

- very frequent: digestive issues, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, abdomen pains and loos of hunger. It says that these side effect usually last in the start and that can be lowered by taking the tablet during the meal or immediately after. If the symptoms don't disappear stop taking this med and talk to the doc.

Then there are four others rare side effect.

You know, I made a change in the last two days and dropped all the supplements and my digestive issues are almost gone. I used to take several of them but were not of good quality. I realized that cause my stools were green water. Now the situation seems under control. I should have done that before. Keep fingers crossed that this works!

Yes the side effects you cite are standard for metformin and could be contributing to your IBS symptoms lets hope your doctor has the answers for you when you have had your blood tests.

Good that you have discontinued the supplements, apart from a fish oil capsule I don't take any that said some people swear by them.

Since I follow the Rosedale diet, I am taking a cod liver oil in bottle of Grenpasture cause it's one of the best. I have learned that those in caps are almost all rancid so I take the one in the bottle. Fortunately is cinnamon flavored otherwise I would Yet there are more supplements suggested but the potassium, magnesium and the multivitamine are important since I have too low potassium. I am going to try the liquid potassium instead.