pass the sick bucket please

tasha232

Member
Messages
6
hi all, this is my first post

i was diagnosed with type 2 last week and i feel awful :sick:

i am currently taking 500mg of metformin and simvastatin. i feel tired most of the day and feel like i want to vomit.

im wondering if there is anything that i can do that can help with the queasy feeling.

thanks
 

ChrisOT61

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi there, I was diagnosed with type 2 about 6 weeks ago and put on 850mg metformin twice a day. Boy did I suffer! Terrible nausea and stomach cramps and diarrhoea every day. I went back to the doctors to ask for the slow release tablets and was refused but he did reduce the dose to 500mg twice a day and said I should never have been put on such a high dose straight off. I have only had one incident of bad diarrhoea since taking the 500mg and that was when I stupidly ate two ( yes two!) mini pork pies!
I would persevere for a while as hopefully the diarrhoea and nausea will decrease as your body gets used to the metformin.


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tasha232

Member
Messages
6
thanks for the reply

i know that my side effects are mild compared to some of the posts i have read on this forum(thats one thing i can be thankful for :) ), but it does not make it any easier to deal with.
 

Cinderella

Active Member
Messages
33
It may be the simvastatin that is causing the problem. A friend of mine (not diabetic tho) had terrible problems with this medicine but when switched to a different tablet (lipitor i think) she had no problems at all. The reason the doctor prescribed simvastatin was because it was cheaper but my friend insisted on having the more expensive medicine and is still taking it without any problems. Might be worth leaving it off for a couple of days to see if you improve and then you could ask the doctor for a different medicine.

Hope you improve soon.

Cinders
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. If the problem with Metformin persists then ask the GP to prescribe Metformin (SR) the Slow Release version. It is much kinder. GPs try to get away with the standard version as it's cheaper despite the problems many have with it. It is unusual for any statin to cause stomach problems but there will be exceptions. Statins can cause all sorts of other problems, however.
 

Netty70

Well-Known Member
Messages
666
Hi
I have never had any issues with sickness on metformin so maybe it is the other medication
The other problems with metformin the toilet issues I still suffer now three months on if I eat anything my body thinks I shouldn't it's not pretty I hate it of to see my DN after my next blood test so going to ask if I can change to something else
Good luck with yours


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ChrisOT61

Active Member
Messages
31
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Although I hate the diarrhoea I must admit that I have never had much will power on diets in the past! The knowledge that I will be ill if I eat something with too many carbs in it is keeping me on the straight and narrow. Well, apart from yesterday when I stuffed the pork pies and paid for it later! I have no idea why I did it cos I don't even like pork pies! There were in the fridge as my son likes to take a mini pork pie to work as part of his lunch and I had a sudden urge to eat one.... Or two... And I don't even want to talk about the sudden urge I got after I ate them!! Never again....


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Netty70

Well-Known Member
Messages
666
ChrisOT61 said:
Although I hate the diarrhoea I must admit that I have never had much will power on diets in the past! The knowledge that I will be ill if I eat something with too many carbs in it is keeping me on the straight and narrow. Well, apart from yesterday when I stuffed the pork pies and paid for it later! I have no idea why I did it cos I don't even like pork pies! There were in the fridge as my son likes to take a mini pork pie to work as part of his lunch and I had a sudden urge to eat one.... Or two... And I don't even want to talk about the sudden urge I got after I ate them!! Never again....


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For me it can be good foods that don't agree with me
Fruit and chickpeas are two things that spring to mind lol


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tasha232

Member
Messages
6
im feeling much better than yesterday :D , not quite 100% but ill take it.

im still quite new to the medications, so am not sure, at this moment in time which one is causing the problem.
 

Sid Bonkers

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,976
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
tasha232 said:
im feeling much better than yesterday :D , not quite 100% but ill take it.

im still quite new to the medications, so am not sure, at this moment in time which one is causing the problem.

Glad to hear that you are feeling a little better Tasha and its almost certainly the Metformin is responsible, although Ive never taken statins so I could be wrong but as far as I am aware the side effects of statins that are most often reported tend to be aches and pains especially in the legs.

Metformin often causes tummy upsets with symptoms anywhere between mild cramps and wind through to dhiaria which I cant spell :lol: .

When I was first prescribed Metformin I suffered occasional mild stomach cramps and bad wind which as I recall lasted for about 3 or 4 weeks but since then I have had no problems with it.

