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Posted 7/13/2006 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
what does this drug actually do for diabetics does it make them produce more insulin now can you keep all replies that i can understand no big words now because i'm still learning about diabeties and the drugs that we use
Posted 7/13/2006 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,
Metformin is usually the first drug your doctor may prescribe if you have diabetes called type 2 diabetes.The medicine acts in many ways, These include helping your body respond better to the insulin it makes naturally, decreasing the amount of sugar your liver makes, and decreasing the amount of sugar your intestines absorb.
Posted 7/13/2006 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
To add to what i've mentioned above,metformin does not help make the body make more insulin,so low blood sugars called "hypoglycemia attacks"are unlikely!
Another advantage with this drug is there is no weight gain if used alone.
It works wonderfully for over-weight and obese people with diabetes as it tackles what is called "insulin resistance"
Posted 7/13/2006 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Just watch our for side effects! They can be icky.
Posted 7/13/2006 4:43 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Derek,

You've heard type 2 diabetes referred to as "insulin resistance".  Well there are generally two types of meds doctors prescribe for type 2's.  They are 1) Drugs that nudge your body to produce more insulin and 2) drugs that break down your resistance to the insulin your body produces.

Metformin is the latter; it works to break down or reduce your "resistance" to insulin, thereby making the insulin you are manufacturing in your body work better (more efficiently).  Hope this helps.

scool Warren (no big words were used in the creation of this post)
Posted 7/13/2006 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
i'm new to diabeties does this mean when i eat my meal that metformin breaks down the sugar that would go into my blood
Posted 7/14/2006 8:08 PM (GMT 0)

derek22 said...
i'm new to diabeties does this mean when i eat my meal that metformin breaks down the sugar that would go into my blood

No, I don't believe that is the case.  As I understand it, Metformin's main mechanism is to stop the liver from releasing excess glucose into the blood stream.  This works because the liver stores excess glucose for later use by the body.

Posted 7/14/2006 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
ok i'm not sure anyway is glucose and sugar is this the same as i say i'm new to all this

ps you all probably think that i'm thick headed i just find it hard to understand all this
Posted 7/14/2006 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
Glucose is the sugar in the blood stream.

I don't think you are thick-headed, but perhaps you should do a search of Diabets on Google? There is a lot of info out there and you should be able to find the answers to many of your basic questions.
Posted 7/16/2006 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Derek,
You really should get your doctor to order a diabetic food class for you (if your insurance covers it.) If not, there should be some booklets and help available thru your local health department. You can also get books from the library that will explain this to you. If necessary, start with an encyclopedia and perhaps a simple paperback book about diabetes that gives you food counts to follow.

There is so much to learn that we can't explain it all here. The best thing to do is follow your food plan, do some regular exercise like walking or swimming laps or jogging, test your blood and keep a journal of your foods, meds and exercise. This will help your doctor with prescribing the correct amounts of meds for you and let him/her see what works best. Together you can build a plan that will work for life.
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