Anyone with Metformin Problems??

[Resurgam]

I too had severe problems when first put on metformin, the only solution I found that worked for me was to take half the medication at breakfast and the other half again at teatime. I was told that eating a banana a day helps with the cramps too, I have one at breakfast and so far not suffering from cramps anymore. It may or may not work in your situation but its worth a try, I dont think my body could handle a full dose of metformin all in one go. Anyway hope it is of some help to you

A banana a day - sheesh - a medium banana is about 25 gm (net) of carb more than half is sugar. Taken as an antidote to a side effect of a tablet to help diabetics - maybe I just hate Metformin too much to even think about taking it, but that seems crazy advice from a health care professional.

 

[toftyac1824]

Wow! Its good to know I'm not the only one having terrible problems with the stuff! Although, I'm sorry that you have all suffered with it. I monitor my levels most days (I had the gestational variety when pregnant with my youngest son and still have all the monitoring equipment, as I had to go onto insulin therapy until he was born) and although the Met is bringing the levels down by an average of 3 mmol/s (so doing SOMETHING at least), every test thus far is still over target - in fact I haven't had one in target reading at all. I've reduced my carbs by quite a lot (I was a total carb princess - I will forever love pasta and bread) - but even when I have had a couple of carb/sugar free days I'm still over. I've stopped drinking alcohol, as that just made the Metformin symptoms even worse that they already were and I don't eat any sugary **** any longer. I went on a DESMOND course and have learned so much about food/carbs/fats, etc which was so incredibly helpful (for both me and my partner, who isn't a diabetic) - but not sure how much longer I can feel this awful for. Its terrible when you have an hour's commute to work and back and are constantly worried about how far from a toilet you are - or every little bump in the road makes you feel more sick or hurts your belly because of the amount of bloating (believe me, I'm no slim jim, but I look 9 months pregnant at the moment!!). However, from what you good people have said I think it is time to go back to the GP. My allocated GP is on hols at the minute, but think I shall go and speak to him when he's back (he's the only "old school" doctor in the practice - who makes time to listen, is sympathetic and will do what he can to assist with one's plight). Thanks - and I shall do an update if I get anywhere

 

[Resurgam]

I went on a DESMOND course and have learned so much about food/carbs/fats, etc which was so incredibly helpful (for both me and my partner, who isn't a diabetic) - but not sure how much longer I can feel this awful for. Its terrible when you have an hour's commute to work and back and are constantly worried about how far from a toilet you are - or every little bump in the road makes you feel more sick or hurts your belly because of the amount of bloating (believe me, I'm no slim jim, but I look 9 months pregnant at the moment!!).

Although it took a little while for the effect to be noticeable, after a few months eating low carb my waist started to shrink down and my 'bay window' - which was rock hard and painful to try to compress, softened and flattened. I have lost about 6 inches off my waist, all in front, and have thrown out so many clothes as they were just falling off me - literally, or they looked like leftover garments from when I was pregnant.
Although diet and exercise are notorious for not targetting specific areas, my belly is definitely where it is all going on at the moment. My weightloss has been minimal during the last three months, but the change in shape is great. In the first three months I lost 18 lb, but I don't know where from.

 

[hurf0rd]

hi, there's probably enough posts on here already to tell you that your problem is quite common, so I won't bang on.

I had similar problems with ordinary metformin. I took them but would poo them out, seemingly unscathed, a couple of hours later. No chance to absorb them. I didn't experience any other effects.

I then went onto insulin (best control I've ever had) but the documented side-effects of insulin made some well-meaning (know-all!) nurse ask me to reintroduce metformin. I agreed, got the SR because I'd been previously intolerant, and happily experienced no side-effects. By this time I was measuring myself quite closely though and the Metformin SR made no difference to my sugar. So I stopped after about 6 weeks. I was then accused by this nurse of not giving the tablets the chance to reduce my hba1c, but since I test myself regularly with a glucometer, was happy that the drug was ineffective.

I'm cynical but I think that the reason that this happens is just economics. Metformin is the cheapest drug to prescribe for diabetes, so they try that first. SR is a bit more expensive, but not much more.

Do you keep a diary? It might be worth checking exactly how much difference these horse-pills make to your sugar. It may well be minimal in any case.

 

[coffindodger]

I don't think a low carb diet is meant to be an alternative to taking Metformin but rather they should work together

I've been on Metformin for over 20 years and can honestly say I've never had a problem,i must just be lucky

 

[snookie09]

Hi. I just wondered whether any other T2s out there have had terrible problems with Metformin? Upon diagnosis I was put immediately on standard Met, which gave me so many problems (constant toilet runs, bloating to the point of pain, nausea, horrendous cramps, etc). I've finally got a sympathetic Dr to put me on slow release Met, only to find its actually worse! Anyone else had this and, if so, did you get prescribed anything else instead? Not sure how much longer I can deal with feeling constantly ill. . . . Thanks a mil.

Im type 2 and was originally put on metformin once a day and coped fine but was then put on 2 a day one in morning and one in evening I still get days where I need to be near a toilet constantly and stomach cramps and nausea some days I leave one off if I'm going out for day or simular

 

[RonnieMcDonald]

Regarding LCHF diets and Metformin etc I can thoroughly recommend Dr Michael Mosleys excellent book 'The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet'
This is backed up with solid research and trials by Professor Roy Taylor of Newcastle University and others worldwide.
I am currently on this diet and my BG dropped to normal levels without meds in under 8 days! I am currently heading for my target weight some four stones under my start weight and then its on to a maintenance diet for the rest of my life.
Dont EVER let people tell you it cant be done, just be sure to let your healthcare professionals know your plans.
Do not go quietly.........

