To metformin or not metformin, that is the question

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

I am a fat 55 year old type II diabetic with 3 kids, massive mortgage and am working fulltime and most weekends overtime (its been 7 days a week for the last 3 years). I also got attacked by the NHS as when I went for some keyhole surgery, and a few weeks later I had an X-ray where I was told they must have had complications because they took out 2 ribs and gave up on the keyhole bit. This was some years ago and rather than put me on a lifetime of Opioids, they put me on Gabapentin and Duloxetine to numb down the chronic nerve damage.

2 years ago I went in for a checkup because I had moved desks at work to be nearer to the water fountain, felt lost (more than normal) and had a loud whooshing in my ears.

Diabetes (A1c =120) and High-blood pressure 160-110. I went on Metformin, ditched beer, chocolate, stodge and this is down to 56. Now I am on ACE inhibitors. I also went on a "meal replacement" diet mix in a pouch diet I got off Amazon.

My question is: is metformin OK with a diet cup-a-soup a meal? Its a bit of dust in a pouch ?

Doctor told me to carry on taking all meds and I shall: duloxetine (addictive), gabapentin (feeling permanently stoned, addictive), beta blockers (tiredness), ace inhibs (dry cough), statins, metformin (permanently upset insides).

Extreme exercise was something I did before NHS did their work on me, and provided I wear a wetsuit (it holds my ribs together) I am fine, otherwise no.

Is Metformin safe to take with a cup of hot water ?

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I am a fat 55 year old type II diabetic with 3 kids, massive mortgage and am working fulltime and most weekends overtime (its been 7 days a week for the last 3 years). I also got attacked by the NHS as when I went for some keyhole surgery, and a few weeks later I had an X-ray where I was told they must have had complications because they took out 2 ribs and gave up on the keyhole bit. This was some years ago and rather than put me on a lifetime of Opioids, they put me on Gabapentin and Duloxetine to numb down the chronic nerve damage.

2 years ago I went in for a checkup because I had moved desks at work to be nearer to the water fountain, felt lost (more than normal) and had a loud whooshing in my ears.

Diabetes (A1c =120) and High-blood pressure 160-110. I went on Metformin, ditched beer, chocolate, stodge and this is down to 56. Now I am on ACE inhibitors. I also went on a "meal replacement" diet mix in a pouch diet I got off Amazon.

My question is: is metformin OK with a diet cup-a-soup a meal? Its a bit of dust in a pouch ?

Doctor told me to carry on taking all meds and I shall: duloxetine (addictive), gabapentin (feeling permanently stoned, addictive), beta blockers (tiredness), ace inhibs (dry cough), statins, metformin (permanently upset insides).

Extreme exercise was something I did before NHS did their work on me, and provided I wear a wetsuit (it holds my ribs together) I am fine, otherwise no.

Is Metformin safe to take with a cup of hot water ?

Metformin is rather notorious for gastric upsets, and you really need to have something a bit more solid lining your stomach before you take it, to avoid that. Some weak (and carb-heavy, about 2 teaspoons, almost three, of sugar in one baggie) cup-a-soup isn't going to keep you from running to the loo every 5 seconds. If eating before you take it doesn't help, there is a metformin slow/extended release, which is reportedly kinder on the gut, but I've never tried it. It wasn't available when my insides exploded on regular metformin, here in the Netherlands. By the time it was available, I'd been on a low carb diet for years already (no cup-a-soups on my menu, and I do miss the chinese tomato soup. It was a staple in my school years.). Anyway, yeah. If you can stick with a diet of space-food, you might be able to get the hang of low carbing. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might be an option for you, if metformin isn't. I know my HbA1c must have been in the triple digits when I was diagnosed, but I wasn't tested for it until I'd already started medication and diets, so... Who knows how far up I was, when that first test still came back thoroughly diabetic? In the past 9 years though i've been in the normal range, only dipping back into prediabetic numbers due to a little perfect storm of other conditions/events, but I'm beating it back down again. That's the idea anyway, if menopause will let me. But I'm guessing that, at least, shouldn't be a problem for you.

