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Metformin side effects


Dizz, When I got diagnosed and put on Metformin and all the other meds, I had loose and I mean loose bowels and IBS for over 2 yrs before , touch wood, it went away.
 

I too had the same trouble with Metformin and you might be interested to know that recently while buying the medication Januet XR, which contains SR Metformin, the pharmacist serving me made a suggestion I never heard of before (and neither has my GP or any of the specialists to whom I related it). According to her, if you're taking the tablet once a day, you should take it after a carb - free meal. This, she claimed, can reduce the outbreaks of diarrhoea. I've tried it a couple of times at breakfast and simply did without bread or any other carb at that meal - just had some salad and an egg or something like that - and then ate as usual during the rest of the day and it seemed to be OK. You can, of course, opt to take it in the evening and have a carb - free meal then. Worth a go anyway. If that doesn't help then you're obviously one of those people who can't tolerate Metformin, like me, and you should talk to your GP or diabetes consultant about suitable alternatives.
 
So sorry to hear you had those horrific experiences I take it you now do your own reading before starting any unfamiliar drug? Is there any formal compliant or legal action you can take about what happened? If it were me, that would help me deal with it emotionally. I would also let future doctors know what happened because if you are allergic to one drug you may be at risk of problems with related drugs.
 
Never had any trouble with metformin! But gliclazide makes my life hell, hot sweats, exstreme itching, headaches, joint pain, you name it, I get it! But I keep taking it, regular diet helps, I eat normal healthy diet (no cakes or sugary stuff but I eat carbs,fruit, porridge ect and got my cholestral down to 3.3 from 8 & trycli writes (can't spell that) down from 1.9 to 1 and my hbc1a down from 24.3 to 7.4. In just under 3 months. So just keep trying. Good luck to you all. We are all different so keep trying
 
Hi Maureen

You might find that if you reduced your carbs enough you would be able to go off the gliclazide (in consultation with your HCP). If not, insulin can be a better option for some people.
 

Hi Dizz,

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too well, after taking your prescribed Metformin, I hope things get better soon.

I'm from Sydney, Australia, so I'm not sure if this will help, but I thought I should let you know anyway. I was put on Metformin about three months ago, without any side effects at all, but the type of Metformin I take is a slow release tablet (Metformin XR 500) and I take 2 each morning before I do anything else. So I hope they have a slow release version that you could ask your Doctor for, if your symptoms persist. As I've never had any problems since I started taking this version of Metformin.

So I hope your able to get some control over your side affects as soon as you can, as it's bad enough having this condition let alone be put through added problems just for taking the medication that is suppose to be helping, not hindering your recovery. I wish you all the best with your situation and hope you and your Doctor, can find a solution as soon as possible, so you don't have to suffer more that what is required, when you have this condition, so take care and good luck with your future.

Stemar, (Downunder)
 
 
. Anyone had a rash around neck from met formin , itchy too ?
 
 
Those are just some of the side effects of metformin. I get mood swings and irritable when i take them.
Started to exercise regulary and seeing improvement in my blood glucose control. You might want to start doing that to reduce your dependency on metformin.
 
Speak to your doctor about and exercise program or seek a holistic nutritionist/ dietician
 

Feel free to DM your long story - I'm v. interested in that! Thanks.
 
I had a very bad time on Metformin. Blamed irritable bowels for my problem for a year as did my doctor. However stopped it 4 months ago and immediately lost a terrible seediness,nausea and my diarrhoea improved.I still get some irritable bowel symptoms but markedly improved than I was,No seeddiness or nausea which is wonderful, for 4 months.
 
Wayne78 said:
Speak to your doctor about and exercise program or seek a holistic nutritionist/ dietician
Click to expand...
I'm not sure that holistic nutritionists/dieticians have the training needed to advise on diabetes. What does "holistic" mean?
 
I'm so saddened to hear that you had issues for a whole year because your doctor didn't realise this is a common side effect of metformin I've learned over the years to consider any new or increased drugs first when I get a new symptom of anything.
 
CatLadyNZ said:
Hi Maureen

You might find that if you reduced your carbs enough you would be able to go off the gliclazide (in consultation with your HCP). If not, insulin can be a better option for some people.
Click to expand...
Hi cat lady. I only eat wholemeal, and brown bread, rice ect, but not loads only a balanced diet, but I will try what you suggest, I do eat fruite but careful which fruite, but any advice I'm open to thanks, I'm sure I wS a diabetic for years had symptoms but took blood test for loss of hair for my doctor to realise, hair is falling
out in handfuls! Of to get thyroid test now so I will close now must rush out
 

Before you continue with Metformin, are you aware that Metformin carries a high risk of Vitamin B12 malabsorption and that low B12 can cause demyelination of the nervous system. The effects of this have often been tragically mistaken for diabetic peripheral neuritis and diabetic associated dementia. I am doing my best to make people aware of this because my family and others I now know have suffered enormously as a result of ignorance about this. See, for instance, https://candobetter.net/node/4463 "Incurable Alzhemiers or treatable Vitamin B deficiency", the short film, and the references, notably the book Sally M. Pacholok and Jeffrey J. Stuart called, Could It Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses (2007) (2011)
 
I have been on Insulin from word go. They tried the Glucophage and similar and had serious side effects after just 1 pill. The doctor tried all. However, when you consider I went to her and said I have got diabetes and she said no urinary infection so was sent of to the hospital and as the doctor came in said Diabetes, he said yes how did you know. My dad had it so we suspect did my G/dad. They put me in hospital and did tests and ended up on insulin, I had some serious side effects with most insulins, chest pains however being on humolog 30 and having desloratidine has stopped that. Do bs 3 or 4 times a day and NORMALLY they are between 5 and 10. very rarely lower or higher. More likely at 7 - 8 being the norm.
I do have problems with many drugs, eg tramadol, some Lilly insulin, allergic to penecillin etc. I am told that they are not all allergies, just an intolerance. I have tried to get a differential of the difference between an intolerance and allergy, but so far not even the so called doctors can give a sensible answer, they all start "Well" which is politician speak for "I am now about to spiel out a load of bxxxxxks which I do not even understand what I am saying!"
 
I have read that metformin can cause low B12 after 3 years of use. This condition can be detected with a simple blood test and corrected with B12 injections. So if people ensure that they get tested they should be ok. They should ask for a folate test at the same time, as this can be depleted like B12 can.
 
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