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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Should Metformin Be Taken If Blood Sugar Is Well Controlled?

I was given metformin 500mg a day dosage by my doctor. About a year ago, i noticed i have frequent eruptions of fungus infections on my penis foreskin, and frequent balanitis infection on my penis and also delayed healing of my plantar fasicitis that caused me to wonder if i had diabetes. A fasting glucose check done about a year ago shown that my level is 8.5 and 7.5. Then my doctor gave me metformin 500mg a day dosage taken with every nite meal. I done HBA1C test and my blood sugar went to normal 5.1. I used diet, exercise and metformin to control my blood sugar now.. may i know if i still have Type 2 Diabetes?? since now my blood
sugar is normal.. should I still take Metformin???
Mon, 6 Oct 2014
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello there,
Metformin is a very good drug and one of the most studied drugs in the field of diabetes. You definitely have diabetes from your symptoms (infections and poor healing) along with the blood sugars that you mentioned at diagnosis. It appears that you are on a small dose of Metformin and that is helping you to keep your sugars in control along with your diet and exercise changes. Diagnosis of diabetes remains but you are controlled. Trying to stop Metformin can be tried but under strict supervision of your diabetologist. You need to discuss this with your diabetologist who can suggest you to stop and check sugars regularly like every 15 days and check HbA1c after 3 months. That is the only way to see the effect of stopping MEtformin. However you may need to go back on MEtformin if your sugars start to climb up again.
So do not leave Metformin on you own. Discuss with your diabetologist and plan this together. Do not ignore sugars once you have stopped as diabetes is a silent disease and uncontrolled can cause eye,nerve and kidney damage. Continue diet and exercise irrespective of Metformin usage.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
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Should Metformin Be Taken If Blood Sugar Is Well Controlled?

Hello there, Metformin is a very good drug and one of the most studied drugs in the field of diabetes. You definitely have diabetes from your symptoms (infections and poor healing) along with the blood sugars that you mentioned at diagnosis. It appears that you are on a small dose of Metformin and that is helping you to keep your sugars in control along with your diet and exercise changes. Diagnosis of diabetes remains but you are controlled. Trying to stop Metformin can be tried but under strict supervision of your diabetologist. You need to discuss this with your diabetologist who can suggest you to stop and check sugars regularly like every 15 days and check HbA1c after 3 months. That is the only way to see the effect of stopping MEtformin. However you may need to go back on MEtformin if your sugars start to climb up again. So do not leave Metformin on you own. Discuss with your diabetologist and plan this together. Do not ignore sugars once you have stopped as diabetes is a silent disease and uncontrolled can cause eye,nerve and kidney damage. Continue diet and exercise irrespective of Metformin usage. Hope this helps. Take care.