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Not necessarily so. Give yourself at least three weeks on this drug and dosage to get a better idea of how it will affect your blood glucose levels. Also important to adhere to a low-carb diet; metformin will not be very effective otherwise.

CSI007, While metformin half-life is not as long as that of testosterone cypionate, it is not fast-acting in all of its effects. Any time you make any change, such as going from regular metformin to ER, you need to give it at least three weeks to see how things may settle out, maybe longer...

Don't know what brand of meter you're using, but you may want to take a look at the FreeStyle Freedom Lite or FreeStyle Lite meters. Dr. Richard Bernstein has been recommending them and says they're the only one's he's found to be tolerably accurate at near-normal blood sugar levels. He rates...

What are your typical post-prandial glucose levels?

CSI007, Congratulations on your good results. I am hopeful that you will continue to see improvement. Stick to your plan of low-carb eating. Eat plenty of protein and don't be afraid of the fat that accompanies it. Enjoy lots of low-carb vegetables: some of my favorites are salads with oil...

Re-Ride, What omega product do you use?

That is what the ADA says. They also say that any A1c below 5.7% is acceptable (that's an average glucose level of 117 mg/dl or more). But thorough population studies demonstrate that those who are truly euglycemic and euinsulinemic (completely normal and robust blood sugar regulation...

CSI007, Good to see you are working at trying to normalize your blood glucose. The meal you described was definitely very high-carb, but even so, a blood glucose level of 167 mg/dl one hour thereafter is still very high indeed, indicating an inadequate first-phase insulin response (with an...

Putting aside other diseases for the moment, the argument from dermatologists for the past few decades has been that sun exposure leads to increased skin lesions which then will become malignant skin melanomas. If that theory were correct, then those who spend more time exposed to sunlight...

Fasting morning blood sugars take much longer to bring down than post-meal. You say you were getting fasting (morning I presume?) blood sugars in the "low 100s" and today's was 113? That's just not materially different and within the range of accuracy of your meter (+/- 10%). Most adult males...

Have you seen material changes in your blood glucose levels since going on Metformin, either fasting or post-meal?

It took three or four weeks before I felt stabilized on Metformin. During that time I occasionally experienced ED and libido issues. My guess is that it wasn't due to changes in hormone levels, but was simply a result of the gastric distress and and other physical unease from the Metformin...

This study is also cited (although not by name) in another thread (should they be consolidated?). I noted in a comment the further study cited in footnote 34 thereto (Aspirin inhibits androgen response to chorionic gonadotropin in humans.) My current TRT protocol includes 500 IU HCG...

Terrific job by Dr. Kendrick, who never fails to impress me. A thorough debunking of the supposed benefits of sun avoidance. Big takeaway is that while sun exposure may be positively correlated with various benign skin lesions (especially for those with pale complexions), it is inversely...

Re: Aspirin and HCG Dr. McClain, I have read with concern recent studies supporting the antiandrogenic properties of NSAIDs. See, e.g., "Ibuprofen alters human testicular physiology to produce a state of compensated hypogonadism." I noted with particular interest the further study cited in...

The lack of appetite at first is common. I had it, along with a metallic taste in my mouth. It eventually went away. Be patient. I also found switching to the extended-release form very helpful with those symptoms. And just as libido/ED often takes longer than other symptoms to respond to...

I looked at the study you referenced concerning ibuprofen and compensated hypogonadism. I noted with concern the further study cited in footnote 34 thereto (Aspirin inhibits androgen response to chorionic gonadotropin in humans.) My current TRT protocol includes 500 IU HCG, administered SubQ...

Permanent dyspepsia is not a side effect of metformin I've ever heard discussed, but anything's possible. The major serious side effect noted in the literature is lactic acidosis. The most common minor (but annoying) side effect noted is simple gastric distress (diarrhea, flatulence, upset...

Sorry. Your post said nephropathy, which is kidney disease. Sounds like it is perhaps neuropathy, which is nerve damage, often manifesting as weakness, numbness or pain in the hands or feet.

Dyspepsia is upset stomach. If you reduce dosage/stop metformin it goes away.

I took a quick look at your linked post and it seemed to indicate that you have nephropathy. As I noted, one of the few possible serious side effects of Metformin is lactic acidosis, which could be especially serious, perhaps even fatal, in someone with impaired kidney function. I’m certain...

Metformin is the generic drug. The branded drug is Glucophage. The branded drug is very costly to self-pay, and most health insurance plans will not cover it except in very unusual circumstances. Some patients find the branded drug to be more effective than the generic. I have used both and...

Kettlebells, you are absolutely right that many people find it difficult to stay on a low-carbohydrate diets. But there are also many pre-diabetics and diabetics who find a way to adhere to low-carbohydrate regimens for decades. I am one of them (over 20 years now). Such a diet need not...

Kettlebells, my experience has differed from yours. I am aware of a great number of type 2 diabetics who have achieved an HgbA1c of under 5.5% (often under 5.0%) while eating a diet containing meat. For them, reducing carbohydrates was key to their success. Whatever the diet and/or...

I feel fine. But I also felt fine when my numbers were pre-diabetic. Most people with pre-diabetes generally don't "feel bad." Even those with full-blown diabetes often don't exhibit physical symptoms (neuropathy, kidney damage, heart attack, etc.) upon diagnosis. But after years of...

If I have read your posts correctly (and I apologize if I have misconstrued them), your usual fasting glucose number on arising is above 110 (often well above) and your HgbA1c is at or near 6.0%. Those are not values exhibited by someone with normal blood sugars, but rather are consistent with...

Not so odd. Similar to what I previously exhibited. Pretty typical for someone with pre-diabetes, when second-phase insulin release is often still fairly robust. Wonder what your one-hour reading would have been without the butter and sausage? My guess would be 140-160.

Berberine is not something to fool around with. It does seem to work to some degree, but it may do so by affecting your liver in potentially dangerous ways. See, e.g., http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2013/08/berberine-works-but-may-very-well-be.html. It has not undergone the rigorous...

How old are you? Are you on any medications for your blood sugar? Have your numbers been getting progressively worse over time? What are your numbers one hour after a meal? Two hours?

In a certain percentage of those with marginally impaired glucose tolerance (i.e., pre-diabetes), it is possible for a very low carb diet and exercise to bring fasting and post-prandial serum glucose within normal levels. If that does not work, it is essential to lower blood sugars with...

Uncollected debt can be sold to a collection agency, not a credit agency. Credit agencies maintain your credit ratings. None of this has anything to do with giving people your social security number.