I was diagnosed on 22nd October 2012, nearly a year ago, and was prescribed metformin 500mg, 1 tablet twice a day. My original mmol was 14 but greatly reduced to more normal levels of 6-8 after being upped to two tablets twice a day in December.
I was regularly checking my levels and changed my diet to the point where I am now around 2st lighter than I was a year ago (still 17st mind you, but it is slowly coming off)
I have just had my bloods done again after moving to a different surgery and get the results back in 10 days or so but these past few weeks have been laced with problems that I have bit experienced before.
A few weeks back I had a sandwich for lunch (nothing unusual there I usually have one) took my Met as usual and proceeded to go about my life. About 45 mins after eating (I was on a tube train) I came across all funny. My eyes went blurry, I could not stand, I was shaking etc so I checked my bloods and found that I was 11.2. I had to be propped up on the train by a fellow passenger as I simply could not sit up on my own. I got home around an hour later and checked again as I was feeling much worse. This time I had dropped to 3.4 (possible hypo?) so I ate a banana and within 30 minutes I was back to 7. Freaked me out I can assure you.
Last weekend I went out with a few friends, had a couple of drinks (Whiskey and diet coke) and ate a burger and chips (leaving the burger bun and most of the chips to be fair). I took my tablets as usual and after an hour felt a little "funny". Checked my bloods and they were rock solid at 7. Started feeling very nauseous and shaky again but this time I was overheating like mad. So I went outside to cool off. That seemed to do the trick but as soon as I went back inside again I felt rough once more. Checked my bloods again (must have been 15 minutes after my last check) and was at 6.9. We went to another bar, but I could not have been in there more than 2 minutes before I felt like I was burning up inside, sweating, feeling sick, shaky again etc and left them to it whilst I sat on a bench in the square opposite the bar for the next 30 minutes. I was later told that the bar was actually very cool and had a good airflow, yet I thought at the time that they had all of the heating on. Took a long walk home, somehow managing to get one leg to move in front of the other and checked my bloods again when I got back some 45 minutes later, this time at 7.1. Went straight to bed as I simply could not stand properly.
Last night I went out with the missus. We had a drink (one) and felt a little low (was 5.9 when checking) and then headed to a restaurant. I had a light salad starter and took my tabs as normal. Just as the main was being served (Sea Bass - I love it!) I physically felt my body change. Goose pimples, shakes, nausea, sweating etc just as before. I checked my bloods and I was 6.5 so not too bad, yet it was enough to stop me eating. After about 25 minutes of this I switched back to feeling fine.
I am convinced that its is the metformin making me feel like this as I have been within acceptable levels on a few occasions and still get the symptoms of a possible problem, although here is the funny part, it only happens when I am out. I can eat inside and take my tabs and have never had any effects whatsoever. I have also eaten and not taken my tabs all day (cause I am stupid) and still no effects.
What I am at a loss to is that if it is the tablets making me feel unwell, why now? I have been on the 2 tab twice a day dose for nearly 9 months now and only just started getting symptoms of side effects (if that is what this is) now. All the literature says that you are supposed to feel like rubbish when you first start taking them.
As I said I am due to see the doc in 10 days and will obviously mention all this, but thought someone out there might have been through something similar and could offer some personal experience and advice. Also is it possible to have a hypo at 6 or 7 mmol? I have just read up on the possible symptoms of hypos from this site and I could pretty much say I have had some of them at some point when I am feeling unwell.
For the record I am taking Almus Metformin 500g (it doesnt say if it is SR or MR).
Thanks in advance.
I was regularly checking my levels and changed my diet to the point where I am now around 2st lighter than I was a year ago (still 17st mind you, but it is slowly coming off)
I have just had my bloods done again after moving to a different surgery and get the results back in 10 days or so but these past few weeks have been laced with problems that I have bit experienced before.
A few weeks back I had a sandwich for lunch (nothing unusual there I usually have one) took my Met as usual and proceeded to go about my life. About 45 mins after eating (I was on a tube train) I came across all funny. My eyes went blurry, I could not stand, I was shaking etc so I checked my bloods and found that I was 11.2. I had to be propped up on the train by a fellow passenger as I simply could not sit up on my own. I got home around an hour later and checked again as I was feeling much worse. This time I had dropped to 3.4 (possible hypo?) so I ate a banana and within 30 minutes I was back to 7. Freaked me out I can assure you.
Last weekend I went out with a few friends, had a couple of drinks (Whiskey and diet coke) and ate a burger and chips (leaving the burger bun and most of the chips to be fair). I took my tablets as usual and after an hour felt a little "funny". Checked my bloods and they were rock solid at 7. Started feeling very nauseous and shaky again but this time I was overheating like mad. So I went outside to cool off. That seemed to do the trick but as soon as I went back inside again I felt rough once more. Checked my bloods again (must have been 15 minutes after my last check) and was at 6.9. We went to another bar, but I could not have been in there more than 2 minutes before I felt like I was burning up inside, sweating, feeling sick, shaky again etc and left them to it whilst I sat on a bench in the square opposite the bar for the next 30 minutes. I was later told that the bar was actually very cool and had a good airflow, yet I thought at the time that they had all of the heating on. Took a long walk home, somehow managing to get one leg to move in front of the other and checked my bloods again when I got back some 45 minutes later, this time at 7.1. Went straight to bed as I simply could not stand properly.
Last night I went out with the missus. We had a drink (one) and felt a little low (was 5.9 when checking) and then headed to a restaurant. I had a light salad starter and took my tabs as normal. Just as the main was being served (Sea Bass - I love it!) I physically felt my body change. Goose pimples, shakes, nausea, sweating etc just as before. I checked my bloods and I was 6.5 so not too bad, yet it was enough to stop me eating. After about 25 minutes of this I switched back to feeling fine.
I am convinced that its is the metformin making me feel like this as I have been within acceptable levels on a few occasions and still get the symptoms of a possible problem, although here is the funny part, it only happens when I am out. I can eat inside and take my tabs and have never had any effects whatsoever. I have also eaten and not taken my tabs all day (cause I am stupid) and still no effects.
What I am at a loss to is that if it is the tablets making me feel unwell, why now? I have been on the 2 tab twice a day dose for nearly 9 months now and only just started getting symptoms of side effects (if that is what this is) now. All the literature says that you are supposed to feel like rubbish when you first start taking them.
As I said I am due to see the doc in 10 days and will obviously mention all this, but thought someone out there might have been through something similar and could offer some personal experience and advice. Also is it possible to have a hypo at 6 or 7 mmol? I have just read up on the possible symptoms of hypos from this site and I could pretty much say I have had some of them at some point when I am feeling unwell.
For the record I am taking Almus Metformin 500g (it doesnt say if it is SR or MR).
Thanks in advance.
