Should Metformin Be Taken When Pre-diabetic?

Posted on Tue, 1 Dec 2015

Question: 3 months ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My Dr. told me lose weight, I was 265 lbs. He prescribed for my high blood pressure losartan potassium 25 mg tab, I was previously taking nifedipine er 60 mg tablet. He told me the losartan will help my kidneys. Also, he put me on metformin hcl 500 mg tablet for my diabetes. Then I started Nutrisystem D to help me to lose weight. I aggressively stayed on the diet and exercised 2 miles a day on my stationary bike and went back for another blood check up with my Dr. and he said, you lost 32 lbs and your blood sugar has gone down, so your are not diabetic any more, but you are now pre-diabetic. Now, here's my question. He said he wants to keep me on the metformin for 3 more months and he'll have me come back to see him in 3 months, should I still be taking the metformin, even though I am no longer diabetic?

Answered by Dr. Sandip Kabra (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You should continue with metformin till next follow-up.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to HCM.

It could be possible that your blood sugar has come down to normal because of dieting,exercises and oral anti-diabetic drug (metformin 500) but the tendency to rise blood sugar has not been eliminated yet or it is very difficult to eliminate it.

Also,if your blood sugar has become normal (RBS below 150 mg%) now,it does not necessarily mean that you can stop taking metformin.

Doing so,may cause immediate rise in your blood sugar above normal limits.

So,I would fully agree with your treating doctor and will advise you to continue taking metformin with anti-diabetic diet as explained by him till your next follow-up after 3 months.

Hope this will help you and if still you have any doubt feel free to ask me,I will be to answer that.

Regards,

Dr.Sandip kabra

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T