Long winded way to say, no, metformin isn't advisable with just some soup. Sorry. You can try, but your gut isn't likely to thank you for it. And good luck, because jeez, you've been through the wringer!
Jo

 

[lovinglife]

Metformin is best taken with food to mitigate some of the unwelcome bathroom side effects, maybe if you don’t suffer from them then taking it with your cuppa soup may be ok, but that’s up to you, you can only try and see what happens, you may be one of the lucky ones

This is just my personal experience and not in anyway suggesting that you do as I do but I never had any problems with Metformin even in the beginning, I’m able to take mine without food and not suffer any of the “consequences”

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

Metformin is rather notorious for gastric upsets, and you really need to have something a bit more solid lining your stomach before you take it, to avoid that. Some weak (and carb-heavy, about 2 teaspoons, almost three, of sugar in one baggie) cup-a-soup isn't going to keep you from running to the loo every 5 seconds. If eating before you take it doesn't help, there is a metformin slow/extended release, which is reportedly kinder on the gut, but I've never tried it. It wasn't available when my insides exploded on regular metformin, here in the Netherlands. By the time it was available, I'd been on a low carb diet for years already (no cup-a-soups on my menu, and I do miss the chinese tomato soup. It was a staple in my school years.). Anyway, yeah. If you can stick with a diet of space-food, you might be able to get the hang of low carbing. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might be an option for you, if metformin isn't. I know my HbA1c must have been in the triple digits when I was diagnosed, but I wasn't tested for it until I'd already started medication and diets, so... Who knows how far up I was, when that first test still came back thoroughly diabetic? In the past 9 years though i've been in the normal range, only dipping back into prediabetic numbers due to a little perfect storm of other conditions/events, but I'm beating it back down again. That's the idea anyway, if menopause will let me. But I'm guessing that, at least, shouldn't be a problem for you.

Long winded way to say, no, metformin isn't advisable with just some soup. Sorry. You can try, but your gut isn't likely to thank you for it. And good luck, because jeez, you've been through the wringer!
Jo

Hi, they are low-carb diet pouches and can be made in my work kitchen with a kettle ! I cannot live on a regular low-carb for long because I like fruit and veg too much.

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

Metformin is best taken with food to mitigate some of the unwelcome bathroom side effects, maybe if you don’t suffer from them then taking it with your cuppa soup may be ok, but that’s up to you, you can only try and see what happens, you may be one of the lucky ones

This is just my personal experience and not in anyway suggesting that you do as I do but I never had any problems with Metformin even in the beginning, I’m able to take mine without food and not suffer any of the “consequences”

No Metformin gives me significant digestive issues. It lowers the BG perfectly, but its not something I like when I am on the Underground.

 

[lovinglife]

No Metformin gives me significant digestive issues. It lowers the BG perfectly, but it’s not something I like when I am on the Underground.

Maybe best to speak again to your GP to see if you can get the slow release version

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

Metformin is best taken with food to mitigate some of the unwelcome bathroom side effects, maybe if you don’t suffer from them then taking it with your cuppa soup may be ok, but that’s up to you, you can only try and see what happens, you may be one of the lucky ones

This is just my personal experience and not in anyway suggesting that you do as I do but I never had any problems with Metformin even in the beginning, I’m able to take mine without food and not suffer any of the “consequences”

Actually when I have been too busy to eat, I have had Metformin with nothing at all and been perfect afterwards. Then with food and insides gone completely "consequences".

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi, they are low-carb diet pouches and can be made in my work kitchen with a kettle ! I cannot live on a regular low-carb for long because I like fruit and veg too much.

The key to low carbing with actual food for the long run, is finding a way to make it suit you. (I'm fine with above-ground veg though, and all sorts of berries.) If pouches fit you and your life better, knock yourself out. Whatever works, works! We're all different, and so are our needs, our bodies, our daily rhythms.

But yeah, ask after the slow release stuff... It might help.

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

Maybe best to speak again to your GP to see if you can get the slow release version

I am already booked in for the end of April to see GP.

