Hi Susan,have been on Metformin 1000SR for over 2 years and have suffered the unpleasant side effects for the whole of this time until I was prescribed Codiene for a Rotor Cuff injury.Hey presto-no diarrhoea.Me thinks GPs need to assess people on Metformin more closely as this problem ( diarrhoea)is a common thread.I did also try Imodium for a while,and it worked,but would not recommend anyone else tries this.So my concern is that once the Codiene (and Rotor cuff injury)is sorted out the dreaded stomach problems will re-appear.Outcome is that sufferers need to badger their GPs into finding a solution for this common and unpleasant side effects of Metformin.
Wind and urgency with Metformin?
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Shimmy
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I think the only way is for the GP to remove Metformin and not treat the symptoms although thats for them to decide. Removing Metformin and going to Glicrazide and Sitigliptin was such an amazing positive change. I did mention the bug I caught on holiday but hopefully that is what it was and it will not return. I managed to improve my sugar levels by cutting down on eating bread quite dramatically. Bread changes to sugar and if you don't then burn it off it gives high blood sugar. Metformin is a cheapish drug that does not work for everyone.
Celeriac
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I too had a really bad reaction to bog standard Metformin with no warning random diarrhoea which meant I wouldn't go out of the house. I told my GP very bluntly about the effect it was having on my life and demanded the SR version. He was very apologetic and I got the impression that GPs are told to try the standard one first.
My GP advised me to build up to my full dose. From my experience I would suggest that Metformin is systemic i.e. you need a constant supply to keep up the level in your body and that when the level drops, probs can also occur.
Sometimes in the past when I have overindulged in carbs (for me), I have thrown up rather than had diarrhoea, which isn't nice but doesn't last hours.
If I am late taking my evening dose, I can get diarrhoea a couple of days later so I learned that in those rare circumstances a couple of generic Loperamide from Lidl slows my digestive system down enough to avoid it. My GP does know that I do that and very rarely.
I too would suggest talking to your GP, our digestive systems are different !
My GP advised me to build up to my full dose. From my experience I would suggest that Metformin is systemic i.e. you need a constant supply to keep up the level in your body and that when the level drops, probs can also occur.
Sometimes in the past when I have overindulged in carbs (for me), I have thrown up rather than had diarrhoea, which isn't nice but doesn't last hours.
If I am late taking my evening dose, I can get diarrhoea a couple of days later so I learned that in those rare circumstances a couple of generic Loperamide from Lidl slows my digestive system down enough to avoid it. My GP does know that I do that and very rarely.
I too would suggest talking to your GP, our digestive systems are different !
Little different here - no money, you get one choice. Often very good but not always.
Shimmy
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Although this is an old post I thought it might be useful to share this. Even after I came off Metformin I still experienced constant problems with wind, diarrhoea including urgency. This has gone on for years. A few months ago I visited a local Health Shop and after discussion decided to try Acidophilus to replace the Probiotics and also to take a Peppermint Oil Capsule each day. This has quite frankly been life changing. I recently had a Colonoscopy, it was a follow up, normally I am ill for days. I took the Acidophilus prior and for a short time afterwards. I didn’t have a problem at all.
