misdiagnosed with type 2 DM?

[bluecandi]

Ok I have a question and I am a student. My BIL is in the TX jail system. I found out from him that he was diagnosed with diabetes and hep c while in state custody. They put him on metformin for the last 2 years. Nothing for hep c.....too $$$. He also has history of drug abuse and is in the system for drugs.

So he wrote to me recently telling me that "they" told him he might have been misdiagnosed with diabetes, and he wanted to know what could happen to him if he was taking it for 2 years without being diabetic.

I of course have no clue. All I know to tell him are the long term effects as written in my drug book. But I know nothing about the effects when given to a nondiabetic who already has a liver problem. He is short in stature and weight is on the low end of normal. He is also very young....early 20's. I believe he is on a 500 mg/day dose.

Anyway, if anyone knows anything about this sort of scenario I would certainly appreciate any guidance you have. Thank you.

Candice

[bluecandi]

Ok after lots of research I beleive the worst problem for him would be liver troubles. Please correct me if I am wrong, but metformin sort of ages a normal liver.....I would think the effect would be potentiated in a damaged liver. I have written BIL for clarification on this matter. Waiting to hear back now.

Apparently the jail systems here do not check his viral load. I wish they did!!