Any thoughts?

[Colleen56]

Hello
I have had Type 2 diabetes for 6 years. Am on long acting metformin 1000mg daily. For about the past month have had increasing problems with diarrhea. I have never had problems with long acting metformin. Then thought I might have Covid-19, but no. I feel it has to do with my medication, upset stomach and worsening results making life difficult. My dietary needs have decreased lately, I eat two meals a day and have lost a couple of pounds. So I ask, am I now on a dosage higher than I need, my blood sugar is usually anywhere from 5.1 to 6.4. I'm afraid to eat as it will cause more problems and know that if I stop my med my blood sugar level will just increase. I know I must speak to my Dr. Any thought are welcome
Thanks for listening
Colleen

 

[lessci]

Ask your doctor for the slow release version of metformin (if you're not already on it) to see if that makes any differance

 

[Mbaker]

It might be your fat to protein ratio. It might be worth detailing what you are eating and drinking.

 

[Chook]

I have had unpleasant (yellow) diarrhoea side effects with Metformin when I've either been on a very low calorie diet (under 800 calories) or have been fasting (just water, no food for several days). There used to be a warning about this on the patient information leaflet (the insert in the Metformin pack).

I've been on Metformin for 10 years now and I've found that even after all this time I can't take Met in the evenings unless I want to spend the night in the bathroom but I am fine if I take it in the mornings.

I don't know if this happens to everyone - just my personal experience.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hello
I have had Type 2 diabetes for 6 years. Am on long acting metformin 1000mg daily. For about the past month have had increasing problems with diarrhea. I have never had problems with long acting metformin. Then thought I might have Covid-19, but no. I feel it has to do with my medication, upset stomach and worsening results making life difficult. My dietary needs have decreased lately, I eat two meals a day and have lost a couple of pounds. So I ask, am I now on a dosage higher than I need, my blood sugar is usually anywhere from 5.1 to 6.4. I'm afraid to eat as it will cause more problems and know that if I stop my med my blood sugar level will just increase. I know I must speak to my Dr. Any thought are welcome
Thanks for listening
Colleen

Are you following any particular way of eating?
Some people have bad effects with metformin and carbohydrates.
Others just have a bad reaction to metformin.. might be that over time your body has had enough.

 

[Resurgam]

I have seen this mentioned several times recently and I wondered if, due to the present situation things are not as readily available as they used to be and so the fillers or coatings on the tablets have been changed and more people are reacting badly due to that.
You might mention it to your prescribing person and as you are keeping your blood glucose under control, diet, suggest a holiday from the tablets until things get back to more normal. If they ever do, of course, but the few weeks I spent taking Metformin were some of the most miserable I have experienced, so you have my deepest sympathies.

 

[ickihun]

How are you now @Colleen56 ?
I'm also having trouble with even the regular metformin. Well having the higher recommended dose. So I reduce my dose until I can tolerate it. Then titrate.
It's benefits hugely outway this nausance.
Are you comfortable with reducing metformin? If not take advice of a good DN. Or a good GP.
It is worth it's recent trouble. For me especially. So much less insulin I need to inject.
I think my trouble is due to taking mine with food or just after as my reduced size stomach finds the food+2 tablets too much for it. I'm due to discuss with my surgeon soon. I don't think even liquid metformin would help. I'll see what we decide going forward.
I'm not off insulin even taking maximum metformin to date anyway. Although the few pound of weight loss from metformin rather than few units of insulin is no health benefit to me at all. Obviously a financial difference of 5units of novarapid a day to my care.
I'm hoping long term treatment of metformin again will benefit me going into old age. It benefits heart disease, obviously diabetes and numerous other conditions and ailments. For a cost of paracetamol for example, I hear.
I'm on 2 and 2 regular metformin 500mg daily. You?