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Metformin side effects

zaphod37

Well-Known Member
Messages
219
Location
Newcastle
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Prejudice and bullying
Hi,
I have been on maximum metformin SR dose for a good few years, however, last year or so I keep getting chronic bouts of diarrhoea. I then have stop taking metformin and to take loperamide for a couple of days until it stops. After a week or so of starting metformin again the cycle repeats itself. I am absolutely drained, I am so scared to leave the house lately just in case.

I have an appointment on Wednesday with my gp to try and find an alternative drug, hopefully one that dosent have diarrhoea as a side effect.

Just wondering about anyones experience with alternative drugs.

Thanks
 
I am sorry to read this. The only side effect I had when taking the SR was chronic stomach ache that built up over a number of years. They switched me to Dapagliflozin last year and the side effect of that (for me) has been the worst bouts of thrush imaginable...and you urinate for England.
I would certainly speak to my GP though as perhaps you've built up an insensitivity to the Metformin.
 
Interested that they switched you from Metformin to Dap.
In my case they just added the Dap in.
 
That sounds exactly like my experience with MF I hated it any journeys were planned around toilets. I asked to go on insulins instead, they had me on both insulin and mF till I begged to come off the MF
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Interested that they switched you from Metformin to Dap.
In my case they just added the Dap in.
Click to expand...
I don't think I could cope with stomach ache and thrush, lol. Yes, there are lots of people on two drugs, but my doctor has only ever been one at a time.
 
I am about to head off to speak to my gp about getting off Metformin sr we will see what she has to say. I will let you know what happens
 
OK so, he told me to stop the metformin and has prescribed sitagliptin 100 mg in its place. If anyone has any advice on best time to take it and has had any experience with this drug please let me know.
 
I've been on 2 x 1000 MF Prolonged release for about 10 years. I started sitaglyptin when it first arrived and then switched to dap, as it is also good for my heart. I've not noticed any side effects. I would look at your diet to see if there is anything conflicting with your medicines, before coming off MF..
 
At original diagnosis I was put on Biogaran MF on min dose and it was a disaster. Changed immediately to Merck Stagid MF and have been on that now for about 2years at max dose and it's (mostly) fine.. so ask your doc if there are alternatives that might work perhaps?
 
OK its been a week since I came off Metformin SR and put on sitagliptin 100 mg.. The diarrhoea seems to have cleared up although its early days yet. My blood sugars have usualy been under 10mmol 2 hours after food apart from the one time i had a quick meal of chicken noodles (yep I know) and 2 hours after my blood sugar was just over 18mmol. Lots of water and my results went back down to 10mmol just before bed. I dont thing theres been enough time for the drug to properly kick in yet so I will keep an eye on things.
 
You experience shows how we all react differently. I was on Metformin then added sitagliptin, then over the last year and a half I was getting episodes of overwhelming ly bad gut problems.
Initially occasional, about every 3 months but then getting more and more frequent until it was almost continuous and weight was getting scarily low. Had to stop work and doctors did every test under the sun but no diagnosis (but at least most cancers are now ruled out!) .

Then I realised it coincided with starting sitagliptin. switched to dapagliflozin (kept Metformin) and better within a week! Such a relief.

No trouble with slow release Metformin
 
Just got back from the docs, Sitagliptin alone wasn't quite good enough to bring my levels down, so my Diabetic nurse added Dapagliflozin with an A1c retest in 3 months. Its now been around 3 months since stopping Metformin MR, and so far not 1 single episode of diarrhoea. I am praying that with the combo of the new drugs that I can tolerate them well and it helps with my numbers.

​

 
Were you told you must eat carbs if you are taking Dapa? I wasn't and only found out after I came out of hospital and was able to read the info leaflet. Hospital staff were very irresponsible not letting me know the importance of this when they knew I was on keto diet.
 
They never told me that no. Thanks for letting me know.
 
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