My husband stopped taking Metformin this morning

[SHB123]

My husband has stopped taking all his drugs this morning because "they make him feel bad." He now says he doesn't need them. He's on 500 mg of Metformin twice a day plus Perindopril and Amlodipine. His last blood tests were a 12 which he said was "not a problem."

I notice when he doesn't take the Metformin he becomes incredibly angry and I wonder if there's a link there.

I am worried about stopping drugs he's been prescribed without a doctor's oversight and knowledge. Any thoughts? I have no means of getting him to do something he doesn't want to do and it will only make him angry.

 

[Mr_Pot]

I am not sure there is an answer to your problem if he is not receptive to advice or discussion. Many people seem to stop Metformin, but stopping blood pressure or other heart medicines without a doctor's approval seems very unwise. Maybe you could get him to just stop the Metformin and see if he feels better before doing anything more drastic. He really needs to be consulting his doctor if he is having a problem with his medication.

 

[SHB123]

I am not sure there is an answer to your problem if he is not receptive to advice or discussion. Many people seem to stop Metformin, but stopping blood pressure or other heart medicines without a doctor's approval seems very unwise. Maybe you could get him to just stop the Metformin and see if he feels better before doing anything more drastic. He really needs to be consulting his doctor if he is having a problem with his medication.

 

[SHB123]

Thanks for your advice - very kind of you. Gives me a bit of strength to raise this with him.

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Can you tell us which of his test results was a 12, please.

While you are right that you cannot force your husband to take the medications he has been prescribed and that withdrawing from medications without the support of a health care professional is unwise have you thought of a slightly different approach?

Just to clarify, your hubs has Type 2 Diabetes?

 

[Resurgam]

The anger is something you should consult about - perhaps you could write or phone your doctor - living with someone with a volcanic temper can be very stressful.

 

[TriciaWs]

While people have successfully stopped metformin, this is usually after either going low carb or a very low calories diet and getting their blood sugar down into the normal range.
Your husband needs to see their GP, but if they refuse then you need to see yours to get help for yourself in dealing with the impact on you from this. The anger and denial may be the result of stopping his drugs or he may have diabetes burnout, depression or early dementia signs.

 

[CurlingCanuck]

Anger/irritable.... one of the symptoms of diabetes/ fluctuating sugars....

I'm Type 2 diabetic. Years ago I decided to stop taking meds prescribed... I was slowly losing weight and felt good about myself not knowing that my sugars were way out of whack.... I wish now that I had not as I've had several complications arise due to my foolishness.

Have him at least talk to his GP about alternatives and also consider having him on a Dexcom or other continuous blood-glucose monitoring device... finger pricks only tell you what your level is at the moment.... you don't know if it is going up or down.... I'm on a Dexcom now and wish I had it back then; would most likely not have gone off meds then. My A1C's used to be in the 10-12 range (remember that is an average) and since going on the Dexcom (6 months now) they have dropped to 7!!!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I could get really mad over nothing, out of nowhere, when my blood sugars were high. I didn't know I was diabetic, just that I was volatile. With my bloodsugars under control, I've become a more pleasant person to be around, with less moodswings, and I'm healthier too. Maybe you could have him read https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ if it's something he might want to try. It could mean not needing diabetes meds, just a simple change in diet, though I'm still quite concerned about the other stuff... Good luck to you!
Jo

 

[Mike d]

Your sanity prevails @JoKalsbeek ...

 

[jjraak]

My husband has stopped taking all his drugs this morning because "they make him feel bad." He now says he doesn't need them. He's on 500 mg of Metformin twice a day plus Perindopril and Amlodipine. His last blood tests were a 12 which he said was "not a problem."

I notice when he doesn't take the Metformin he becomes incredibly angry and I wonder if there's a link there.

I am worried about stopping drugs he's been prescribed without a doctor's oversight and knowledge. Any thoughts? I have no means of getting him to do something he doesn't want to do and it will only make him angry.

i hate to say it, BUT..at some point you must consider your safety.

there ..it's said.

Now as to him..mmhh.

something must have triggered that response that it "makes him feel bad"

for anyone on meds the docs, with the best will in the world do not get the measure or even the correct drug every time.
pretty sure as we are all individuals and react in different ways, the drugs prescribed, can have more or less of an effect then intended.

That surely requires some conversation with his doctor, outlining the issues.

