Different metformin

Hi @lornawales ,

Welcome to the forum!

It could help if you can be more specific on what your prescription was changed from/to?

Tagging in @daisy1 with a handy info sheet.

More guys with metformin experience will be along shortly to help..

lornawales said:

Has anyone had problems with having their generic brand of metformin changed. Since I had mine changed my levels have been slowly creeping up. My diet remains the same, I've put in more excersise, my weight is creeping up. I'm not saying this is the cause but did wonder.

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Yes I had adverse effect from a switch to the new generic. I discussed this in a thread called 'Anyone else on Sukkarto?' on the Forum Search the word sukkarto in the forum search box.

I think that initially metformin in many makes them less hungry, and together with the giantic shock that the diagnosis is one maybe get a bit paralyzed from the shock, at least I experienced that... and then when the body gets used to metformin I think the hunger-suppressing affect maybe reduces and we maybe eat just a little bit more every day.
To me it was nessesary to count every calorie to have total control when loosing weight..
a lot of people in here have on the other hand experienced to loose a lot of weight when only counting carbs and make sure to be under 50 grams of carbs in a day..

it is maybe not because of the changed label of metformin is what I suggest.... I do believe the labels are actually very much the same in effect... but maybe I am wrong in believing that.. ...I get a new type almost every time I collect my medications because in Denmark we have to take the cheapest label to make expences lower for our state... haven´t till now seen any markedly difference in effect on my blood glucose...

Oldvatr said:

Yes I had adverse effect from a switch to the new generic. I discussed this in a thread called 'Anyone else on Sukkarto?' on the Forum Search the word sukkarto in the forum search box.

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In my case, I was on standard Metformin. The pharmacy switched me onto a generic equivalent to save money without telling me. I have a tray /blister pack so I had no packaging info to identify this change.

Within a couple of days, my average bgl rose 3 mmol/l and I was getting abnormally high readfings (>10mmol/l_ so I investigated. It turns out that what I had been given was an extended release generic med not standard release. Moreover, the enteric coating that causes the delaying action was shellac, which is a varnish that is hard to break down, and consequently my 2g dose was considerably reduced due to the tablets not dissolving properly,

I complained, and have gone back onto standard Metformin. My daily average has returned to my normal level of around 7 mmol/l. However, this week I had a new blister pack, and due to a cockup I was again given the same generic. Within 2 days my bgl had jumped 3 mmol/l and I had to get a replacement of standard Met. Once again my bgl has gone back to its usual level. This time it was obvious I had the wrong med, since my Met is normally round smooth pills, but the generic is oval and larger with a matt finish. Not the same at all.!!!!!

@lornawales

Hello Lorna and welcome to the Forum I can't advise you on Metformin but I can give you the Basic Information we give to new members which I hope will be useful to you. Ask more questions when you need to and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

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On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

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People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

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There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

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The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

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The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

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Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
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• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
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Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

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I expect this may only be an issue with slow release Metformin - can people confirm if they are on normal Metformin or S/R.

I am on the normal Metformin NOT slow release

I've twice had issues after being given different brands - once with standard metformin and once with slow release, but both times it was "gastric issues" - upset stomach/diarrhea, though the with the SR version as it was longer term it did have effect on glucose levels. My pharmacist added a note to my repeat prescription details not to give me the problem brand.

But as well as diet, illness, pain, stress, and sometimes even the weather can all sometimes adversely affect my levels.

I've read somewhere too (a while ago so I can't give a link now) that all slow release metformin may not cover you for the full 24 hours, which can be fixed by splitting the dose to spread it more evenly. And I used to do this - just in case...


Robbity

The different bands of normal metformin will have different coating and different thickness of coatings. The slow release versions can have much more differences between them in how the slow release is done.

Robbity said:

I've twice had issues after being given different brands - once with standard metformin and once with slow release, but both times it was "gastric issues" - upset stomach/diarrhea, though the with the SR version as it was longer term it did have effect on glucose levels. My pharmacist added a note to my repeat prescription details not to give me the problem brand.

But as well as diet, illness, pain, stress, and sometimes even the weather can all sometimes adversely affect my levels.

I've read somewhere too (a while ago so I can't give a link now) that all slow release metformin may not cover you for the full 24 hours, which can be fixed by splitting the dose to spread it more evenly. And I used to do this - just in case...


Robbity

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Half life of Metformin actuve ingredients is approx 6,2 hrs
https://www.drugs.com/pro/metformin-extended-release-tablets.html

On one knows the half life of metformin it seems to be different in depending on what part of the body is looked at. Its "useful half life" is clearly a lot longer then its half life in blood.

ringi said:

On one knows the half life of metformin it seems to be different in depending on what part of the body is looked at. Its "useful half life" is clearly a lot longer then its half life in blood.

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It is described in the section entitled Pharmacokinetics in the article I posted above. The extended version is as expectd to be slower and has a lower peak than standard Metformin, but over 24 hours the total effect is similar. It seems to be active for between 4 to 7 hours, and is totally excreted within 24 hours. Is this what you define as useful life? There is no buildup of active ingredients.

When the benefits of metformin are tested for, it takes many days if not weak to build up, and don't stop within 7 hours of when the tablet was last taken. How long metformin remains in the blood does not seem to relate to how long the benefits last.

ringi said:

When the benefits of metformin are tested for, it takes many days if not weak to build up, and don't stop within 7 hours of when the tablet was last taken. How long metformin remains in the blood does not seem to relate to how long the benefits last.

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Disagee. I react within a day or so.