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Metformin side affects

G

gtf87

Newbie
Hi I am a 77 year old male and have been treated for type 2 diabetes since 2005, i have been taking 2 x 80g Gliclazide tablets a day since i was diagnosed. Recently i felt my blood sugar was not under control and after blood tests my advised blood sugar readings were slightly above the recomended benchmark. He proscribed i take 2 x 500mg Metformin Prolonged - release tablets once a day after evening meals, within days i experienced side effects, during the day i felt fine when i go to bed i would wake in the middle of the night with a burning pain in my right little toe which after a few nights also also happened to my right toe. On getting up and moving about the pain disappears, over progressive nights the pain got worse effecting the lower section of the little toe on each foot. I reduced the Metformin to one tablet and immediatly the pain lessened and disappeared from my right toe and diminished in my left toe to an extent i could sleep through. My thoughts were that the Medformin was causing gout! Anyone else had the same problem?
 
Hi gtf87 and welcome to the forums.

I have zero experience personally with metformin or any other diabetes medication. However I have unfortunately plenty of experience with both gout and neuropathy in my feet (both now largely resolved, I am pleased to say). With neuropathy my pain disappeared when moving, with gout the pain got much, much worse.

I have never read anything about metformin causing or triggering gout. Bilous and Donnelly in the "Handbook of Diabetes" say only that metformin can cause lactic acidosis (which can be a serious problem) for some patients with certain other conditions.

I think you should raise this with your GP or diabetic nurse.
 
Thanks for your comments, I think my problem is likely to be neuropathy but odd that its linked with taking Metaformin. I shall take your advice and see my GP but getting an appointment is a right old faff (but that is another story). Thanks again
 
No idea about Metaformin but my neuropathy got worse, for a few weeks, after starting insulin. Edit: or at least the symptoms got worse
 
I have had that pain in the toe you are describing but have taken Metformin for years. Haven’t felt it since my diabetes has been in control though. So probably no help
 
I often get explosive diarrhea and stomach cramps with Metformin, particularly if I have more than one in a day. Even with slow release version. Doctor has no answer..
 
gtf87 said:
Thanks for your comments, I think my problem is likely to be neuropathy but odd that its linked with taking Metaformin. I shall take your advice and see my GP but getting an appointment is a right old faff (but that is another story). Thanks again
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Hi there! I've had Type 1 for 62 years now and I've had neuropathy in my legs for probably since the mid eighties. It's worse at night and I've even got restless leg syndrome on top of that as well. Apart from taking paracetamol for the pain I've found that it's something us dicky diabetics have to put up with I'm afraid.
 
Dud42
I was initially on plain Metformin 2x500mg, twice a day and experienced an uncomfortable stomach and a metallic taste, eventually the doctor prescribed the slow release version, which resolved the problem.
My kidney function wasn’t very good and so I was taken off Metformin, resulting in an improvement, I am now back on the, 1x500mg twice a day and things appear to be ok.
 
Go and see your doctor. If youre getting neuropathy your blood sugar is not controled well. Either your medication is not enough or your diet is wrong. I take 2000 prolonged release metaformin and 2x 80 mg Gliclazide
Do you take reading with a pin prick monitor? I find using these to be vital in contoling my diabetes
 
Paul0007 said:
I often get explosive diarrhea and stomach cramps with Metformin, particularly if I have more than one in a day. Even with slow release version. Doctor has no answer..
Click to expand...
Surprisingly I had similar side affects. I started taking Metamucil nightly and everything stabilised. Haven’t had much in the way of Darrhea since
 
I have been on Metformin for 7 yrs now I was on a Brand Sukarto Sr 500mg twice a day, one in the morning one in the evening my bllod sugars dropped massivly to a point they wanted to take me off them but I wasnt happy with that as I had a feeling they would creep back up so we agreed I stayed on one a day. I had realy bad diarrhea as a side affect which was soul destroying some days especially while at work.

I had a review last year (3yrs late due to Covid) needless to say my blood sugars had crept up so I was back to two a day I spoke to the Doctors pharmasist and told her about the diarrhea which she agreed wasnt good, she changed me to a different brand Glophage SR (apparently more expensive) and I have been fine since hardly any Diarrhea.

It might be worth talking to your doctors Pharmasist and telling them about your side affects as sometimes I find there more clued up than the doctors.
 
gtf87 said:
Thanks for your comments, I think my problem is likely to be neuropathy but odd that its linked with taking Metaformin. I shall take your advice and see my GP but getting an appointment is a right old faff (but that is another story). Thanks again
Click to expand...
I have been on 3x500 mg tablets a day since October. My foot and ankle pain has been excrutiating, so bad I could hardly walk. Having read some of the posts on here I stopped taking the pills 5 days ago, I was desperate and talking to a Doctor these days has it's problems. Yesterday my pain had decreased by 70% and this morining 80% I can walk again and over distance. I will obviously have to discuss whether the stopping of the pills is wise with my Doctor in the meantime I will wallow pain free on a dog walk
 
Paul0007 said:
I often get explosive diarrhea and stomach cramps with Metformin, particularly if I have more than one in a day. Even with slow release version. Doctor has no answer..
Click to expand...
I am newly diagnosed with type 2 my doctor started me on metformin just 1 tablet a day but it is making my life miserable with stomach pains and explosive diarrhea I have been taking it for 2 and a half weeks. I am trying to change my diet but the tablet makes it hard to eat anything. I have tried to get an appointment with my doctor but no luck so far. Do these side effects get better as you get more used to the tablets?
 
plantae said:
No idea about Metaformin but my neuropathy got worse, for a few weeks, after starting insulin. Edit: or at least the symptoms got worse
Click to expand...
I have
plantae said:
No idea about Metaformin but my neuropathy got worse, for a few weeks, after starting insulin. Edit: or at least the symptoms got worse
Click to expand...
I have diabetes 2 and am also on Metformin. I take so many medications I have no idea what side effects are attributed to what drugs.
However my peripheral neuropathy has reached a crescendo of discomfort and pain - to the extent the feeling of stinging electrodes from my toes to my knees (and even my hands) kept me awake last night. It is with me constantly day and night.
Is there any advice on how to handle this condition. I am on Prednisolone for polymyalgia and I know patients on cortisone are advised not to take anti-inflamtories. Last night I took an Amitrytyline which while not lessening the pain, helped me sleep.
Neuropathy seldom appears as a health problem, yet it one that is so distressing I feel quite despairing.
 
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