Metformin side effects

Tashch31

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Since my dose was upped to 1000mg twice a day a few weeks ago I keep getting the feeling of difficult or labored breathing and Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse,is this normal?
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
I would advise that you see your GP as soon as possible.
 

Makka14

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi I have just been diagnosed and given Metformin 1000mg twice a day to take. How can I go about reducing this, lose weight will they help with that? Also any ideas to reduce be great, I was told my number is 80 what is a better number.
 
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Guzzler

Master
Messages
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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Diet only
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Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Hi I have just been diagnosed and given Metformin 1000mg twice a day to take. How can I go about reducing this, lose weight will they help with that? Also any ideas to reduce be great, I was told my number is 80 what is a better number.

Hello and welcome to the forum. Tagging @daisy1 for the info pack offered to all newcomers.

Losing weight by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet will certainly help to reduce your HbA1c from 80 which is quite high. Have a wander around the forum and ask as many questions as you like.
 
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daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
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Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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@Tashch31
Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 147,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
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Shas3

Well-Known Member
Messages
653
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I have been struggling a bit with various side effects and struggled to identify which medication is doing what.

Anyway. I was on Metformin 500 mg x 1 per day since November last year (in addition to Forxiga 5mg). In December Metformin was increased to 500 x 2 per day. It was ok for a while but i was having such nausea and dizziness i was feeling miserable. I just reduced to 1 Metformin and i was feeling much much better today. However i am really cutting carbs to keep numbers in control.

So, even though most people find Metformin side effects to be not too bad, it is very dependent on the individual.

So @Tashch31 Definitely talk soon to a doctor. If it is bad, you could consider stopping it till you see a doctor (though it is not for me to provide medical advice).

Meanwhile as you will find in all the discussion, Metformin has a bit of an effect on your numbers and the big impact is really diet (cut the carbs - as much as you can), and physical activity!! Good luck
 

Shas3

Well-Known Member
Messages
653
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I dropped ny dosage from 500mg SR two per day to one and feeling much better. BG numbers creeping a bit. Does anyone know if 850 mg SR x 1 is likely to cause less or more side effects than 500 mg SR x 2 per day?