Had a case of new meds for my asthma, ages back, played havoc with me..spoke to docs tried other meds..all fine .

there is usually a solution, but it most probably will include his doctors.

the benefits will be untold for both you and him.

you right now, because god bless you, your worried about him

and him in the near to distant future..

ignoring his need for meds
will have an impact on him and HIS health for years to come.

is there no on else that can sit him down to talk about how worrying this is for all of you ?

Best wishes for a swift resolution to this.

 

[SHB123]

Thank you all so much for your kind and amazing responses. You are all wonderful. I feel terribly alone with a raging stranger who used to be my lovely husband. The children and I tiptoe around him but he's still a bear with a sore head. He's 6'4" and 120 kilos with a big voice so when his diabetes is out of control and he's angry it feels pretty desperate. He has never hit me, but he says terrible things and calls me terrible names.

I do think he suffers from depression as well as the diabetes (which is poorly controlled diet-wise and now without his medications). His mother was terribly depressed and refused all medication, as does his brother. It must be so hard to be depressed as well as suffering from uncontrolled diabetes. Both his parents had dementia the last 10 years of their lives - he's left his phone and wallet in an uber six times in the last 18 months on top of this drastic personality change so I am worried about this, too.

If it escalates further I will seek help, but it's hard to know what to do or who to go to. And it feels disloyal as much as I can't keep living like this. I still love him so much.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank you all so much for your kind and amazing responses. You are all wonderful. I feel terribly alone with a raging stranger who used to be my lovely husband. The children and I tiptoe around him but he's still a bear with a sore head. He's 6'4" and 120 kilos with a big voice so when his diabetes is out of control and he's angry it feels pretty desperate. He has never hit me, but he says terrible things and calls me terrible names.

I do think he suffers from depression as well as the diabetes (which is poorly controlled diet-wise and now without his medications). His mother was terribly depressed and refused all medication, as does his brother. It must be so hard to be depressed as well as suffering from uncontrolled diabetes. Both his parents had dementia the last 10 years of their lives - he's left his phone and wallet in an uber six times in the last 18 months on top of this drastic personality change so I am worried about this, too.

If it escalates further I will seek help, but it's hard to know what to do or who to go to. And it feels disloyal as much as I can't keep living like this. I still love him so much.

Is there any chance that he could be persuaded to join the forum?
I fear in your current situation that any advice from us you relay will simply be ignored and might make your situation worse.

 

[Robbity]

My GP changed my BP meds from Valsartin to amlodopine, last year and for me it was the medication from hell, so maybe it could be an issue for your husband too?

See my post about this here: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/amlodipine-and-blood-sugars.139255/
I've still got some ****** awful scarring on my leg from the weeping oedema that it caused to flare up...(apparently a known side effect, and I think my BP and temper are going up now from just thinking about it...) I did end up back on the Valsartan.

I sincerely hope he can get himself sorted!

Robbity

Edited by mod for language

 

[Pinkorchid]

I have taken Amlodipine for about 12 years for blood pressure and the only side effect I had to start with was swollen feet and ankles a well known side effect the doctor lowered the dose and I have been fine with it ever since and have never had any other side effects

 

[Brunneria]

Hi and welcome!

I really appreciate the concern/belief that meds may be causing any number of contraindications, and the more meds we are on, the more likely we are to get a contraindication.

However, if your husband comes off the meds (and nobody can tie him down and force feed them to him!) and his symptoms do not improve - or they get worse, then is there a way you can bring this to his attention?

Sometimes it is impossible to raise tricky subjects on the spur of the moment, or when feelings are running high. But you may be able to pick a time and a place when he is more approachable.

You have my sympathy, because you are not in an easy situation, but I do urge you to get some open non-heated communication going. If you can’t, then it is time to review your situation.

 

[ickihun]

I was given Perindopril from a fantastic GP who knew what was in store for me (and young kids and their dad). I thank him for NO strokes in my turbulant relationship with type2 diabetes. This med has been a godsend. I was advised not to stop it. I've been using it since 2008 so 11yrs of protection from a stroke. I hope another 11+yrs more. However not everyone takes to a new drug so easily.
Metformin for me as an infertile young woman prevented more IVF treatment and assisted me give birth to two handsome boys. However if it made me feel ill I wouldn't hv taken it either (even though I was part of a blind study for PCOS with the nhs in London). Many report unsettle digestion or stomach pains with diarrhea which in some settles down when strength is changed. Very unlike Perindopril, I'm led to believe.

 

[Resurgam]

For many of the type twos on this forum our diet is the mainstay of our control - eating a low carb diet can get us back in normal ranges.
Does your husband watch his carb intake at all?
If you are the main meal maker could you move towards fewer carbs per meal?