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Type 2 Metformin Doesn’t Agree With Me

A

Amyj30

Active Member
Hi,

I’m type 2 diagnosed a couple of months ago. I was put on metformin 3 times a day but as I built up to 3 I just couldn’t tolerate it so I’ve stuck with 2 a day. My blood sugar is between 6 and 9 usually and my hbc1 has improved but my stomach isn’t happy. The nurse gave me slow release ones but to be honest they made me worse! What are the alternatives to metformin? Just curious before I go back to the gp what I might be able to change to and if they are better on the stomach? Thanks
 
Amyj30 said:
Hi,

I’m type 2 diagnosed a couple of months ago. I was put on metformin 3 times a day but as I built up to 3 I just couldn’t tolerate it so I’ve stuck with 2 a day. My blood sugar is between 6 and 9 usually and my hbc1 has improved but my stomach isn’t happy. The nurse gave me slow release ones but to be honest they made me worse! What are the alternatives to metformin? Just curious before I go back to the gp what I might be able to change to and if they are better on the stomach? Thanks
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Amy - Recently, I learned there are over 40 options for meds, for treating Type 2 diabetes. Now that doesn't mean 400 different drugs, beause some of those options will be combinations.

I can't tell from your post if you have tweaked what you're eating at all, since diagnosis, but many here have been able to either avoid, or come off meds by changing what and/or how they eat.

It sounds like you need to have a chat with your medics and decide your options. Maybe just paring back the dosages for a while, before incrreasing slowly might work for you, but some folks just plain old don't get on with Metformin.
 
Hi Amyj and welcome to the Forum. As this is your first post let me tag in @daisy for her welcome info.
Do you know your exact HbA1c results? I ask because if they aren’t too high you maybe able to control your blood sugars on diet alone. We’re you given any dietary advice at all? Or indeed have you changed your diet at all?
 
DCUKMod said:
Amy - Recently, I learned there are over 40 options for meds, for treating Type 2 diabetes. Now that doesn't mean 400 different drugs, beause some of those options will be combinations.

I can't tell from your post if you have tweaked what you're eating at all, since diagnosis, but many here have been able to either avoid, or come off meds by changing what and/or how they eat.

It sounds like you need to have a chat with your medics and decide your options. Maybe just paring back the dosages for a while, before incrreasing slowly might work for you, but some folks just plain old don't get on with Metformin.
Click to expand...

I’ve completely changed my diet. I’ve cut out chocolate, biscuits, cakes ect. I still have some carbs as I feel like I can’t just cut everything out in one go. My levels have improved but not to the point I can come off medication. Maybe in the future, but not so soon after being diagnosed. I have polycystic ovarie syndrome so that has a huge impact on weight loss even though I’ve cut all the rubbish out! I was told metformin would help with weight loss but it’s not made much difference even alongside a much better diet. It’s still early days but I feel like I’ve made a decent start...
 
Amyj30 said:
I’ve completely changed my diet. I’ve cut out chocolate, biscuits, cakes ect. I still have some carbs as I feel like I can’t just cut everything out in one go. My levels have improved but not to the point I can come off medication. Maybe in the future, but not so soon after being diagnosed. I have polycystic ovarie syndrome so that has a huge impact on weight loss even though I’ve cut all the rubbish out! I was told metformin would help with weight loss but it’s not made much difference even alongside a much better diet. It’s still early days but I feel like I’ve made a decent start...
Click to expand...

Metformin is sometimes used to work with PCOS, so it could be worthwhile talking to your Doc about how you could try to make it work for you. By that I don't mean how you can become accustomed to being miserable and tethered to the loo, but more if you can try lowering your dose for a while, then trying to increase much more slowly that your tried already.

Did you try different brands at all? Different manufacturers will likely use different fillers and the like, so a different brand might be less troublesome. You could talk to your pharmacist about a different brand.
 
Amyj, have you tried the slow release version of Metformin? Some people can tolerate it even if they can’t tolerate the standard version.
 
DCUKMod said:
Metformin is sometimes used to work with PCOS, so it could be worthwhile talking to your Doc about how you could try to make it work for you. By that I don't mean how you can become accustomed to being miserable and tethered to the loo, but more if you can try lowering your dose for a while, then trying to increase much more slowly that your tried already.

Did you try different brands at all? Different manufacturers will likely use different fillers and the like, so a different brand might be less troublesome. You could talk to your pharmacist about a different brand.
Click to expand...

I’ve not tried different brands. I wasn’t aware this was an option? I presume my pharmacy just give me the same brand as that’s all they have in stock?
 
I could not tolerate even one tablet of Metformin per day - I went low carb enough to get normal blood glucose soon after diagnosis, as I am 67 I do not have the time for half measures - although when I was 17 I was rather all or nothing so not much change there - so far so good anyway.
I did not wait for permission to stop the tablets as it was Christmas 2016 and I was just a wreck unable to do anything properly - or at all. I would not take Metformin in any guise - it has already stolen at least a month of my life.
 
Hi. Metformin didn't agree with me either. On the normal ones I felt constantly sick and the slow release ones I couldn't keep off the toilet going about 15 times a day!! I went back to the gp surgery and said I couldn't cope with it anymore. I'd given it nearly 6 months and it was getting worse not better and my stomach was so sore. Go back and have a chat with your doctor. There are alternatives. I'm on sitagliptin and dapagliflozin now and don't have any issues
 
Hayley23472 said:
Hi. Metformin didn't agree with me either. On the normal ones I felt constantly sick and the slow release ones I couldn't keep off the toilet going about 15 times a day!! I went back to the gp surgery and said I couldn't cope with it anymore. I'd given it nearly 6 months and it was getting worse not better and my stomach was so sore. Go back and have a chat with your doctor. There are alternatives. I'm on sitagliptin and dapagliflozin now and don't have any issues
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Thank you, I’ll go back and see what the gp says.
 