 

[Melgar]

I'm coming in left of field here, but I take meds that mess up my gut biome. So I take probiotics. Interestingly it alleviated my gut issues, as gut felt like a witches cauldron. I believe Metformin disrupts the gut biome too. In no way is this medical advice , it's just something I have issues with, add coeliac into the mix, and had success. Obviously see your Dr.

I have quoted the conclusion to the study here:

"In conclusion, metformin treatment is the most important step in T2DM treatment and our most important problem in metformin treatment is non-compliance with treatment due to gastrointestinal system side effects. In our study, probiotic support added to metformin treatment decreased the complaints of diarrhea and bloating and increased the compliance of the patients to the treatment. Better glycemic control and better HbA1c reduction were observed in patients receiving probiotic supplementation, with increased adherence to the treatment and possible effects of probiotics on the intestinal-pancreatic axis. In summary, in patients who added probiotic support to metformin treatment, side effects decreased, and better adherence to treatment and better HbA1c reduction were observed. Questioning our results in similar studies and supporting them with meta-analyses is extremely important in terms of adding probiotic support to metformin treatment for clinical use."

I have attached a link to the research paper on metformin and dysbiosis if you wish to know more.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9797791/#:~:text=Given that probiotics are considered,the metformin-related side effects

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

The key to low carbing with actual food for the long run, is finding a way to make it suit you. (I'm fine with above-ground veg though, and all sorts of berries.) If pouches fit you and your life better, knock yourself out. Whatever works, works! We're all different, and so are our needs, our bodies, our daily rhythms.

But yeah, ask after the slow release stuff... It might help.

I think I will wait and see what my quack says about meds. Also can you get low carb bananas ?

Regarding my original question, can I take a Metformin with a diet-a-soup in a cup. Yes I can. Will I regret it? Yes I am. I will have to stick around at work until this stuff wears off, as I am not doing the commute thing like this !!!

 

[NoMoreBeerAnymore]

I'm coming in left of field here, but I take meds that mess up my gut biome. So I take probiotics. Interestingly it alleviated my gut issues, as gut felt like a witches cauldron. I believe Metformin disrupts the gut biome too. In no way is this medical advice , it's just something I have issues with, add coeliac into the mix, and had success. Obviously see your Dr.

I have quoted the conclusion to the study here:

"In conclusion, metformin treatment is the most important step in T2DM treatment and our most important problem in metformin treatment is non-compliance with treatment due to gastrointestinal system side effects. In our study, probiotic support added to metformin treatment decreased the complaints of diarrhea and bloating and increased the compliance of the patients to the treatment. Better glycemic control and better HbA1c reduction were observed in patients receiving probiotic supplementation, with increased adherence to the treatment and possible effects of probiotics on the intestinal-pancreatic axis. In summary, in patients who added probiotic support to metformin treatment, side effects decreased, and better adherence to treatment and better HbA1c reduction were observed. Questioning our results in similar studies and supporting them with meta-analyses is extremely important in terms of adding probiotic support to metformin treatment for clinical use."

I have attached a link to the research paper on metformin and dysbiosis if you wish to know more.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9797791/#:~:text=Given that probiotics are considered,the metformin-related side effects

I have put Yakult-lite's on the shopping list, every bit helps ! Thank you

 

[Melgar]

You are very welcome @NoMoreBeerAnymore . It's worth a go.

 

[Africanaussie]

I’d say Metformin with just a cup of soup might not be the best idea. From what I’ve experienced and heard, it’s usually smoother when taken with a more solid meal, like something with more carbs or protein. Soup might not be enough to keep things from getting uncomfortable in your stomach. Of course, some people get away with it, but personally, I’d go for something a bit more filling if I were you.

 

[debs248]

20 years ago I took normal metformin for a couple of years and don't remember any tummy isues. I was advised to take it with food and that gastric symptoms were more likely with carbs than fat/ protein.

Now I'm about to start taking it again but they've prescribed slow release so hoping to avoid the explosive botty altogether. I plan to eat at least a piece of cheese or an egg with it just in case though...