sylke: (Default)
sylke ([personal profile] sylke) wrote2006-11-27 06:24 pm

LF doctor opinion

Something didn't sound right to me.

http://community.livejournal.com/pcosupport/578106.html?nc=1

The commenter writes that she takes breaks from Metformin to "detox for [her] liver's sake". Now, what I thought about how Metformin works is that it actually decreases the stress on your liver. Met changes liver function so it's not producing as much glucose, reducing overall blood sugar which eases the strain on the insulin-producing pancreas. Now, you shouldn't drink very much while on Met, because the liver won't process it as well or correctly, and having liver disease is a definite contraindication for taking it. But is there any medical advantage at all to taking a break to "detox" from Met? Personally, I take a break from time to time, but that's simply an aversion to swallowing large pills and it being so easy to get out of the habit of taking them daily.

[livejournal.com profile] bluekitsune? [livejournal.com profile] jvinocur? [livejournal.com profile] jfrands? Feel free to chime in, I'm looking at you folks for commentary. ([livejournal.com profile] vetgirlbeth, your input would also be valued if you care to comment on diabetes medications in non-humans :)) My apologies if I forgot any other members of the medical community.

[identity profile] amdiranifani.livejournal.com 2006-11-27 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
My professional opinion is that one should drill a hole in the skull to let the evil spirits out every once in a while.