Amyj30 said:
Just curious before I go back to the gp what I might be able to change to and if they are better on the stomach?
Click to expand...
Have you considered changing what you eat so you don't need any meds at all?A lot of us have managed to ditch medication by cutting out carbs from our way of eating..
 
bulkbiker said:
Have you considered changing what you eat so you don't need any meds at all?A lot of us have managed to ditch medication by cutting out carbs from our way of eating..
Click to expand...

I was only diagnosed a couple of months ago. My hbc1 was very high and no idea how long it had been like that. I know some people think that by completely restricting your diet you can come off meds but how realistic is that? I’ve changed my diet, cut out all the “bad” stuff and lost weight. At the end of the day you have to weigh up, I’m not prepared to live off next to nothing just so I don’t need the tablets. For me that’s just going to have a massively negative impact. I watched the programme on tv recently and found it bizarre that they are suggesting if you live off “shakes” you can come off medication. Maybe that works for you but for me absolutely not. It’s just not realistic in the long term at all. I appreciate what your saying and yes of course diet has a big impact on type 2 but you have to weigh up how drastic your willing to go.....
 
Try Glucophage it's Metformin by another manufacturer and seems to sit better well it does for me, Metformin is the cheap option, need I say more
 
Amyj30 said:
I was only diagnosed a couple of months ago. My hbc1 was very high and no idea how long it had been like that. I know some people think that by completely restricting your diet you can come off meds but how realistic is that? I’ve changed my diet, cut out all the “bad” stuff and lost weight. At the end of the day you have to weigh up, I’m not prepared to live off next to nothing just so I don’t need the tablets. For me that’s just going to have a massively negative impact. I watched the programme on tv recently and found it bizarre that they are suggesting if you live off “shakes” you can come off medication. Maybe that works for you but for me absolutely not. It’s just not realistic in the long term at all. I appreciate what your saying and yes of course diet has a big impact on type 2 but you have to weigh up how drastic your willing to go.....
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Wrong program.. you need to watch "the truth about carbs" rather than the starvation diet "Fast Fix".
I certainly couldn't survive on 800 cals a day for 8 days let alone 8 weeks that's why I cut out carbs and have steak and bacon and eggs and coffee with cream as my "way of eating".
 
I would think you need to discuss your meds with your doctor. I would think there are alternatives but I manage with diet .
As regards diet. You might like to consider low carb . The good thing about it is that if you like it it is an easy diet for life . Low carb is not the “shake” diet which is the Newcastle diet and only short term low carb is a slower diet and allows it to be life time one if you like it.

Low carb generally requires no counting of calories just any of meat,fish ,eggs, dairy..full fat cream rather than milk , berries and above ground vegetables (although peas can effect some ) , nuts, olives and oils such as olive oil . Lots of fluid a couple of litres a day . No grains , rice or pasta or most below ground vegetables potatoes carrots etc. . Celeriac seems ok for some and make interesting chips or mash. Porridge can be ok for some but you need a meter to check if it impacts you , fruit is full of sugar so berries are better although the occasional apple may be ok but needs checking with a meter.

If you want to lose weight then may be an idea to keep the protein to 0.8 per kilo of the weight you want to be ie if you want to weigh so 80 kilos then 64 gms of protein could be a target . If you are hungry then increase fat. I also have a couple of teaspoons of milled flax a day.

I have found it a good life time diet for me and I have lost 4 stone on it , however, I know that it is not for everyone.

If you are a vegetarian there is a specific part of this site which explains the options available.
 
bulkbiker said:
Wrong program.. you need to watch "the truth about carbs" rather than the starvation diet "Fast Fix".
I certainly couldn't survive on 800 cals a day for 8 days let alone 8 weeks that's why I cut out carbs and have steak and bacon and eggs and coffee with cream as my "way of eating".
Click to expand...

Has cutting carbs made a massive difference? It seems to be very to be quite popular at the moment for type 2. I wonder if it could help with weight loss also?
 
dipsydo said:
I would think you need to discuss your meds with your doctor. I would think there are alternatives but I manage with diet .
As regards diet. You might like to consider low carb . The good thing about it is that if you like it it is an easy diet for life . Low carb is not the “shake” diet which is the Newcastle diet and only short term low carb is a slower diet and allows it to be life time one if you like it.

Low carb generally requires no counting of calories just any of meat,fish ,eggs, dairy..full fat cream rather than milk , berries and above ground vegetables (although peas can effect some ) , nuts, olives and oils such as olive oil . Lots of fluid a couple of litres a day . No grains , rice or pasta or most below ground vegetables potatoes carrots etc. . Celeriac seems ok for some and make interesting chips or mash. Porridge can be ok for some but you need a meter to check if it impacts you , fruit is full of sugar so berries are better although the occasional apple may be ok but needs checking with a meter.

If you want to lose weight then may be an idea to keep the protein to 0.8 per kilo of the weight you want to be ie if you want to weigh so 80 kilos then 64 gms of protein could be a target . If you are hungry then increase fat. I also have a couple of teaspoons of milled flax a day.

I have found it a good life time diet for me and I have lost 4 stone on it , however, I know that it is not for everyone.

If you are a vegetarian there is a specific part of this site which explains the options available.
Click to expand...

Think the low carb diet might be the way forward.
 
Amyj30 said:
Has cutting carbs made a massive difference? It seems to be very to be quite popular at the moment for type 2. I wonder if it could help with weight loss also?
Click to expand...
Well check out my numbers in my signature... 8 stone lost and HbA1c on the lower end of normal so I reckon you could say thats a bit of a success...
 
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