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Alcohol & Metformin

Gadgetman

Member
Messages
9
Location
Cornwall
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi everyone, this is my first post.
I have T2 and have been diet control for about two years now, my GP has now put me on metformin 500mg
1 tab for the first week 2 tabs for 2nd week and then 3 tabs after that, but I do like a drink of ALE.
but the info that comes with the metformin said no drinking what do I do?

with thanks

Gadget.
 
I take metformin and drink wine at w/e it hasnt had a bad effect (so far) I did ask the pharmacist when I first got the met and he said that a lot of drug companies cover their backs by stating no alcohol but there is a small risk of lactic acidosis with met and alcohol so take care
CAROL
 
Thanks Carol, I am thinking about not taking the metformin as when I do have a drink it's about 3-4 points at a time, I do not drink all the time but when i do i like a good one with my friends. My last drink was new years eve.
not sure what to do, should I stop the metformin 3 or 4 days before drinking?
Thanks again

Gadget
 
Alcohol is known to interact with good control of blood glucose levels and can slow down the uptake of Blood Glucose. Also you should be aware that when first going on Metformin there are a few known side effects that is often why indivuals are slowly weaned onto Metformin.
It would think it best to stay off the alcohol until you are weaned onto the full dose of Metformin as one of the common initial side effects is an upset tummy and possibly diarrohea which a few people experience until their digestive system becomes accustomed to the Metformin.
You will also need to be cautious of some beer/ales/lagers as many have a high hidden sugar content. However in saying that I've been on Metformin myself for this last year (2 x 500mg daily) and I regularly drink just one small glass of cider and occasionally I might have as an alternative have just the one measure of spirits and I have never personally experienced any problem.
I dare say someone here on this site can shed more light on the question of Alcohol and Metformin. .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gadgetman said:
Hi Mo, how much do you drink if I may ask?
Click to expand...
Probably once or twice a week ! Maybe 5 or 6 pints at a time ! Not advocating it but I've never had a problem and I spoke to nurse about it and she sai it's fine. I was told most medication mentions not to use with alcohol just in case !


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
thank you for your help, my prob is I love ale and go to ale festivals, where I would have more than one drink.
 
okay thanks guys & Girls, I think I will keep on taking the metformin but I will tell my GP that i am drinking ale with it for now.

thank you all very much for the information

Gadget
 
I'm in exactly the same boat as Gadgetman but for a slow release 500mg a day (1tablet) it will be a week this coming Saturday since I started.
I'm whisking the Mrs away for the night and have the same problem.
I've not drank alcohol since new year and would like to let my hair down a bit this weekend.
My Dad is T2 but on a standard higher dose of Metformin, he's been okay, fingers crossed being the same genetics may fall in my favour and I'll be okay too.
I'm reading Lactic Acidosis warnings all over the web, and I'm not (yet) educated enough about it.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Here is what I found out,

The signs of lactic acidosis are deep and rapid breathing, vomiting, and abdominal pain. These symptoms are not specific for lactic acidosis. The deep breathing (Kussmaul breathing), which occurs in other types of metabolic acidosis, arises as an attempt to reduce blood acidity by exhaling carbon dioxide.

The list of signs and symptoms of lactic acidosis includes the following:
 

I drink about the same, an evening or two on the real ale most weekends, 5 or six pints maybe. I don't tend to drink the really strong stuff if I can help it, unless its the Old Dairy Snow Top winter warmer which gets me under its spell

i dislike being drunk intensely, so I always stop before I get anywhere near that point. Never had any problems drinking alcohol with metformin. The only problem I have is with the carb content of real ale which is too high for my liking, so if I'm doing one of my ultra low weeks I'll drink red wine instead.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I'm on 2x500mg slow release metformin and I play rugby. So although I don't drink at all at home, when we've got a game on quite a lot of different types of alcohol may be consumed, Ales, spirits, lagers, shots, and usually in large quantities. (My team are a bad influence).
I've noticed that despite some of the alcohol containing carbs and sometimes a few bg swings, the overall net effect appears to be nil.
However that may just be me, metformin is good for overall bg so keep taking that and maybe monitor bg while drinking. Obviously also look out for lactic acidosis signs too.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I've been on metformin since 2007 - used to be on 2550 mg per day, now on 2000 mg SR. I'm not a regular drinker at home but when I'm away with friends it can be around a bottle of wine a day. To date I have not had any problems with it.

It is a rare side effect of metformin and as long as your liver and kidney working correctly and don't have lung disease http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metformin, you shouldn't have problems, but you should be aware that it could happen and if like me you are away with friends, to let them know of this condition.
 
Vodka+ diet coke! red wine and beer! no effect and one tab of metformin a day. I do have lower readings so be mindful. Good luck Andy


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Hi Guy's and Girls, here is an update.
I got a call from my pharmacy asking me if was was okay with the metformin and it's side effects,
I told him I was okay on it. I then asked him about drinking with it,
He said why did i ask? so I told him about the info sheet and it said NO DRINKING
he asked who made the one I have, told him it was BRISTOL, he then check and said it should
not say that and he was going to e-mail the makers today, and will let me know what they say.
So I HAD A BEER!!! and yes i am now taking 2 tabes a day 3 next week.
A BIG THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE HELP.
Gadget
 
I don't drink much these days and not very often. Not had any problems with it and the metformin.

I asked my GP about it early on and he didn't seem to think it was a problem. Just general health wise he advised me to cut it down. I was drinking a fair bit at the time though. Well a lot really.
 
I'm newly diagnosed .Went out on patricks day and had about 5 pints Guinness and a few whiskeys . When i got home i had 2 ryvitas with cheese and a steak with a cup of tea . went to bed about 11 30 and woke up at4 am and had a really bad hypo . Never had one of them before only diagnosed 2 weeks ago really frightened me . what do you think caused this was it the alcohol or a combination of metforminand alcohol . Should I have had a higher carb meal before bed
 
Hi @Peadair O Brionn did you test your blood glucose at the time? What were your readings?

It's not impossible but quite rare to hypo on metformin. Do you take any other diabetes meds?
 
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