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When Does Metformin ER Not Work Effectively To Treat Type 2 Diabetes?
Question: I am having a problem taking metformin er for type 2 diabetes, it doesn't seem to be working.
Brief Answer:
Perhaps you need more than that
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Your glucosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is very important to determine the best type of treatment for type 2 diabetes. Any medical history may be important as well. For example, patients with chronic kidney disease should not be given certain drugs because they may increase the risk for complications.
Some basic principles that apply to all patients include the following:
- Exercise (as tolerated individually) is beneficial for the patient and may be as effective as drug treatments. Walking 20-30 minutes per day is sufficient for most patients of your age.
- Weight loss is very important as it affects insulin resistance. The heavier the patient, the higher the insulin resistance and the higher the insulin that the patient has to produce in order to keep the blood sugar under control. Metformin is a good choice in this regard.
- Glipizide and other insulin secreting drugs are helpful at the first stages of diabetes but they're usually much less effective later on as the beta-cell of the pancreas becomes less and less capable of producing the necessary amounts of insulin.
Whether metformin alone is sufficient for your case depends largely on your HbA1c. For a patient with a near-normal HbA1c metformin alone should be fine. Otherwise adding more drugs may be necessary.
I hope you've found my comments helpful! Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Regards
Perhaps you need more than that
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Your glucosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is very important to determine the best type of treatment for type 2 diabetes. Any medical history may be important as well. For example, patients with chronic kidney disease should not be given certain drugs because they may increase the risk for complications.
Some basic principles that apply to all patients include the following:
- Exercise (as tolerated individually) is beneficial for the patient and may be as effective as drug treatments. Walking 20-30 minutes per day is sufficient for most patients of your age.
- Weight loss is very important as it affects insulin resistance. The heavier the patient, the higher the insulin resistance and the higher the insulin that the patient has to produce in order to keep the blood sugar under control. Metformin is a good choice in this regard.
- Glipizide and other insulin secreting drugs are helpful at the first stages of diabetes but they're usually much less effective later on as the beta-cell of the pancreas becomes less and less capable of producing the necessary amounts of insulin.
Whether metformin alone is sufficient for your case depends largely on your HbA1c. For a patient with a near-normal HbA1c metformin alone should be fine. Otherwise adding more drugs may be necessary.
I hope you've found my comments helpful! Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Regards
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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