• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Bowel trouble

pau1200

Well-Known Member
Messages
75
Location
Birmingham
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello again,

I wanted this on a separate post as this I hope is down to metformin. I’ve been on metformin 2 weeks now, 1 tablet twice a day and everything has been going great until Friday. I was out with friends and let’s just say what I thought was wind wasn’t, luckily I noticed and went to the loo before I had actually made a mess(sorry for description) it wasn’t uncontrollable diarrhoea. I went when home and went to the loo and everything I eat just evacuated like a bucket emptying. Next day everything back to normal, had a light Sunday lunch and same again. Everything has been ok until tonight, I started with a normal stool passing and then watery diarrhoea. It’s like what I eat (chicken salad) tonight just flew through me. Does this sound like a metformin reaction or again should I go back to my gp?

Really sorry for descriptions but it’s the only way I could think to illustrate what it’s like
 
Hi Pau,
I'm so sorry your going thru this, sorry not sure what dose your on.
Did you start with one tablet then increase the next week?
It is very likely it's the Metformin doing this.
You could ask your dr for the slow release Metformin. Or ask for a different drug.
However what's your diet like?
We can help with food ideas etc.
I had to stop Metformin for this.
Take care
.
 
Hi,

I am still on the one tablet (500mg) as I’m scared to increase the dose. I spend a lot of time infront of prospects presenting so can’t afford to dash off or be stuck in the car.

Diet wise I’m on a low carb diet and loosing weight. My readings are alit better now, 2hrs after I eat I was down to 6.8 but I have to be careful what I eat, weetabix for breakfast still keeps my reading up at 10 2hrs after.
I normally go for egg or some berries and Greek yoghurt for breakfast, a simple salad for lunch and then tonight I had 1/2 roast chicken with salad again. The diarrhoea on all occasions has come after the the evening meal so it’s not that bad.

I’ll have a chat and ask about the slow release tablet
 

NO CHATS .... Get the slow release version and now
 
pau1200 said:
Does this sound like a metformin reaction or again should I go back to my gp?
Click to expand...
GOOD ANSWER! GOOD ANSWER! Yes on both IMO.

Sounds like what I experienced with metformin,I weaned it off as fast as possible.Doc already aware I would adjust med based on numbers from testing.Im a retired RN and I had worked with doc in hospital so we were both good on doing this.

This is my second time with sugar issues,and I needed metformin as I let myself get scary high.I stopped testing,bad mistake for me for sure.

As sugars normalized from the big highs with the use of the HFLC diet I started weaning off met as long as they didnt go up.I spent 6 weeks on the drug,and my digestion was a mess the whole time.
 
I was thankful to start metformin on diagnosis in 2002 as it was the only time I had periods and felt less solid around the stomach.
Last year I stopped metformin due to IBS symptoms.
I really really miss its benefits. Slow release was no help due to my IBS so im on another med which isn't perfect either (alongside multiple dosed insulin injections).
I'm hoping after bariatric surgery I can start to tolerate metformin once again. A brilliant drug for IR.
 
pau1200 said:
Does this sound like a metformin reaction or again should I go back to my gp?
Click to expand...
Yes and Yes.

I suggest you ask GP for the SR version (sustained release or slow release) and that certainly works for most people. I had problems for many years and an idiot doctor who suggested I had IBS, I didn't care what they called it, it was the metformin that caused it. Going on to a low carb diet (<50gms a day) made a big difference.

No need to apologise for content, these things should be discussed. I recommend that you record your experience at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/. This is also a good resource if you want to know what other people are experiencing with any drug.
 
Keep up with the low carbs and you may decide not to take it again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…