Will I have to take Metformin the rest of my life? Is it ok to stop taking Metformin, and when?
Are you wondering when it’s ok to stop taking Metformin? We have the answers for you below.
Do you take Metformin to manage your Type 2 diabetes? If yes, you’re likely wondering if this is something you need to take for the rest of your life.
Have you been working on your diet and lifestyle? If you’ve made successful diet and lifestyle changes we have great news! You will most likely be able to stop taking Metformin.
First, consult with your doctor to track your progress and decide when you can go off of any medication.
Working with your doctor to understand the root causes of your Type 2 diabetes is essential. Metformin will not cure or prevent Type 2 diabetes and it will only treat the symptoms by lowering blood glucose levels. All of the other negative health issues will persist. You may also want to take Metformin with your evening meal to promote restful sleep.
Metformin
What is Metformin?
Metformin is the most prescribed medication for treating Type 2 diabetes. Doctors prescribe it in both a tablet and liquid form. It’s also known as Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza, and Glucophage.
We wrote an in-depth article about what you need to know about Metformin over here.
How does it work?
Metformin works by:
- Helping your liver produce less glucose
- Preventing absorption of glucose in your digestive system
- Increasing insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in your body
It may also be helpful in other ways such as:
- Decreasing blood triglyceride levels by lowering lipids
- Improving HDL (high-density lipoprotein) known as the “good” one
- Lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) referred to as the “bad” one
- It may also, in some people, affect the appetite
Metformin is helpful with managing your blood glucose levels. Many people use it to stabilize their glucose levels. They also learn to make diet and lifestyle changes to reverse their Type 2 diabetes.
Criteria to stop taking Metformin
You need to meet the following criteria before you can stop taking Metformin. This is according to the American Diabetes Association.
- A1c should be at or below 7%
- The blood glucose levels in the morning should be below 130 milligrams per deciliter.
- Post-meal blood glucose levels should fall below 180 mg/dl.
Improve these levels until they fall within the normal range for people who do not have Type 2 diabetes. Most people find improvement with diet and exercise changes.
What types of changes should you make to your diet and lifestyle?
- If you smoke, this is the time to stop.
- Transition to a diet that is low carb and has no sugar.
- Start walking for 15 minutes a day to build resilience and cardiovascular health.
- Lose a bit of weight.
Joining a support group can help you stay on track. You can join our group by clicking here. It can also help with following through with new lifestyle changes.
Test your blood glucose levels and track your A1c over time. As you make healthy new changes, this will be the most helpful tool for checking progress. Then you can speak to your doctor about stopping Metformin.
She helped start and managed a supplement company and has consulted on targeted supplement creation.
She has also served for over 7 years as an admin for very large Facebook groups about health and autoimmune issues.
Anna has years of unique experience seeing which protocols and treatments work for which people, having seen hundreds of thousands of patient experiences and testimonials.
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