metformin and heart problems

[jakeatyork]

to say im confused is a understatement, i suffered a heart attack just prior to easter and as a result was found to be diabetic t2 i am on all the usual heart tablets and also metformin for the diabetes, the diabetes u.k. website info on metformin says it should not be taken by people with heart problems the diet sheet my doctor has given me recomends potatoes/bread and starchy foods ,and everywhere else the advice is for the opposite, my heads spinning whats the truth? does anyone know? sureley their must be a doctor/diabetic who could give totally unbiased advice because nobody is telling me anything at my end, im just having to find everything out myself,sat 1 hour today waiting to see diabetic advise nurse and they forgot to make the appointment so she did not know i was coming, and did not have time to see me ,next appointment friday,try again!
got a appointment for diabetic education clinic august 16th in the meantime just blundering along. :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[sugarless sue]

You must discuss the use of Metformin with your doctor/nurse to ease your mind.You have come to the right place for advice BTW! The world of diabetes is confusing.It need to be taken a step at a time,A bit like learning to drive.You learn each stage and then it all comes together in the end.Ask questions,read the forum,above all make up your own mind about which path is best for you.

 

[jakeatyork]

i am seriously contemplating halving my metformin dosage until i learn more about things i am currently on 500mg twice a day and my B.S. readings are averaging 7 im going to see what alters by reducing this to 1 500g once a day nobody seems too concerned about my diabetes i.e. education three months after diagnosis deemed acceptible so , im going it alone.

 

[sugarless sue]

Get back onto your doctors practice and complain! This really is not good enough,you need a doctor's appointment ASAP!!The very least you need is a ten minute appointment to discuss your concrerns over your medication.When you see the nurse on friday,bring up these concerns,see if she can organise something.Please don't fiddle with your meds until you have spoken to the nurse!

 

[fergus]

You might well be able to reduce your metformin, Jake, but not if you follow the diet sheet guff about basing your diet on starchy foods. Please don't try reducing it until your numbers are properly under control, and your Doctor should make time to talk to you about this.

All the best,

fergus

 

[jakeatyork]

thanks for the advice ,and you are more than likeley right about me seeing my G.P. im just so p543ssed off with the conflicting advice re- diet ,the hospital diet is almost word for word as the dietery advice given in the Diabetes for beginners booklet produced by (DIABETES .U.K.) no less so whats going on? who knows the truth? these people host this site! are they giving out ill advice or what,this guide was supposed to help me, and now i just dont know, they say ignorence is bliss and now i know why, my days now are spent reading web pages/forums and everything contradicts the previous opinion so in the end i still dont know who to believe.

 

[sugarless sue]

thanks for the advice ,and you are more than likeley right about me seeing my G.P. im just so p543ssed off with the conflicting advice re- diet ,the hospital diet is almost word for word as the dietery advice given in the Diabetes for beginners booklet produced by (DIABETES .U.K.) no less so whats going on? who knows the truth? these people host this site! are they giving out ill advice or what,this guide was supposed to help me, and now i just dont know, they say ignorence is bliss and now i know why, my days now are spent reading web pages/forums and everything contradicts the previous opinion so in the end i still dont know who to believe.

No,Diabetes UK doesn't host this site!! We are diabetes.co.uk it is a different site altogether.True the names are similar but the two are totally different.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Jake,

One thing to add to Karen's excellent advice - pretty much the only alternatives to metformin (in terms of meds that act in the same way) are pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia). Advice is that these must never be taken by patients who have suffered a heart attack. So be warned should your GP suggest either of these to you (I only mention it as your GP didn't seem to be aware of metformin problems for heart patients, so appears to be not very clued up on diabetes meds).

 

[jakeatyork]

thanks to everyone for all your replys ,and apologies to sue (i thought diabetes uk and diabetes.co.uk.) were the same (more confusion) or is madness creeping in as well, but thank you all for your concerns and just a note on the person who prescribed metformin to me knowing i had heart problems maybe he is just unaware of the problems, which is understandable as he is my DIABETES SPECIALIST AT THE HOSPITAL aaaaaaaaaaaargghh.

 

[Linda59]

Hi
I have been on Verapamil for over 10yrs after a heart attack and Metformin for nearly 2 with no real side effects, only thing I've come off is Simvastatin after all that I have read about it..

 

[ally5555]

aahhhh - doctors giving advise !!!!!

