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metformin

grante

grante

Well-Known Member
Messages
235
Location
Sheffield
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have started taking metformin. I've have no side effects as yet.

Just wanted to know if any of you guys and girls are taking it and what effects it has had on you. E.g weight loss , does it actually work ?
 
grante said:
I have started taking metformin. I've have no side effects as yet.

Just wanted to know if any of you guys and girls are taking it and what effects it has had on you. E.g weight loss , does it actually work ?
Click to expand...

I use it no side effects of importance besides having to go to the toilet many times every night since taking it, but after taking the whole dose in the mornings I sleep a whole nights sleep again... that is wonderful.

I think metformin made it much easier for me to loos weight initially
 
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I was on it for 5 years and I didn't tolerate it the entire time and was only on it because docs insisted. I know some lose weight on it, but it didn't do that for me. My symptoms on it was nausea and diarrhoea... a lot of both. It was 3 years after being on it that I developed a whole pile of gastric issues that haven't gone away and are chronic. So not sure whether this drug was the trigger or even the cause for some of my problems. I also found it didn't have a huge impact on blood sugar levels... they had to add other drugs to the mix for me before they realised no drug was working and I got the diagnostic tests done again. I'm now on insulin due to being insulin deficient.
 
I was prescribed metformin at diagnosis alongside insulin, I did notice a small weight loss but I would say that was a side effect of the drug more to do with the fact that i was continuously sick and nauseous and at the toilet ALOT. It then also inflamed my pancreas causing a lot of pain which again suppressed my appetite. In the end I stopped taking it as it made no changes to my blood sugars.
 
grante said:
I have started taking metformin. I've have no side effects as yet.

Just wanted to know if any of you guys and girls are taking it and what effects it has had on you. E.g weight loss , does it actually work ?
Click to expand...
I have been on 1000 mg x2 for 8 weeks - had bit of gippy tummy few times but all settled now . Has improved my levels loads along side low carbing - it doesn't help you lose weight but can act as an appetite suppressant.
I have seen a lot of negativity in relation to Metformin but if it does the job then high five I say , good luck with your new journey
 
Debzz_ said:
I have been on 1000 mg x2 for 8 weeks - had bit of gippy tummy few times but all settled now . Has improved my levels loads along side low carbing - it doesn't help you lose weight but can act as an appetite suppressant.
I have seen a lot of negativity in relation to Metformin but if it does the job then high five I say , good luck with your new journey
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
grante said:
Just wanted to know if any of you guys and girls are taking it and what effects it has had on you. E.g weight loss , does it actually work ?
Click to expand...
I have been taking it for seven months now, I have had no side effects taking the fast acting Metformin I was prescribed, with the extended release being unavailable till this week.

My hba1c has dropped considerably down to 5.4%, my bgl has dropped down with a average in the <6.0 range

Today 5.70 mmol/L
Last 7 days 5.60 mmol/L
Last 30 days 5.73 mmol/L
Last 60 days 5.77 mmol/L
Last 90 days 5.89 mmol/L

I have also lost 12 kg in weight in this time as well.
 
Tipetoo said:
I have been taking it for seven months now, I have had no side effects taking the fast acting Metformin I was prescribed, with the extended release being unavailable till this week.

My hba1c has dropped considerably down to 5.4%, my bgl has dropped down with a average in the <6.0 range

Today 5.70 mmol/L
Last 7 days 5.60 mmol/L
Last 30 days 5.73 mmol/L
Last 60 days 5.77 mmol/L
Last 90 days 5.89 mmol/L

I have also lost 12 kg in weight in this time as well.
Click to expand...
That's reassuring to know
 
I took it for 4 yrs plus. At first I had normal metformin, but after a few weeks the side effects were awful, constant diarrhoea, so I was changed to SR Metformin. After a few weeks the same awful symptoms started again. I was told by dietician that I was allergic to food stuffs and should keep a better food diary, it was nothing to do with medication! Eventually my diabetic nurse told me to stop all meds and for 14 months I've been on a LCHF diet and I feel great.
 
I had been on Metformin for about 8 years, as well as insulin even though I wasn't and never had been overweight. Metformin is an appetite suppressant and while I was on it I didn't have much of an appetite so didn't put on weight. About a year ago I started to feel extremely tired and it was found that my B12 was very low, a known side effect of Metformin. I had to have a course of injections to boost it back up again and I carried on taking the Metformin but wasn't keen on it happening again so I thought I would be a bit naughty and stop taking it for two weeks. It was miraculous! My appetite returned and I felt a lot better and yet my sugar levels hardly changed. I went back on it but when I saw the diabetes nurse for my annual checkup I told her what I had done and said I felt better and was eating better so she told me to stop taking it. I have put on 3kg which I think must be to do with it but I am still well within my BMI level and have only had to adjust my insulin by one or two units and as I was only on 4 units each meal this isn't much difference. I wouldn't want to go back on it but when I saw a doctor for something unconnected with my diabetes and told her I wasn't on it but gave myself a little more insulin she said it was better to be on the tablets not have more insulin but I won't be changing back if I can help it.
 
