New Diagnoses, Type II, Medicine Questions

Hi, I was diagnosed with Type II approximately 1 month ago.  I immediately changed my diet, started getting more rest, exercising intermittently (I need to work on this) and taking my medicine as prescribed.  Also diagnosed with high blood pressure at the same time.  Medicine prescribed was lisinopril hc one tablet daily for hbp, metformin 500 mg 1 tablet daily at bedtime.  I have been taking the medicine as prescribed.  BS has come down until the past few days.  It has stayed below 150 at each testing but I feel that it should be lower.  It seems to be staying in the range of 128 - 141.  Mornings are definitely the pre-dawn phenomenon that you have discussed in this forum.  Daytime seems to be great, by the time I get home from work my bs is usually 110-115 (except the past three days).  I am waiting until I have taken the hbp medicine for a couple more weeks before going back to the doctor.  My question is the metformin - how do I know what a "normal" dosage is?  I know the doctor can tell me this, or tell me if I need to change dosage, but this forum has been a wonderful source of information!  I have also put myself on a low carb diet and am extremely pleased with results - no cravings and feel 100% better - just worried about the bs readings.  Any body have any ideas/suggestions?

Hi LL,
Your doctor may have started you on a low dosage of metformin just to see how well your body responds to it. Metformin lowers insulin resistance and so helps your body use your own insulin better. Exercise also does this... and by exercise I mean simple things all day long. One flight of stairs instead of the elevator, park far away in a parking lot, walk the dog after dinner, join the Y and swim for a while every other day. Just walking away from your home for 15 minutes and then walking back every day could really help those sugars.

I have been where you are and not followed my doctor's advice... (I admit it, I was a brat!) I now have the 2000mg of metformin a day plus avandia, 2mg twice a day plus Lantus insulin, 12 units at night to show for my stubborn denial, not to mention neuropathy in my feet and eye problems...

All I can say is get walking and save yourself a whole lot of grief! Oh, and welcome to HW. Always glad to make a new friend but not for the dumb reason of diabetes