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Metformin Reaction

biltong

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Diagnosed with Type 2 3 weeks ago. Those 3 weeks have been awful. Firstly I was not given my test results - even when I requested them, secondly I felt the advice given by the Dr. was unhelpful as I was instructed to 'read it up on the internet', eat everything but in smaller portions and take Metformin 500mg 3 times daily. I have been battling to cure a mouth abscess at the same time and on and off antibiotics, lots of Neurofen for pain and generally quite depressed.

My reading made me aware that I should be self testing but I got a bit neurotic about it when every test was so high. I am eating all the recommended foods and have lost more than 5Kgs. The worst thing for me has been my body's reaction to Metformin. I have the runs constantly and some days spend a lot of time vomiting. So far it is not improving the way I feel. Every morning I feel faint and so light headed and ill I battle to get to work. Walking is out of the question as I need to be close to a loo! I had to cut out the lunchtime Metformin but the evening one just gives me the runs.

Any suggestions?
 
Ask your doctor to change you to the extended/sustained release metformin as it solves this problem for many people.
 
drop back to 1 tablet with morning and evening meal till you see the DR, this may fix it for you for the time being too
 
Easier said than done, but don't get anxious about it, though it must be a real annoyance at the moment.

Try to think about it in the sense that you are now in a process of trying to figure out what your body is doing. So you have high levels when you test? What about 1 hr later, 2 hours later, four hours later etc. Can you see any pattern? What exactly and how much are you really eating? Let us know, you may be eating something that you think is "healthy" like a banana, that can really push your bg up.

Get a new doctor. How can they say they won't give you your results, you have a legal right - Data Protection Act, every data subject has the right to see the information on them.

Well done for losing 5kg that's really good, but don't get hung up if it goes up or goes down slowly. This is a long run, the rest of your life, so relax about it.

It's actually quite interesting once you get your head into it and accept that you now have an illness. We are all here for you.
 
Hi and thanks. I am eating a boiled egg, tomato and 2 corn cakes for breakfast because eating oats seemed to push the levels up. Mid morning I have one wholewheat cracker with hummous. Lunch a small helping of homemade veggie soup - mushrooms, courgette, broccoli, asparagus, peppers, kale, leek, aubergine, lentils and barley with a beef stock cube. Afternoon 6 almonds and evening a small leafy salad with tomato and pepper and cucumber with a small slice of steamed fish or skinless chicken drumstick. I am only drinking water. No fruit or juice at all.

I have just spoken to the doctor and will start on slow-release Metformin tomorrow. I am really interested in learning about the disease and getting onto a completely new life style but when you feel so yukie, it is hard to get motivated.
 
Hopefully the SR Metformin will completely stop your problems. Check the prescription quantity and timings for the SR. It's normal to only take them once or twice a day with the quantity for the day mentioned on the prescription. You diet looks fine to me. Note that any body infection or illness with increase blood sugar levels so take account of this when measuring your blood sugar. Your mouth ulcer may be even start to heal as high blood sugar can cause bacteria to flourish.
 
Thanks - you are all so encouraging and helpful. i wish the doctors were the same. I have not been contacted with any advice about diet etc and am just going it alone - it is my body in the end.
 
Hey Biltong hope you're doing ok. Reduce your carb intake and you'll cope better with the Metformin, eat LOTS of biltong and you'll be ok
A South African friend of mine makes his own biltong and it is just awesome, hook me up if you have a supplier.....
 
Hi Semiphonic
Thanks - we actually have a biltong making business, so supply is no problem. email me if you want some - in fact if anybody else likes biltong, let me know http://biltongdirect.co.uk/index.php. i have been told that biltong is OK for diabetics although we do add sugar to normal batches. We also make batches without sugar for special orders.

I am now on slow release Metformin (from today) so will see how that goes. The only carbs I am having is from veggies. I have cut out bread, rice cakes and corn cakes. I do have 2 wholewheat crackers with hummous for some tea times.
 
Thanks for the link I'll take a look
 
biltong said:
Thanks - you are all so encouraging and helpful. i wish the doctors were the same. I have not been contacted with any advice about diet etc and am just going it alone - it is my body in the end.
Click to expand...

Thank goodness for this forum - eh?
 
I wonder if anybody else has a symptom that I am battling with - not sure if it is bg related or not? Every morning I have a light-headed/faint feeling when standing. I am fine if I can sit down but am on the brink of passing out if I stand or walk. This is a morning phenomenon and by lunch time I am fine again. My bg level when I wake up is between 7 and 8 and 2 hours after breakfast is still 10 - 14. The rest of the day is better but no matter what I try for breakfast, morning remains a bad time for me.

Is this faint feeling related to high BG in your opinion?
 
Without wishing to alarm you, it sounds like more than just a BG issue to me - could also be a BP issue. There is something called orthostatic intolerance and you might want to speak to your doctor about your symptoms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_intolerance
 
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