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi, how did you know you had abdominal bleeding? I have been on SR metformin for a while and been getting aneamic. Doctor says that I must be bleeding to get this low an iron level. I have stopped the Metformin and all the stomach troubles have cleared up. I'm not in any pain. I'm convinced the metformin is causing the problem.

Black stool is a clear indicator for abdominal bleeding, intestinal or from the stomach. Unless it's right at the end of your bowels, then it's bright red blood mixed in. The doc can check it out too, with a stool sample...

 

[ShazRob]

Black stool is a clear indicator for abdominal bleeding, intestinal or from the stomach. Unless it's right at the end of your bowels, then it's bright red blood mixed in. The doc can check it out too, with a stool sample...

Thanks Jo

 

[ExChocoholic]

Absolutely agree. I am 2 x 500mg twice daily and these are slow release - tummy always troublesome - started on low carb but due to illness and losing weight and strength have had to eat a few carbs for a few days. It is my aim to low carb and come off metformin. I hope you find an alternative.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

Metformin does reduce A1C levels by roughly 1% for 1000Mg or 1.25% for 2000Mg daily. When diagnosed my HbA1C was 99 or 11% and now it is 44 or 6%. A LCHF diet is about 5 times more effective.

The side effects I experienced with it were diarrhoea, needing to get up in the night to pee, memory loss and pins and needle sensations in my hands. I have now stopped taking it.

Metformin can cause Vitamin B12 deficiency which then causes neuropathy. It can also make you 50% more likely to suffer from dementia if taken over the long term as it can impair cognitive function. It also increases the risk of kidney disease.

If you can reduce your blood sugars down to non-diabetic levels via a low carb diet, then you don't need metformin.

 

[Elaine.wain]

Hi. I just wondered whether any other T2s out there have had terrible problems with Metformin? Upon diagnosis I was put immediately on standard Met, which gave me so many problems (constant toilet runs, bloating to the point of pain, nausea, horrendous cramps, etc). I've finally got a sympathetic Dr to put me on slow release Met, only to find its actually worse! Anyone else had this and, if so, did you get prescribed anything else instead? Not sure how much longer I can deal with feeling constantly ill. . . . Thanks a mil.

I know exactly how you feel sadly. I was diagnosed in 2014 and had the same problems with normal metformin and was eventually put onto the slow release. 3years on and with other tablets prescribed, I tend to get the symptoms every 2-3weeks where I have nausea, sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. It will be interesting to see if your medication can be changed. It just feels like I'm putting poison into my body every day and it has to come out one way or another. So much so, I am considering coming off all my medication and going back to the drawing board - one pill at a time to see which one makes me feel worse! I sincerely hope you manage to get yourself sorted

 

[jochop]

Hi. I just wondered whether any other T2s out there have had terrible problems with Metformin? Upon diagnosis I was put immediately on standard Met, which gave me so many problems (constant toilet runs, bloating to the point of pain, nausea, horrendous cramps, etc). I've finally got a sympathetic Dr to put me on slow release Met, only to find its actually worse! Anyone else had this and, if so, did you get prescribed anything else instead? Not sure how much longer I can deal with feeling constantly ill. . . . Thanks a mil.

Hi, how did you know you had abdominal bleeding? I have been on SR metformin for a while and been getting aneamic. Doctor says that I must be bleeding to get this low an iron level. I have stopped the Metformin and all the stomach troubles have cleared up. I'm not in any pain. I'm convinced the metformin is causing the problem.

I responded badly when taking Metformin. At this point after about a month laying off the medication its not clear to me that Metformin was the cause. However, it made me feel weak, lightheaded and my blood pressure measurements dropped quite significantly causing me to reduce that medication. While the Metformin resulted in about a 7% drop in my self-monitored blood sugar, I stopped taking the medication completely because of the negative reaction I experienced.

 

[Kunle]

Hi. I just wondered whether any other T2s out there have had terrible problems with Metformin? Upon diagnosis I was put immediately on standard Met, which gave me so many problems (constant toilet runs, bloating to the point of pain, nausea, horrendous cramps, etc). I've finally got a sympathetic Dr to put me on slow release Met, only to find its actually worse! Anyone else had this and, if so, did you get prescribed anything else instead? Not sure how much longer I can deal with feeling constantly ill. . . . Thanks a mil.

Hello. Ask your GP for Peppermint oil. They are taken after each meal and it eases the effects of Metformin. Laxido powder is another option but this tends to ease bowel movement to the extreme. Run these two by your GP. All he best

 

[Billybrads]

When I was first prescribed metformin I struggled with stomach problems. I got moved onto the slow release tablets and improved slightly. But then I cut out dairy right down to having lactose free milk and I no longer have stomach problems. I've recommended this to my partners mum who is also type 2 and she has had the same response. It may be worth a try.

 

[colcot]

Hi. I just wondered whether any other T2s out there have had terrible problems with Metformin? Upon diagnosis I was put immediately on standard Met, which gave me so many problems (constant toilet runs, bloating to the point of pain, nausea, horrendous cramps, etc). I've finally got a sympathetic Dr to put me on slow release Met, only to find its actually worse! Anyone else had this and, if so, did you get prescribed anything else instead? Not sure how much longer I can deal with feeling constantly ill. . . . Thanks a mil.

Terrible for five years even on SR I have stomach problems anyway and unable to tolerate lots of medication in general.Stopped taking it and now on insulin Nova Mix 30 twice a day and far, far better control. Just need to watch what your eating as far as correct cabs etc. I did put weight on almost immediately apparently some do when going on insulin but getting it off now slowly.

 

[Kentoldlady1]

Hi. Just wanted to say welcome. I have been helped such a lot by people on here, just ask any question and someone is bound to be able to help. Good luck with it all.