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Cutting back on carbs - Metformin reaction?

LittleGreyCat

LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,386
Location
Suffolk, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
I have been using Metformin for a while now (years) with minimal side effects.
Currently on 2 * 500Mg (one morning, one evening).
I had a bit of queasiness for about a week when first taking it but seemed to adjust O.K.

After slowly drifting to the dark side I have recently sharply cut down on carbohydrates and although I haven't been carb counting I am relatively low carb.

However this has coincided with increased queasiness and a feeling of discomfort in my lower gut.

It has just occurred to me that this might be a reaction to a change in diet.

I am considering skipping the pills for a couple of days to see if this brings about a change, and perhaps upping the carbs for a couple of days whilst taking the pills to see if this makes any difference.

However I thought I would also ask on here (in the Discussion forum because this is T2, and medication and low carb) if anyone has seen a similar reaction when reducing carb intake.

Also, do people generally manage O.K. on Metformin and low carb?

Cheers

LGC
 
l am on about 30 gram carb a day and on metformin. No reaction unless l don't have enough fluids. Then l get constantinopled ;) known as bunged up and sore tummy.. very sore. Need to keep water fluids up high the lower carb you go.
 
i agree with MID :) im the same carbs and take 2g a day met with no probs (touch wood)
 
Thanks - does malted water count as fluids? :-)
 
LittleGreyCat said:
I have been using Metformin for a while now (years) with minimal side effects.
Currently on 2 * 500Mg (one morning, one evening).
I had a bit of queasiness for about a week when first taking it but seemed to adjust O.K.

After slowly drifting to the dark side I have recently sharply cut down on carbohydrates and although I haven't been carb counting I am relatively low carb.

However this has coincided with increased queasiness and a feeling of discomfort in my lower gut.
Click to expand...

If it helps, last September I was put on 2 x 500g Metformin, morning and evening, like you, and suffered no side-effects whatsoever. That left me wondering what all the fuss was about until three weeks or so ago when I started to get queasiness (yes, that's the right word for it) and then a looseness, about 30 mins to 1 hour after taking each tablet.

I spoke to the GP who put me onto slow-release ('SR'), at which point the problem stopped, Strange, as I thought that once you got used to Metformin after the first few weeks you were OK. I'm almost sure it was the original tablets causing the problem, though, as I've got 1/2 packet left and, hating to see anything to go to waste I used a couple the other day, in place of the new SR - to see if I could simply use them up.

Nope, the old 'bubbly tummy' started up each time I'd had a tablet, so it looks as if I'm off those for good.
 
If the problem persists I will talk to my HCPs - however a short period of experimentation is called for first :-)
 
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