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Metformin contains Gelatin

G

GardenerTom

Newbie
Hello

I am a newly diagnosed adult Type 2 Diabetic who happens to be a vegetarian (no meat fish etc since age 7).

I have been taking Metformin 500mg tablets for about a week.

Having got around to read the leaflet that came with them I see that they contain gelatin which has always been a big no no whenever I have had a choice to eat or not to eat a product.

Is there a version of metformin suitable for vegetarians? Or perhaps an alternative product?

Thanks
 
The leaflet that comes with my Glucophage SR doesn't mention what they contain other than metformin so tried to do some research on this. From what I can gather metformin itself becomes fully dissolved in water within seconds, so it has to have a retarding agent that slows the rate of absorbtion. The SR versions simply use a very slow retarding agent to ensure a very slow rate of absorbtion. It seems that there are many different retarding agents used and which one is favoured rather depends on which manufacturer makes the tablets. Some use gelatin, but others use polyethylene oxide, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose.
 
Did a lot of trawling on this one last night and the only mention of gelatine was in some experimental combination drugs .OP can you give a source for this information please?
 
Hello to all those who responded to my post.

The tablet I have is white and made by Metwest Pharmaceuticals described as a film-coated tablet containing Metformin Hydrochloride 500mg and also containing lactose. It has MP8 engraved on one side and METF on the other.

In the leaflet under the heading "What is in your medicine" gelatin is the third ingredient.
 
Tom,all the Metformin I have checked out does not have gelatine.I suggest that you speak to your pharmacist and ,when you fill your prescription ,do not get tabs from Metwest!!Ask to check the patient info leaflet before accepting your medication from the chemist.
 
Hello again,

I did as suggested and called into the Chemist which dispensed my Metformin.

The dispenser had a good look through about half a dozen different products of Metformin and found no reference to gelatin in the ingredients. He said that I was very unlucky to have been given the only type that had gelatin in. He also made a note on my records to make sure that I was not given that type in future. He did ask me to look through the product leaflet of any product given to me in future before I leave the shop so that it meets my requirements. Unfortunately he would not exchange my unused tablets for new ones as he is not allowed to do that apparently.

Now a new question. I use a Medi-Test Glucose test (litmus on the end of a plastic stick) once or twice each day to test urine. Yellow is Negative and any change in colour is a positive with a range of colours. Before starting on the tablets I had mainly positives in the low range of 1.1, 2.4 etc. As I had mainly positives I was advised to take the Metformin tablets. Now taking the 2 tablets a day I still have positives but they are 1.1 ie the lowest postive possible. Is this ok? Or should the Metformin act to make all my results negative? Does it take time to work (been on tablets for about two weeks) or should I be asking my doctor for his advice to up the dose or take a different product?

All comments gratefully received.

Thanks
 
Hi Tom.

Glad you got to the bottom of the Gelatin issue. You caused us some sleepless nights. :D

Metformin typically only reduces your Bg levels by around 1 - 2 mmol/l. This is also dependent on the dosage. You appear to be on a low dosage. It is not a miracle drug. Your diet also will have a significant effect on the levels.

Get yourself a meter and test your Bg levels that way. The urine sticks are not a good way to check your sugar levels at all. OK to use them occasionally if away from a meter. Any sugar in your urine is not recommended. It would normally indicate high Bg levels ? I don't use them so cannot comment about your readings without looking at the instructions.
Let us know what your Bg levels are when you get up in the morning, before meals, and then 1 and 2 hrs after meals. We can then advise you further.

Ken.
 
GardenerTom said:
Hello again,
Now a new question. I use a Medi-Test Glucose test (litmus on the end of a plastic stick) once or twice each day to test urine. Yellow is Negative and any change in colour is a positive with a range of colours. Before starting on the tablets I had mainly positives in the low range of 1.1, 2.4 etc. As I had mainly positives I was advised to take the Metformin tablets. Now taking the 2 tablets a day I still have positives but they are 1.1 ie the lowest postive possible. Is this ok? Or should the Metformin act to make all my results negative? Does it take time to work (been on tablets for about two weeks) or should I be asking my doctor for his advice to up the dose or take a different product?
Click to expand...

