Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of
your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
My mother-in-law has
type 2 diabetes
and takes
metformin
(500 mg twice daily). She does not eat properly (i.e. small meals frequently during the day). Instead, she typically eats a small
amount once a day, and she does not drink much.
A nurse friend of mine says my mother-in-law could be
hypoglycemic
because she does not eat much, and
the metformin does not have much food to breakdown. So,
the
metformin could eat
at her tissues, which could account for her confusion. Could this be true?
Answer
Metformin does not frequently cause hypoglycemia, but the scenario of eating erratically (and exercising when not eating) would make it more
likely. However, you don't mention your mother-in-law's
blood glucose levels
at the time of her confusion. Clearly, someone should be checking her blood sugar at these times, and it shouldn't be her, as she's confused and less likely to accurately do the test.
There are many reasons for confusion. Your mother-in-law should have a thorough medical checkup even if hypoglycemia is documented as part
of the problem.
wwq
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