New brand of Metformin

[tinker1]

Hi everyone been given new brand strides pharma metformin prolonged release has anyone else experienced change in levels since taking them

 

[Rachox]

Were you taking standard release rather than prolonged release before?

 

[tinker1]

Were you taking standard release rather than prolonged release before?

Hi I was taking Sukkarto SR before

 

[Rachox]

Hi I was taking Sukkarto SR before

Ah I thought that that might be why you noticed a difference.

 

[tinker1]

Ah I thought that that might be why you noticed a difference.

Since taking the new brand my levels have been rising over the last two weeks has anyone else experienced this with this brand

 

[Lakeslover]

Is the dose the same? Any changes in your diet, or stress levels, or exercise, or temperature outside? So many different things can affect blood sugar.

 

[tinker1]

Is the dose the same? Any changes in your diet, or stress levels, or exercise, or temperature outside? So many different things can affect blood sugar.

Yes dose is the same nothing out of the ordinary in the last few weeks. I think I will give it a few weeks and speak to the pharmacist seems a bit of a coincidence

 

[LivingLightly]

I'm a metformin user @tinker1. Switching brands should make no difference at all.

Unfortunately, the body adapts to the presence of a drug and IME changing the dosage or in your case the timing of your medication may not proceed smoothly at first.

May I ask why your prescription was changed from standard release [SR] to prolonged release {PR]? Had you reported unacceptable side effects while using metformin SR?

 

[Rachox]

May I ask why your prescription was changed from standard release [SR] to prolonged release {PR]?

I believe Sukkarto SR are prolonged release, as in slow release.

 

[LivingLightly]

I believe Sukkarto SR are prolonged release, as in slow release.

Righto @Rachox. Thanks for that. It's much appreciated.

 

[tinker1]

I'm a metformin user @tinker1. Switching brands should make no difference at all.

Unfortunately, the body adapts to the presence of a drug and IME changing the dosage or in your case the timing of your medication may not proceed smoothly at first.

May I ask why your prescription was changed from standard release [SR] to prolonged release {PR]? Had you reported unacceptable side effects while using metformin SR?

I had not reported any side effects pharmacy just changed it.

 

[LivingLightly]

Perhaps your usual brand was temporarily unavailable from wholesalers in that case @tinker1
Simply switching brands shouldn't affect your blood glucose levels.

 

[silky1]

Perhaps your usual brand was temporarily unavailable from wholesalers in that case @tinker1
Simply switching brands shouldn't affect your blood glucose levels.

I take immediate release - but I 100% have issues with different brands of Metformin and a number of other drugs; not so much blood sugar - but in how they generally affect me and my stomach.

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

I was going to suggest maybe a reaction to some other ingredient in the Strides brand, but it seems to have all the same ingredients as the Sukkarto.



As per the information leaflets for each medication, here are the other listed ingredients:


Sukkarto SR:

The other ingredients are stearic acid; shellac (refined bleached); povidone K-30; silica, colloidal anhydrous; magnesium stearate; hypromellose; hydroxy propyl cellulose; titanium dioxide; propylene glycol; macrogol 6000 and talc.


Strides Metformin Hydrochloride Prolonged Release:

The other ingredients are magnesium stearate, colloidal anhydrous silica, povidone K30 and hypromellose.

 

[llr]

To the people taking Medformin. Anyone's kidneys going bad? My sisters and I were all on Medformin. My first sister ended up with Kidney disease. Her Dr. Pulled her off this drug immediately. A few years later she was put on the transplant list, but passed. My other sister same thing. She's now Stage 5 decided not to go on the transplant list. Same thing happened with me. When I started showing signs of kidney disease I was pulled off Medformin. I'm now Stage 3. Curious how many others are out there in the same situation? My sister is at 15 percent function. Soon she will be on dialysis.

 

[silky1]

To the people taking Medformin. Anyone's kidneys going bad? My sisters and I were all on Medformin. My first sister ended up with Kidney disease. Her Dr. Pulled her off this drug immediately. A few years later she was put on the transplant list, but passed. My other sister same thing. She's now Stage 5 decided not to go on the transplant list. Same thing happened with me. When I started showing signs of kidney disease I was pulled off Medformin. I'm now Stage 3. Curious how many others are out there in the same situation? My sister is at 15 percent function. Soon she will be on dialysis.