Try to stick with it if you are able as it can help to make a difference and your nausea should start to subside soon :thumbup:
 

ConradJ

Well-Known Member
Messages
753
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
The hassle and ignorance of diabetes.
I had a problem with Simvastatin when I was first prescribed; I was subsequently put onto Pravastatin, which has been fine since...

Try searching for side effects on both drugs and comparing your symptoms with those stated on the various websites - that may help you and your GP determine the source.

Good luck,
Conrad
 

SpaceChick

Well-Known Member
Messages
89
I had to stop taking Simvastatin as it was giving me dreadful muscle pains.... I would geniunely struggle to get out of bed and walk down the stairs in the morning!!

I'm fine (ish) on Metformin. If I eat too many carbs I get horrendous dioherea and stomach cramps, but as I'm low carb now I tend to be fine, and certainly I feel far better than I did pre-diagnosis.
 

helen777

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi I f the metformin is giving you a lot of problems go back to gp and let them know, there are a lot of people who cannot tolerate metformin in any shape or form. Many doctors think its a wonder drug, it's not, there are many others available and it is a game of trying each one to find out which drug suits you the best.

You must speak up about how you feel!

Good luck!
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. As I mentioned in an earlier post do ask the GP for Metformin SR (Slow Release) if you are not already using the SR version; it's much kinder. Sadly there isn't another drug that acts in the same way as Metformin and it's the best first choice if you are overweight and have insulin resistance.
 

luceeloo

Well-Known Member
Messages
677
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I had exactly the same experience with Metformin at first.
I was diagnosed just over a month ago, and went straight on to Simvastatin and Metformin. I was told by my DSN that I would get bloating, diarrhea, and lots of bowel problems for a few weeks to a few months. Having had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years, I was very much prepared for this. But, my symptoms manifested in nausea instead. I felt sick as a dog for the first week, until I realised that if I cut out carbs almost completely from breakfast when I take my first dose of Metformin, I got very few symptoms.
The only symptom now is wind... which isn't a problem, as I live with a wheat-intolerant fiance who refuses to admit his intolerance so is probably responsible for the condition of the ozone layer, lol.

Persevere with it. Peppermint tablets and tea helped me a lot, and now I'm at the point where I've realised the benefit of the metformin (my heart rate has come down from 105 to 80 beats per min, and my blood pressure has dropped... one of the nicer side effects of metformin - I just wish it brought my blood glucose down as nicely!).
 

sue cope

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I am type 2, on SR Metformin , but can only take 500mg a day, so am also on NovoRapid Insulin and Lantus Isulin. DO NOT take Metformin if it upsets you, ask for SR metformin and even then only take what you can tolerate. Insulin is not so bad !! Simvastatin also did not suit me but Atorvastatin is OK.
 

GraceK

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ChrisOT61 said:
Although I hate the diarrhoea I must admit that I have never had much will power on diets in the past! The knowledge that I will be ill if I eat something with too many carbs in it is keeping me on the straight and narrow. Well, apart from yesterday when I stuffed the pork pies and paid for it later! I have no idea why I did it cos I don't even like pork pies! There were in the fridge as my son likes to take a mini pork pie to work as part of his lunch and I had a sudden urge to eat one.... Or two... And I don't even want to talk about the sudden urge I got after I ate them!! Never again....


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Speaking of pork pies ... I occasionally get a craving for a pork pie and I indulged myself a few weeks ago and boy was I sorry afterwards. I have gastric problems and get a lot of pain if I eat certain things like block chocolate, or heavy pastry. The pain was excruciating, I felt like I'd swallowed a golf ball and it was trying to squeeze through a narrow opening! If I eat block chocolate I get awful pain too, yet if I eat something like a Picnic or a Toffee Crisp I'm fine. But thankfully Metformin has never given me any problems apart from lately, I'm finding they cause me pain when I swallow them, so am going to ask the doc for sachets or liquid form.
 

candiloo

Well-Known Member
Messages
72
Hi - it takes a while to get used to the metformin and occasionally I still get sick, but keep the carbs down. The simvastatin will stop your blood getting sticky and keep the cholestrol down and is good for your heart, so don't forget to take it. I started by gradually building up to the full dose of my metformin and I have that and injections. If I get a tummy upset, I lower the dose a bit until it stabilizes, but I do have to take 3 x750mg tabs a day if I can tolerate them. It took about 6 weeks, so just keep with it as it will get better.
 

nigelho

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I would consider stopping the statin tablet. I was put on simvistatin and after taking 1 tablet I had a splitting headache and being sick. Since then my surgery told me to stop the tablet.