 

[taffeen]

I am sorry you are so confused, however It is so good to know someone else is as confused as me. There is so much conflict on what diet is best. I f I get another book review in the mail with the ultimate diet to stop/reverse diabetes I will scream :twisted: I take all the vitimins and herbs along with exercise and insulin and if I eat one teeny tiny peice of carb it ( bg) jumps to out of site land. All I can pass on is it is your very own version of the desiese and you must be very strict with yourself. test each thing you eat indiviually. eat it wait 2 hrs and check your bg. I cannot eat potatoes at all. what a pity or bananas. i cannot eat whole wheat bread, but i can eat whole wheat pitas
good luck I was on metformin for a while. very bad stomach and really bad nightmares. the dr's thought i was nuts
Taffeen

 

[sugarless sue]

Nuts are good for you.I know you lot make me chuckle :lol: :lol:
On the subject of medication and whether it can be taken in certain cases you would be surprised how often someone is on medication that is contraindicated for their condition.the doctors know this,they are the ones with the extensive medical training and they weigh up the risks before prescribing.Most of the time they get it right but there will always be people that have bad reactions to their medication.

 

[LynnB]

sugarless sue is quite right about Doctors advice, they should now what they are talking about, who else can we turn to.
I was taking Metformin, but it effected my taste of food everything tasted metalic. my Doctor changed me to Gliclazide 80mg half a tablet in the am the other half pm. My wife has the same problem but the Doctor will not change her tablets. I would be interested if some one else has had this experience
LynnB

 

[sassie]

Hiya,

Without wishing to confuse matters as I know nothing about heart conditions + metformin, I just want to point out that a lot of people have to be careful of metformin as it can, in higher doseages, cause an allergic reaction. I am allergic to metformin in all its guises SR, MR and plain old metformin as well as statins and as a consequence of taking these have been very ill for nearly 2 years.

So keep pushing and be a nuisance, after all it is your body and your life!

Sue

 

[gilsondg]

Hi everyone,
I am a 70 year old Male Type 2, taking Metformin 850 twice daily and Gliclazide 85gr twice daily.
My BS is more or less perfect- it does jump and drop now and again, but generally I am quite careful.
My concern at the moment is the possible development of Acidosis through taking Metformin for a long time - I have been t2 since 2003 ! Recently I have had serious bouts of Diarrhoea, but as there appears to be no pathological reasons for this, I control it with regular doses of imodium, and avoid fizzy drinks.
I intend to mention my fears to my Doctor at my next appointment, but muscle pain is causing me some concern.
Does anyone out tthere share my concerns??

I enjoy this website- I too was confused with the Diabetes UK site..
Cheers
David

 

[hanadr]

As far as I know, all gps have the medicine interactions software loaded on their systems, the pharmacies definitely do. If you are being treated for heart problems, the software would throw up any adverse interactions. Although Metformin may be contra-indicated for some heart patients, it might be fine for you. You NEED to talk to the doctor about it. Sometimes there's a balance which must be found.
I had a stroke 5 years ago and have been using Metformin satisfactorily for 5 years since then. Sometimes the warnings are extra careful. In general Metformin is a very safe medicine.

 

[lionrampant]

Let's not canonise our care teams people. I know doctors, I've been treated by some of the best in the world (imo), and I've also seen some right quacks (or heard about them through places like this forum). Doctors are like any other professionals - some are good, some are bad, some are in it for the money, some are in it for their passion. You just have to make sure you get your moneys worth .

 

[hanadr]

My doctor isn't a saint, but he cares and in general listems to what I say. Unfortunately, he's just done a course on diabetes, which has taught him some rubbish and he also listens to the local diabetologist.

 

[lloveco]

Hi I’m new to the site but not to diabetes my mum aunts father in law husband mother in law son and cousins all had diabetes all had various problems with it the main one I want to mention is my husband , he had it from his father it was genetic it was in most of the males of his family but we got on ok had brilliant gp’s who took a lot of time with us however I can’t remember who first prescribed him metformin but it was the worst thing he could have taken it made him very ill and he took it for almost 18 months before we were sent to a local hospital because he was getting worse, he went through a barrage of tests had to become an inpatient but they got the results and it turns out that metformin made him ill it caused kidney problems which in turn caused liver problems which then caused retention of fluids and he had to go into another hospital to be drained and eventually after 2 years of treatment and pain he passed away in 2016 so if I ever hear of anyone on metformin I tell them to get off and why sorry my rant is a bit long I have diabetes but it is diet controlled so no problem xx