Gloucestergirl said:
About a year ago I started to feel extremely tired and it was found that my B12 was very low, a known side effect of Metformin.
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I have been on Metformin for about a year and recently have also been feeling very tired all the time. I have had a blood test today to check thyroid function but I'm now wondering if we're barking up the wrong tree and perhaps its my B12? I'll wait for the results to come back and then discuss further with my DSN
 
Hi,

I am a type 1 diabetic diagnosed in 1950. I was on Metformin for 3 years in a study conducted by clinicians at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. I lost 4 kilos weight, my blood pressure was 106/78 and the frequency of hypos dropped from about 5 to 2 a week. Overall my diabetologist stated that me control was better than he had seen in the previous 30 years of treatment. I have also been diagnosed with moderate cardiac failure. This was recognised as a complication of long term type 1 diabetes about forty years ago and the incidence has been rising with recent improved longevity of patients. There is good American literature showing that Metformin improved outcomes and reduces the effects of cardiac failure. But my GP will not prescribe Metformin for me quoting the current NICE statement. The NICE statement is clearly out of date cf the American and Canadian literature. But British Medicine lags far behind and long term type 1 diabetics die earlier because of this. Keep up the Metformin treatment!
William L Maxwell Ph.D., D.Sc.
 
I was put straight onto Metformin and Atorvastatin on 15th of November 2016.
By Christmas I was in a dreadful state, I went out because I thought I needed to buy the shopping for the holidays. I chose the supermarket as it has handy toilets inside the shopping area - which I needed. Then when I came out of the supermarket I could not remember where I'd left the car. I walked up and down looking for it, and when I did find it I opened the back and found it full of shopping I'd forgotten about.
I decided there and then that life on tablets was not worth living, and it was even more galling to find that I did not need them.
 
chrissargent said:
I have been on Metformin for about a year and recently have also been feeling very tired all the time. I have had a blood test today to check thyroid function but I'm now wondering if we're barking up the wrong tree and perhaps its my B12? I'll wait for the results to come back and then discuss further with my DSN
Click to expand...
This forum is so great! I have been feeling rotten lately - extremely tired and washed out. Thyroid function checked out fine so now I will have my B12 levels checked and this might be the answer! Oh and I've been taking 500 mg metformin twice daily for 18 months, and, as others have also mentioned, I get periodic episodes of potty trotting ... it lasts for about three hours and then I'm fine again. I've been low carbing and my glucose levels are always well within range - so I don't know if that's the metformin or the diet. It's probably both! Alas, not much weight loss :-(
 
Been taking metformin e for 3 years. First year I took 3 a day and I had dreadful wind unfortunately both ends and occasionally the runs. Dropped to 2 a day not so bad. Hoping to stop altogether by next year. BG was over 10 and is now 7.2. Suppresses appetite - weight loss through diet and increased exercise. Hope that helps. Finding low carb really helps.Good luck.
 
I got the upset tummy initially, then it settled down. Health Care Professionals have a duty to tell lay persons the pros and cons of any drug, this should be mandatory and legally binding. I was told that Metformin would not induce a hypo - this is the only information I got (this was accurate for me). What I was not told was that some get a detoriation in Kidney function as I did; I think like most things there are out of 100 maybe 80 who have no problems, then the 20 (like me) who do. I would have liked the option of diet and exercise only, particularly as I had improved my blood sugars by 20% in 1 week - knowledge is empowering so give us choices - NOW.
 
Those who suffer bad indisgestion can ask their Dr to change to Glucophage instead of the normal Metformin. I had terrible trouble with the original Metformin but was told Dr's are obliged to prescribe it first. If it gives you problems you can be switched to the more expensive Glucophage. I have had no problems so far with this.
 
I have been on metformin for a couple of months. I have had the lovely upset stomach and generally feeling lousy. It made no difference to my bg, then I decided to stop taking it and really work at my diet. The day after me stopping the horrendous headache I have more energy and although it's only been a short while my bg is lower each day. It really has encouraged me to focus on my diet and trying to be a bit more mobile.
 
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