I'm sorry to hear about your sister. I'm not sure what to say about the Metformin. Do you have high blood pressure?

I was diagnosed with CKD in late 23/early 24 - although the signs started appearing mid 21 (around the time of my AZ COVID Jabs) - my blood pressure started going whacky and is to this day - seeing a private consultant tomorrow. My late father had CKD as did his sister - I never knew this but my daughter did.

I was diagnosed at stage 3b - my consultant wants me over 35 before I take Metformin - I'm also on Dapagliflozin 10mg once a day.
In January I developed Sepsis - although it had been brewing for a while - I was packed with IV drugs (three different antibiotics) and sent home with another antibiotic. Throughout this my kidney function stayed stable almost up into 3a.

However - the week that followed was horrendous - I couldn't walk or get out of my wheelchair - I couldn't even get to the toilet from my chair - and I've never known pain like this - it took everything to a whole new level

VIrtual Wards came out to do my obs and I got a call at 9pm from a Consultant at the hospital telling me to come in NOW - a discussion ensued which he won - I had Hyperkalemia (excess potassium in my blood) - my kidney function dropped to 16% - there were alerts all over my file of an Acute Kidney Injury - my daughter (qualified ITU Staff Nurse) said she'd never had a patient with a level of 7.7 (Potassium) and was surprised I wasn't in ITU on dialysis - I was on Glucose and Insulin, Salbutamol and Oxygen and linked to heart monitors :O

Basically, the antibiotic they gave me interacted with my Ramipril (BP Med) and very nearly killed me - my function was up to 35% but has dropped back down to 31% - I tend to take Metformin now if I eat - never take it on an empty stomach. I have bloods scheduled for next week - I know my HbA1c will be shot this time because I've been on a self-destruct even before January

 

[Antje77]

To the people taking Medformin. Anyone's kidneys going bad? My sisters and I were all on Medformin. My first sister ended up with Kidney disease. Her Dr. Pulled her off this drug immediately. A few years later she was put on the transplant list, but passed. My other sister same thing. She's now Stage 5 decided not to go on the transplant list. Same thing happened with me. When I started showing signs of kidney disease I was pulled off Medformin. I'm now Stage 3. Curious how many others are out there in the same situation? My sister is at 15 percent function. Soon she will be on dialysis.

Hi @llr , welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry to hear about the kidney problems of you and your family.
Maybe you'd like to start a new thread about it because it's a different question from the one asked in this thread?

Metformin shouldn't affect the kidneys, but in people with kidney disease caution is recommended in using metformin, which is likely why all of you have been taken off metformin after developing kidney issues.

A very common cause for kidney disease is high blood glucose though, and you all have diabetes.
Do you know what your hba1c is?
If it has been on the high side for a long time, that's a much more likely cause of kidney failure than using metformin.

 

[silky1]

Hi @llr , welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry to hear about the kidney problems of you and your family.
Maybe you'd like to start a new thread about it because it's a different question from the one asked in this thread?

Metformin shouldn't affect the kidneys, but in people with kidney disease caution is recommended in using metformin, which is likely why all of you have been taken off metformin after developing kidney issues.

A very common cause for kidney disease is high blood glucose though, and you all have diabetes.
Do you know what your hba1c is?
If it has been on the high side for a long time, that's a much more likely cause of kidney failure than using metformin.

I've not been taken off it - I was temporarily off it until my e-GFR rose above 35 which it did - then it dropped again - most of the online sites indicate a GFR of 45+. I was happily taking the Metformin (my e-GFR improved even through the Sepsis) until the potassium incident when they removed nearly all my meds apart from my anti-depressants, Dapogliflozin and pain control. I'm told that Dapogliflozin and Ramipril are the gold standard - but after events at the start of the year, I'm not sure I'd feel confident to take Ramipril again