Husband and his Metformin...

[snobles]

Hi guys! My husband takes an aray of prescription pills for different reasons. But, he takes Metformin twice a day. Here the past couple of days, his sugar has been really low. Like in the 30's and 40's! He's emailed our dr. and has gotten no response. He gets really bad. To where he's goofy. He doesn't know his name, can't write checks, can hardly walk without stumbling, and his speach is slured! He's gonna try to take himself off the metformin and see if that works. We think what it is, we're doing the f2s, and he's not getting any sugar intake, and these pills are to lower your sugar! I'm surprised he hasn't been in a diabetic coma yet. Any advice would be grateful!

[Rena]

He NEEDS to get ahold of his doctor before he does anything. I don't know about Metformin, but I think others here have been on it, so hopefully they'll chime in soon. But I don't know how good of an idea it is to stop a med cold-turkey like that. I was told not to with my HBP meds and had to go off them gradually.

Good luck and tell him to be careful.

[joagain]

Tony will tell you I think he was on it . But from what I understand it is a pill form of insulin ,if he has cut down his sugar intake then the meds will make his sugar drop just like Tylers meds do . If he is going that low you need to go to the ER if you cant get the doctor .That is very dangerous ,he could go low at night when you are asleep .

[owensmath]

You're not supposed to stop cold turkey with Metformin. Can you call the doctor's answering service? That sounds like an emergency. When his sugar drops, he needs to drink or eat something to get it back up immediately.

[chattycathie]

Hey, this is a newbie here.  But I know that 30-40 is almost coma state!  When you are sweaty, gray skin, slurred speech, shaky, fuzzy thoughts, drink some orange juice, eat some honey, go to the emergency room!  The lowest SAFE level is 65.  Do not let your blood sugar go below that.  People can die in this condition.

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Snobles, I'm not a doctor and can't give medical advice but I've found this site I want you to look at http://diabetes.emedtv.com/metformin/metformin-overdose.html

It sounds to me like the metformin is the problem. If it was me...and I can only talk for me, I'd check my blood sugar before taking a dose and is the dose isn't required to lower blood sugar I wouldn't take it.

Now with that said it's important to get a doctors advice on this. If you're doctor isn't returning your calls then you need a new doctor. This is nothing to play around with.

[mouseissue]

Hello Stephanie.

Your hubby needs to see a doctor right away!
30-40 blood sugar is dangerously low!

It sounds like your hubby may no longer need Metformin.
That drug forces blood sugar levels to drop.

I was on Metformin but my doctor took me off it last March (all thanks to the FTS lifestyle).
Before he took me off it, I was just starting to notice hypoglycemic symptoms like dizziness.

[shawn116]

I agree with everything said here..... way dangerous    How is your hubby doing now Stephanie??  Maybe I missed a post somewhere but I hope he is feeling better.... it sure is a awful feeling to be in that state.   

[snobles]

@TooSweet, he's doing much better now. Dr.'s nurse finally emailed back and said if a whole Metformin is to much take half, but even that was still makeing him goofy, so he has tried eating something when he gets that way and he's fine. I think we're looseing the weight, so fast  the body isn't given enough time to "catch up" with all the changes!

[shawn116]

Whew!!!  Glad he is doing better!!  He might be close to being able to come off of the med all together   

[Doug Varrieur]

If it was me I'd quit the drug....eat....check my blood sugar 1 hour, then 2 hours, then three hours later and see where I am, then I'd make the decision if I needed some Metformin....but that's just me.

[snobles]

@Doug, that's basicly what he's been doing. and he's been fine. He hasn't taken the Metformin in a couple of days, when his sugar does get low, he eats something, and he's fine. He and the two kids check their blood sugar all the time, and now we FINALLY got the kids eating the way we do. Boy did they rebel! But, when the 17yr. old saw how high his sugar spiked up when he ate the old way, think it scared him.

[mouseissue]

@Doug, that's basicly what he's been doing. and he's been fine. He hasn't taken the Metformin in a couple of days, when his sugar does get low, he eats something, and he's fine. He and the two kids check their blood sugar all the time, and now we FINALLY got the kids eating the way we do. Boy did they rebel! But, when the 17yr. old saw how high his sugar spiked up when he ate the old way, think it scared him.

I'm so happy to hear such wonderful news, Stephanie!