Is Metformin damaging your quality of life, or killing you?

AFC London said:

I have stopped taking insulin and found my bs to be more stable and read lower than when I was taking medication. I was diagnosed as a Type 1 Just last December after a horror reading of 33.1 after suddenly feeling very thirsty and constantly getting up to go loo. I was told to take insulin 4 times a day and after about a week my bs started to slowly come down.
After about 10 weeks I went to see my little cal doctor and she gave me the good news and said my boood test came back empty for all type 1 relations. She suggested I go on metformim but after I came off insulin I think I have managed to stay quite low on bs readings. It’s been a good three months I haven’t taken any medication.,I take a few natural supplements and keep off the sugars and alcohol and I feel better than I ever did. I’m due for another blood test soon .

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well done , but a type 1 can not live without taking insulin in the long run. So well you must be type 2 then

My journey with Metformin was good for about 6 years. Then I started with tummy upsets and eventually I was housebound. Took me months to convince doctors to change medication. I have a very sensitive tummy now. Now have IBS so cant tolerate anything in cabbage family. Oh only after a month of stopping Metformin noticed how little hair I am loosing. While on Metformin I had to clean brush daily. Good luck my battles with medication made me change doctors and surgery

alicia kerr said:

Hi
I've recently had to stop taking Metformin after 18 years, as an increase from one twice a day to 2 twice a day, caused such severe symptoms. I basically started to retain fluid, yet had constant diarrhoea. I gained around 5 kilos of fluid over a very short space of time and stopped passing urine.
Since stopping the Metformin, I've lost the fluid, but also the daily abdominal pain and discomfort i'd had for 18 years and had investigated on numerous occasions. My blood sugars on diet and exercise are lower than on medication, though its too early to say if this will be sustained.
I have a feeling i'm not alone with my symptoms. Metformin may be cheap to prescribe, but I suggest the ultimate cost to the NHS, is phenomenal. The cost of investigations for abdominal and other physical symptoms, let alone the mental health of victims of side effects, must be staggering.
I suggest anyone taking this pernicious drug and have the symptoms I've described should see their GP or diabetic specialist. I use the word pernicious because long term use could necessitate vitamin B12 injections, increase the need for antacids such as Omeprazole, which may in turn deplete magnesium levels, causing a whole host of other problems.
Am I alone?

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Very interesting shared information relating to all or any side effects of Metformin. Based on your info, seems a sound choice stopped Metformin. I did take one pill when prescribed, really honestly, have to say, most drugs have some side effects as we all know, and clearly the side effects Metformin indicate tummy problems are or can take place, and seems 99% of those who take it the side effects as they say do take place for all unfortunately, my own experience, even after one pill only, I was running to the bathroom after the drug got into my system after only 1 hour, clearly this indicated to myself a body reacation as such, was not for myself personally, did not take any more, changed lifestyle diet instead. Not a doctor, comments voice from personal viewpoint only, as everyone and circumstances differ regards prescribed metformin or other drugs, but seems from your situation, by stopping metformin, your body is actually much better and seems to be getting back to functioning more normal without the medications? i.e. fluid reducing and diet and sugars lower by natural methods seem to speak volumes regards Metformin? Hope the change of diet feeling better and sugars continue and even so more controlled, in fairness to all drugs, side effects are possible, same time, our case, indicates when metformin stopped, you are much better overall regards symptoms experienced which are declining.

I attach an interesting video regards treating Diabetes 2 by one Dr. Jason Fung neurologist well known Doctor worldwide, experienced in treatment of diabetes, Video short yet simply explained, speaks about medications in general effects functions within the body re diabetes, alternative choices there are if people wish to use try, to keep sugars down without medications intermittent fasting, along with diet changes as you have already introduced, video may prove of interest information as your off metformin if not, it may be a useful video as explains Diabetes 2 in a nutshell.