Just swapped from Gliclazide to Met, feel so ill.

Scubamup

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all. Back again. Its all change for me, consultant #1 who was adamant I was type 1, (wanted me on insulin but compromised on Glicklazide) has retired. New (locum) consultant 90% sure it isn't. Has put me on Metformin instead. 5 days in and I feel so ill. He swapped me over to give my beta cells a rest and prolong what time they have left, and to help avoid hypos. I was bumbling along in the low to mid 5s. Hba1c was 32. All sounded cool, and safer for scuba, but I've just felt so ill since swapping 5 days ago. Taking two 500mg a day with food but the crampy knot in my stomach is near continuous and I've had two serious bouts of 'you know what' where the pain was almost unbearable. BG is a touch up maybe 0.5 to 1 more but not much in it.

How long is it likely to take to stabilise? I want it to work for the scuba, but I can't feel this bad for it.

I'm looking at my next Metformin tablet like Dumbledore at his next cup of poisoned water. :0(

Karl
 

dawnmc

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,431
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
I stopped taking mine when I thought I would die with the pain, then I asked for the slow release one and haven't had any problems.
 

ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
It seems that stomach upset, pain and diarrhoea are fairly common side effects of metformin, which may or may not improve after a couple of weeks or with swapping to slow release metformin. If you can get the slow release form it may be worth a try.
 

anna29

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,789
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
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Cruelty to Animals/Children
Liars/Manipulators/Bullying
Metformin can indeed cause stomach cramps/pains and digestive system problems with
some persons .
With some persons it settles down over 2-3 weeks - with others it stays a problem .

A vist to your GP or DSN to discuss your scuba concerns perhaps?
As this cant be pleasant or allow you the freedom you need and require .
You mention you are only 5 days in with it - may need to give it a chance ?
Or try the SR version as mentioned in the above posts .

Do let us know how things go - all info can help others here .
 

Bagpuss Lives!

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hang in there! Most people find side effects settle within 2-3 weeks. MF is notorious for effects on stomachs, it gave me sucj a bad need to- ahem-use the loo urgently that they changed me onto SR version, which was no better. While they did try me on other meds, none were much use, so I was quickly put onto Insulin 7-8 mths post diagnosis. Since then I've had no stomach-related probs
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. Most but not all people find Metformin SR is much kinder. I was lucky that 10 years ago my diabetes GP started me on the SR version from the start so I've never had a days problem. Ref you diagnosis can I ask what your BMI and age are? Are you having alow-carb diet? If the blood sugar doesn't come back down into range then see the consultant again. The Metformin will only have a small effect on blood sugar
 
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Scubamup

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
6 days in and its a bit better. debilitating cramps haven't appeared in the last two days, I just have a background quesiness at the mo. Blood glucose is still maybe a bit higher than I was but its only around 0.5 up so I'm not worried on that front. Just want to feel normal. My BMI is 26 and I'm 43, I'm careful with carbs wouldn't say I'm low carb. Haven't been adding it all up recently, but probably between 150 and 175 a day as I still eat more or less what I did when I was measuring.

Karl
 

AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,323
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
6 days in and its a bit better. debilitating cramps haven't appeared in the last two days, I just have a background quesiness at the mo. Blood glucose is still maybe a bit higher than I was but its only around 0.5 up so I'm not worried on that front. Just want to feel normal. My BMI is 26 and I'm 43, I'm careful with carbs wouldn't say I'm low carb. Haven't been adding it all up recently, but probably between 150 and 175 a day as I still eat more or less what I did when I was measuring.

Karl

I have no idea what your blood scores are like, except your comment they're a tiny bit higher on Metformin, but, I'd like to mention two things.

Firstly, there have been comments on these boards in the past from people taking Metformin that eating plenty of carbohydrates made their symptoms worse. In fact, if my memory serves me well, someone recently had a bit of a carb-fest and paid a particularly unpleasant price, but seemed to get plenty exercise with the rushing about!

Secondly, I would wholly expect your bloods to increase a little, having come off Gliclazide. The reason i the drugs work in different ways. Gliclazide actively stimulates your body to release more insulin. The effect of the increased insulin is to drive down your blood scores.

Metformin, on the other hand, in itself, will have only a very modest impact on blood sugars. Where it impacts diabetics is by reducing insulin resistance, which means the insulin you produce on your own (in other words, without the Glic stimulating it) works a bit better. It is also known, in some, to reduce the appetite, which is found to be quite useful for anyone wanting to trim up.

I know it's taken a while to get here, but it could be worthwhile trying to reduce your carbs for a while, and see what that does to the nausea you have been experiencing. If you reduce your carb consumption, it is extremely likely your blood scores will also improve, so perhaps it could be a win:win?

I wouldn't like to tell you what to reduce to. That would be your choice. But, many on here, including me, have adopted a way reduced carb way of eating with great success.

I have never taken any diabetes medication.
 
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jenhop187

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm type 1 but they tried me on it at the start to prolong insulin. I couldn't bear the side affects so told my diabetic nurse I'm stopping taking them. She soon took me off them!!