Metformin

[fedupfiona]

Hi am a type 2 and I have a friend who has various medical issues which means to get through the day he has to take lots of different pain killers and various other tablets. He has now been told he is a type 2with insulin and has also been given metformin but seems to have problems taking it. After taking the tablets he ends up with bad stomachs pain sickness and headaches. He is persevering but is obviously not happy his sugars are well controlled and he is ok with the insulin he is taking, so the question we are asking is, can you take anything else instead of metformin. Thanks

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I will tag @daisy1 who will swing by and post some great information given to new members.

Metformin can affect people in that way. Your freind has a couple of options, he can persevere for a couple of weeks and see if it settles down, this works for some people. Or he could ask the GP for the slow release version of Metformin which is kinder on the system. Some people just can't tolerate it at all but it has been found to be a good, safe drug. I do not know if there is an alternative drug but I'm sure other members will comment shortly on that.

 

[ickihun]

I'm led to believe scientist haven't fully understood why metformin is so good at reducing insulin resistance.
Metformin should help your friend from needing more insulin than without metformin.
I suggest he reduces his dose and then increase it later. It isn't the best drug for reducing a persons daily high bgs nor hba1c blood test result but the best for longterm treatment for insulin resistance!
Metformin is a tablet which has to build up in the system to get the best results. It can take me nearly a year of taking it before I see fertility improve and weight loss but fantastic when it does.

 

[ickihun]

I wish they'd bring out a metformin implant, for me. I get fed up of taking tablets. Not sure it would be possible thou.
Only disadvantage is pressure on liver if any iodine dye used to check internals.
I believe metformin works better on a not so fatty liver too.

 

[poshtotty]

I have been taking slow release Metformin for the last 3 years and am a firm advocate of it. Unfortunately most of the posts here tend to be negative ones from those who cannot tolerate it, rather than those of us who do, but in my experience, the most effective way to take the drug is to build up gradually from one tablet daily, up to the recommended daily dose, over a period of several weeks. I was very fortunate that I had a particularly caring pharmacist who checked that I was tolerating it before dispensing each prescription, and I was also immediately prescribed the slow release version which @Guzzler has said is kinder to the system. It is also helpful to drink plenty of water, which may ease your friends headaches

Hope this helps

 

[woodywhippet61]

Hi am a type 2 and I have a friend who has various medical issues which means to get through the day he has to take lots of different pain killers and various other tablets. He has now been told he is a type 2with insulin and has also been given metformin but seems to have problems taking it. After taking the tablets he ends up with bad stomachs pain sickness and headaches. He is persevering but is obviously not happy his sugars are well controlled and he is ok with the insulin he is taking, so the question we are asking is, can you take anything else instead of metformin. Thanks

Yes there is a something else because I was going to be put on it by my dn. I asked for a delay in going on any meds so, so far haven't been put on it and unfortunately I can't remember what it is called. Sorry that I can't help more.

 

[RFSMarch]

Another +1 for SR metformin. I was fine on two normal metformin a day but when I went to three I had the usual problems associated with it. So I went to the GP and asked for the slow release (which annoyingly can have the opposite effect and jam me solid, but that is far less irritating than the other extreme).

 

[13lizanne]

Hi am a type 2 and I have a friend who has various medical issues which means to get through the day he has to take lots of different pain killers and various other tablets. He has now been told he is a type 2with insulin and has also been given metformin but seems to have problems taking it. After taking the tablets he ends up with bad stomachs pain sickness and headaches. He is persevering but is obviously not happy his sugars are well controlled and he is ok with the insulin he is taking, so the question we are asking is, can you take anything else instead of metformin. Thanks

Hi Fiona,. To answer your original question:-. Yes, there are many medications available, if you go onto the page here listing forums you will find a forum dedicated to threads on the various types of medication. Also, on this site's home page you will find links to articles explaining what various diabetic meds do, side effects etc. Many people, including myself, are intolerant to Metformin

 

[Guzzler]

I seem to be in the minority, too, in that Metformin had no discernible affect on me. I was prescribed two tabs for the first week then four tabs thereafter. This was later reduced to three tabs per day when I gained better control of my bg. I hope to further reduce the dosage by the end of the year if only to reduce the overall number of drugs I have to take each day. Metformin is one of the drugs I do not worry about.

Edited to correct typos.

 

[daisy1]

@fedupfiona

Hello Fiona and welcome to the Forum Here, as mentioned above, is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it helpful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


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 250,000 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 free 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.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Yes, ask for Metformin SR (Slow Release). Metformin doesn't have a great effect on blood sugar so if even the SR version doesn't sort the problems out then say to the GP you want to stop it.

 

[ickihun]

Yes there is a something else because I was going to be put on it by my dn. I asked for a delay in going on any meds so, so far haven't been put on it and unfortunately I can't remember what it is called. Sorry that I can't help more.

There is gliclizide tablets or any of the family tablets of canagliflozin (empagliflozin, dapagliflozin-forxiga) which are used instead of metformin or additionally to improve high bgs. Sitagliptin too and a few other tablets.
However metformin is only tablet to reduce insulin resistance in long term studies. Forxiga does by initial weight loss, currently.
They all help reduce bgs in different ways.
Unfortunately I'm intolerant to them all except metformin and insulin. Even Victoza injections.
Luckily we are all different and settle into no meds or a med to help our control.

 

[fedupfiona]

Thanks to everyone for your replies to my post will pass this on to my friend Brian and hope he benefits from all the advice. As a postscript I take slow release metformin and have no problems I think I must be one of the lucky ones