Glad you got the gelatine issue sorted. I will store that piece of info away for personal use - I'm a fairly strict lacto-ove vegetarian.

The other issues you mention are a bit different and I have some questions.

If you are peeing on strips you are testing urine and this is not an up-to-the minute result. It is a "combined" result of what has been in your bladder since you last emptied it. Therfore, if you have had very high levels they will be diluted by slight more normal levels as the blood glucose lowers. This means that you are probably not getting accurate readings.

Testing urine is better than nothing, but it isn't accurate and won't reallty help you to understand what is going on in your body. Is there a reason you test urine rather thna blood?

What you need to do to get relevant and accurate readings is test your blood with a blood meter after you have eaten - my biggest spikes tend to be 1 hour after a meal. This will help you to understand what makes you spike and change your diet accordingly.

Also, you don't say much about your diet. What do you eat? We may be able to help you get your readings lower if you can tell us about that. Take a look around the boards, especially the diet forums and food forum. You need a diet you can stick to, as a diabetic you can't afford to fail.

There are a few vegetarians on here and I have started a few threads about veggie diabetics. I have had a mixed response to being diabetic, the more negative responses possibly being based on the fact that a lot of veggie food seems to be centered on rice, pasta, potatoes and bread - all things that make me spike unacceptably high.I have much better control since I stopped eating those things.

Since I stopped eating those startchy carbohydrates I have lost loads of weight (but still not half way to my target just yet :? ) and I have lost those awful carb cravings. My numbers are looking much better and I hope my next HbA1c is closer to 6% - that is my current target. I'm also not getting the headaches I now realise were symptoms of high blood glucose and have a lot more energy.

I have found Rose Elliot's low carb (and low GI) cookbooks to be quite helpful. I think understanding the Glycaemic Index has a lot to offer vegetarian diabetics who are trying to adapt their diet and reduce their numbers, although I consider myself to be a vegetarian low carber rather than a GI-er.

Also, your user-name - GardenerTom - is this because you are a ken gardener? Do you grow what you eat? I am about to put my name down for an allotoment with a friend and could do with some advice! I have only ever had things in pots before now.
 
Thanks for the latest replies.

As you can see I am a novice diabetic!

At present I am booked into a three part course with the local NHS to come to terms with diabetes and learn about diet etc. I have attended two parts with the third in August.

At the present we have been recommended not to buy meters and instead use the strips to pee on. This will I think change for me if not the other attendees.

As to gardening yes I like gardening and growing tomatoes under glass is my main thing for relaxation. I can recommend Ferline and Maskotka tomatoes the first I have grown for several years the second a new one for me but already cropping heavily!
 
GardenerTom said:
At present I am booked into a three part course with the local NHS to come to terms with diabetes and learn about diet etc. I have attended two parts with the third in August.
Click to expand...

Wow! I really could do with with a course like that. Anyone know if there is a similar course in the Gloucester area?
 
sugarless sue said:
Welcome to the forum Glosman, I suggest you ask your doctor or nurse if these courses are available in your area.
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Frankly, so far, I'm very disappointed with my local practice. Ok, no probs with getting prescriptions for the things I need like test strips and insulin, but the support and help I feel I need is totally missing.
 
Hi Bob.

You want support and help ? That's what we are good at. Most GP's don't want to spend much time with you and pass you to the Practice Nurse. They are usually just that - practicing at Diabetes. We know about it, we have it and we control it. So here should be your first port of call.

Ken.
 
Thanks Ken,

To be honest I don't even know what questions I should be asking at the moment. I'm skimming through past posts and making a few notes, well lots of them really :)

I think what I'll do is start a new thread some time next week with an explination of where I'm at, and where I want to go, and then see if anyone can point me in the right direction.
 
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