My 13 year-old-daughter is currently taking metformin 500 mg for elevated blood sugars. Her A1c levels have been running around 6.2 to 6.7. I took her to an endocrinologist who said that since she is not overweight (she is very active, tall and slim), she should stop taking the medicine and see what happens. This really concerns me. There are many on her father’s side of the family that are insulin dependent. I am not really sure if I should take her off of her medication.

I suppose the real question is why she was on metformin in the first place. Did someone diagnose type 2 or do studies to rule out type 1? If she is not a minority with type 2 in the family, not overweight, doesn’t have acanthosis nigricans and doesn’t have an elevated C-Peptides, why is she on metformin? I agree that an A1c of 6.7 is elevated in most laboratories, so her glucose levels must be abnormal, but what is the real diagnosis? What are the antibodies: GAD, Insulin, Islet cell, etc.?

You should start with our web site page on Diabetes Basics to learn more about what I’m asking. Please have your doctor look into your daughter’s diagnosis.

LD