Metformin and Migraine

[Lemoney]

I was diagnosed with T2 two months ago and take 500mg SR Metformin with breakfast (mainly porridge) each day but as a life-long migrainer, I am experiencing more frequent and severe migraines. My GP doesn't think there should be a link with the Metformin and that the reason for the increase is probably related to anxiety relating to my new condition. Just wondering if anyone else out there has experienced similar problems with headaches/migraines?

 

[flossymartin]

Hi yes I have had several migraines since I started glucophage 6 weeks ago .Especially when increasing the dose above 1500mg.Previously I got a migraine about every 3 months .I am now on 2000mg a day and although the migraines have settled I am tired and bloated and queasy.Due to have bloods checked next week and a review so hoping it's settled down by then .

 

[flossymartin]

I did wonder if the migraines were related to the falling of sugars but the metformin hasn't made that much diff e fence to them Dropping from 11 ish to 8/9 ish .

 

[Lemoney]

Hi yes I have had several migraines since I started glucophage 6 weeks ago .Especially when increasing the dose above 1500mg.Previously I got a migraine about every 3 months .I am now on 2000mg a day and although the migraines have settled I am tired and bloated and queasy.Due to have bloods checked next week and a review so hoping it's settled down by then .

Glad to hear your migraines have settled and hope you have much improved bloods as a result of your review. I also have a review next week so, fingers crossed!

 

[Robbity]

I've been a chronic migraine sufferer most of my adult life and am on medication for it. I was on 3x500g standard metformin initially after my diabetes diagnosis, and am now taking 2x500g slow release. I've not had any increase in migraines at all since starting on it, and I've actually had a decrease in the number of attacks since I started on a very low carb/ketogenic diet. The migraines I do get now are usually stress related.

If you're on a low carb diet, what you may possibly be experiencing is "low carb flu" - withdrawal symptoms as your body struggles to get used to a reduction in carbohydrate intake. This will clear up as your body adapts.

Robbity

 

[Mep]

I've been a migraine sufferer since my early 20's and can't say I noticed a change when I was on metformin for 5 years. Although metformin I think can affect people differently. I didn't really tolerate metformin the entire time i was on it. I know I was told my body would adapt, but it never did. I still wonder to this day whether this drug contributed to my current problems as prior to metformin I didn't have digestive issues, etc. I'm on migraine preventative treatment, but I'm about to see another neurologist to finally discuss everything going on and I'm hoping he can discuss my migraines with me as well and get the treatment right. I'm sorry to hear your migraines have worsened since being on metformin.

 

[ANewMeAgain]

I was diagnosed with T2 two months ago and take 500mg SR Metformin with breakfast (mainly porridge) each day but as a life-long migrainer, I am experiencing more frequent and severe migraines. My GP doesn't think there should be a link with the Metformin and that the reason for the increase is probably related to anxiety relating to my new condition. Just wondering if anyone else out there has experienced similar problems with headaches/migraines?

 

[ANewMeAgain]

I’m with you! I take 500 mg Metformin ER 1x daily with dinner. Prior to this I would average one/two migraines with aura yearly. Now once a week and sometimes with multiple auras in one day. They started one week after starting the medication. My Dr said its not directly related. I disagree, so much in fact that since I have taken my A1C from 9.83 to 4.3 I am going to ask her this week if I can stop taking the medication for a month and see what happens.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

I have a migraine every day since the Metformin but wasn't sure it, and still not, was the drug or the new "very low carb" diet. I'm a life-time sufferer of hemoplegic migraine with vision distortion, numbness in left arm, and severe pain in one or the other temple. Including nausea before I learned to relax a bit and just know what to do when I get one. The ones I'm have every day, save one bad one last week, are mild in that there is no other warning signs, just the pain, and much less than the ones that ended me up in the hospital taking 5 shots to finally stop the pain.

I hope it's just the dietary changes.

 

[Ronancastled]

I have taken my A1C from 9.83 to 4.3

You have ab A1c of 4.3 & your doctor still prescribes meds ???
Mind boggles.
You're probably in the bottom 5% percentile of a non-diabetic population with figures like that.

 

[Oranmor]

I have been experiencing the same thing. I get aura migraines maybe once or twice a year, and after starting Metformin last week I have had one every day. If not the drug itself, it must have something to do with my blood sugar levels dropping? Has anyone been able to find an answer to this?

 

[MoyaAnne]

I was diagnosed with T2 two months ago and take 500mg SR Metformin with breakfast (mainly porridge) each day but as a life-long migrainer, I am experiencing more frequent and severe migraines. My GP doesn't think there should be a link with the Metformin and that the reason for the increase is probably related to anxiety relating to my new condition. Just wondering if anyone else out there has experienced similar problems with headaches/migraines?

I stopped getting migraine after the menopause. In 20 years I have had less than 5-10 migraine attacks in total.
Out of the blue, since my GP insisted I increase my MF to four x 500mg a day, I have had 3 migraines in 4 days.
I am worried. The aura is quite severe, with the visual flashing and loss of proper sight.
It is worrying.
So disturbing - I’ve done well since I was diagnosed and at this point I was right in the borderline of DKA.
I immediately changed by lifestyle and two months on I have lost a stone and 9 lbs and my bs levels are mostly in range
( below 8.0, usually in the 7s and 6s)
My next HbA1bc is due mid April and I’m hoping for good results.
I really hope to be able to reduce my MF meds.
I just find it a bit scary as I’ve never had this happen ever. Three in four days is not ideal.

 

[mouseee]

For me, the migraines seemed to match when bg rose or fell quickly. I have taken metformin since diagnosis and spent some of it successfully on low carb but much of it not low carb. The low carb times reduced my migraines considerably. Before this most recent low.carb 'push' I was getting several a month and running out of my migraine meds each time. Now, I haven't had one since dropping carbs again.