Hi i am new to this forum. I have had diabetes for around 3 years now. I have type 2. I also have IBS. I take insulin (Lantus and NovoRapid) and Metformin. I am trying to loose weight and have currently lost 35 lbs. I have been on Metformin since being diagnosed at the start but didn't take it everyday or when i was supposed to either. I started taking it regularly just recently as i read it can help with weight loss. I have been getting some pretty nasty and really uncomfortable pains in my stomach area and always feel like i have a "tennis ball" in my stomach/pancreas area (especially when i lie down). It feels like i have something pushing against my rib cage all the time. The pain also travels across my upper back area. I also get the normal headaches and fell dizzy sometimes too but to be honest this i can put up with, but the pain in my stomach area is the most worrying for me. I came off the Metformin totally for a week or two and the symptoms practically went away. I have started taking it again 2 days ago and the symptoms have come back. Does anyone else get this? Is this just something i have to put up with or can i do something about it. I eat around 1200 calories a day and try to keep the carbs down. My current medication levels are 16 lantus morning and night and then the 2 Metformin (1 morning at breakfast and 1 at night at dinner). I have not been taking my NovoRapid as i was hoping that taking the Metformin regularly will be enough (at least while i am on my diet). The insulin makes me hungry and want to eat more but when i am on the Metformin instead, I dont feel the need to eat all the time. Its like a catch 22. If I dont have the Metformin i put on weight and if i do i am uncomfortable or in pain. Can anyone offer any advice. Could this be because i have IBS as well as diabetes. I am going to my docs tonight but i don't go to the doctors very often as everytime i do i feel like i am a hypochondriac, but surely this is not normal.
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Type 2 Metformin side effects
- Thread starter kaiko2107
- Start Date
ButtterflyLady
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 3,291
- Location
- New Zealand
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Stomach problems are a common side effect of metformin. Ask your doctor for the slow release version as sometimes that has less side effects. Many people find that reducing carbs reduces metformin side effects.
There may be changes you can make to your insulin regime so that you don't gain weight because of it.
As a T2 diabetic you need to go to the doctor regularly as part of managing the condition. Why do you feel like you are a hypochondriac? It's ok to report suspected side effects of medication and to ask the doctor to help.
How often do you test your blood glucose and what are your results like?
Tirianne
Well-Known Member
That's absolutely brilliant - I know how hard it can be losing weight. You've come to the right place on the forum and lots of friendly helpful people will be here to share their thoughts and encouragement.
I was diagnosed T2 in June this year and was started on Metformin slow release, 500mg a day. I got the usual side effects of stomach pain and bad diarrhoea several times a day. I stuck with it for 10 days and then asked to swap to something else. I was given Sitaglitin to try, which made my heart race - sometimes irregularly - and it was agreed that I stopped this and went 'diet only for a while'... So I've been low carb for 4 weeks and then caught a really bad chest infection. The steroids I was given made the BS go really high (expected side effect) so I asked GP if I could try Metformin again. This time I took it in the middle of a meal time with plenty of water. I also read this http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2015...d-other-medication,-study-finds-99679935.html
Having talked to the GP, I then stopped my Omeprazole and apart from the first day on Metformin, I've had no other side effects at all. Interestingly, since going gluten free as well, I've had very little IBS. It can be trial and error but hopefully things will get better and more manageable.
I totally agree. Please talk this through with your doctor - there could be an underlying condition and any side effects /treatement options are always worth discussing.
Good luck and please let us know how you get on. T
