Mum becoming very unwell on metformin

[billyteahead]

Hi all, I wonder what you think- my mum 83, had T2 for 5 years, she s been amazingly strict with her diet and has her T2 under control. She is on Metformin and Glicazide (spelling)

Since about April, she has lost her appetite, she feels nautious and has lost so much weight. I saw her for the first time in a few weeks and her appearance really shocked me. She looked all skin and bones.

I feel her GP has been quite neglectful and not called her in after her april blood test showed some platelet isuues. It was only me calling the practice that has got them to ask her back for retests, Yesterday she went for a further blood test and has to go for another in October.

My gut feeling is that the drugs are causing this nausea. The GP is failing to review and will not take her off them. Her BS is never over 8 when she gets tested. I really feel that she can manage without the drugs, but mum will not challenge the GP.

It looks like my mum is just fading away right under the GPs nose.
Should I be worried about her getting v low BS especially as she is not eating and on these 2 meds?

A worried daughter who feels a bit powerless to do anything.

Thank you for reading

 

[badcat]

I think it can be tempting for both doctors and patients to assume that a chronic health condition like diabetes is the root cause of other problems arising after diagnosis
If your mums treatment for diabetes changed around April then I would think her diabetes drugs are a good starting point when looking for a cause for her nausea, otherwise I would think the GP needs to be running broader tests

 

[Chook]

What you said about your Mum fading away is so similar to my Mother in Law's problems with her GP - he just kept telling her that all her ailments were old age - she's 87. It took my Brother in Law going with her one day and firmly expressing his concerns about her weight loss, depression, inability to hold a conversation, forgetfulness and constant tiredness, that forced the GP in to running some tests. Turned out she was incredibly low in vit D and vit B12 and, on top of that, her cholesterol was the highest the doctor had ever seen. Since having vitamin injections and supplements and attending the hospital concerning her cholesterol (which turned out to be hereditary) she is feeling much, much better.

Could you accompany your Mum to see her GP? Sometimes people of that generation feel that doctors are never wrong but we know better.

 

[Resurgam]

I can only vaguely remember how ill I felt on the Metformin and a statin I was prescribed, I did write in my diary for some of the time, but after about three weeks I stopped - but from reading what I wrote then, life was not worth living as I felt so ill and mentally miserable.
I only need to eat low carb to have normal numbers, even though I have been encouraged to go back onto statins.
Perhaps your mother is in a similar state of confusion, not realising how she has changed, and you need to express your concerns more strongly - both to her and if necessary to the doctor or the practice manager if it is a group of doctors.

 

[billyteahead]

thanks all for your thoughts. I dont live v close to my mum so its hard to keep any eye on her. I m with her again this weekend and in the last 2 weeks she s lost even more weight and looks dreadful. Finally managed to persuade her to change to a more local GP with a diabetes nurse and some recomendations.
I think she is having hypos, This is all she can stomach to eat- 1 wheetabix in the morning, i small tin of chicken soup at lunchtime, 1 wheetabix in the evening, maybe a glass of milk. Hardly any calories tall, and she is still taking 2 metformin and 1 glic every day- so it seems to me as if her BS are dropping way too low, she doesnt have a meter.


I ve seen her sitting, very passive, sleepy, no energy, no talking (which is unusual for her) and feeling v sick often during the course of the day she does this, and its only hen I say lets try and eat something etc that she will act. Is this what hypos are like- make you unresponsive?

Scary, and I have to leave her tomorrow... should she stop wth the meds until she is able to get an appoint at her new GP?

 

[Alison Campbell]

@billyteahead, we can't give advice about medication. Here is some information about symptoms of hypers and hypos

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hyperglycaemia.html
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hypoglycaemia.html

If you are concerned you could call 111 for advice.

A meter would clarify matters but on a Sunday it might be difficult to find a pharmacy that could sell you one or do the test. Depends on where you are, using this site might help http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Pharmacy/LocationSearch/10

 

[Hightower]

thanks all for your thoughts. I dont live v close to my mum so its hard to keep any eye on her. I m with her again this weekend and in the last 2 weeks she s lost even more weight and looks dreadful. Finally managed to persuade her to change to a more local GP with a diabetes nurse and some recomendations.
I think she is having hypos, This is all she can stomach to eat- 1 wheetabix in the morning, i small tin of chicken soup at lunchtime, 1 wheetabix in the evening, maybe a glass of milk. Hardly any calories tall, and she is still taking 2 metformin and 1 glic every day- so it seems to me as if her BS are dropping way too low, she doesnt have a meter.


I ve seen her sitting, very passive, sleepy, no energy, no talking (which is unusual for her) and feeling v sick often during the course of the day she does this, and its only hen I say lets try and eat something etc that she will act. Is this what hypos are like- make you unresponsive?

Scary, and I have to leave her tomorrow... should she stop wth the meds until she is able to get an appoint at her new GP?

Hi Billyteahead,

Is it possible for your Mum to get Meter and monitor whats happening or is there anyone that can call on her a couple of times a day to check on her. The Meter will be key to finding out whats going on and making an informed decision from there. Low blood sugar can make you feel very nauseous and not want to eat which is a concern considering thats exactly what is required. I am not sure stopping her medication is a good idea either but then again Im not a doctor. I can imagine its a huge worry for you. It certainly doesnt sound like she is getting enough food at all. The first things I would suggest is seeing her new doctor and getting a meter. The best of luck.

 

[SimonCrox]

Metformin sometimes causes anorexia in elderly folk mimicking a malignancy; this can just happen with time or if your Mum's renal function had deteriorated to make the metformin build up.
Getting a meter to know what is going on with glucose levels is an invaluable move and will let people modify her diabetes medication appropriately. Some elderly folk find it difficult to use a meter and family members often need to measure and record the glucose levels whenever possible.
If one lives in the UK, one is probably vitamin D deficient, and B12 deficiency is very common, particularly on metformin, but these generally do not cause the symptoms that you describe.
There could be another cause for your mother going off food and losing weight, and so she needs a full medical assessment.
Good move to swap to a closer GP, and I think your Mum needs to see GP very soon.
best wishes