Oral medication side effects

Welcome Brian. Many of us have problems with oral meds paricularly metformin. I understand this was once used to treat heart conditions before it was used for diabetes so that may not have been such a problem.
I had problems with metformin for three years. Eventually I thought I was free of them but just lately they have started to recur. I also had palpitations and dizziness . I understand from other posts on here that there are alternatives which dont have these effects.
It is not clear from your post whether or ot anyone is now considering your diabetes medicine and heart problem together? Or perhaps your heart tests gave you the all clear?
Metformin effecs do eventually wear off. in most cases. Did you have the slow release version?
I am a little concerned because the glic and pioglitazone and a heart condition would ot normally go together. Normally one would assume that your GP would have checked but from what you say that may not be he case.
The low carb abd portion control will certainly help your levels but it may take a while to learn to balance them with your medication.


Maybe you could have a word with your Gp and tell him what yo are doing and make a fresh start.
Thik this would be particularly importat if you do have heart issues.

Do you test yourself? If you are aking glic and changing your diet drastically this could be very important.

Hi again, I am glad o hear you don't have a heart problem to worrry about too.

I was only speaking of alernatives to metformin. I understand that there is a liquid form of it which some find easier o cope with and there are alternative drugs which I am sure others will be along to tell you about..
I just wanted to say that it is ot an either/or situation with regard to the drugs you mention,
They all do different things and work in different ways.

It is normal for most of us T2s on meds to take metformin and if that alone is insuffficient to reduce
our levels we may go onto ADDING something else like the gliciazide. Then if this doesn't work we may go onto a third level drug like pioglitazone usually with the metformin and possibly the second level drug too.

If you google in the different drugs or use the search facility on here you will find explanations. of what each drug does.

You are certainly not alone in experiencing those reactions to metformin. You didnt say whether it was the SR form or not?

I think peoples reactions to Metformin are pretty individualistic. I am on "bog standard" Metformin at 3 x 500g / day and don't notice any side effects at all unless I eat a meal that has a significant amount more carbs than I normally do.

If I eat a main meal of whatever quantity in say the 30 - 75g of carb range I'm fine any more than that and after a while I begin to feel nauseous in direct relationship to the number of carbs I've eaten. A good way of keeping me good!.

xyzzy said:

I think peoples reactions to Metformin are pretty individualistic. I am on "bog standard" Metformin at 3 x 500g / day and don't notice any side effects at all unless I eat a meal that has a significant amount more carbs than I normally do.

If I eat a main meal of whatever quantity in say the 30 - 75g of carb range I'm fine any more than that and after a while I begin to feel nauseous in direct relationship to the number of carbs I've eaten. A good way of keeping me good!.

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Yes that is quite true. I was exaly the opposite to you in that, in order to tolerate them at all I had to eat MORE carbs.
That was because i was underweight if anything. I am convinced from all I have read of other people's reactions that
metformin appears to work well ,at least initially because of its abikty to cause weight loss.

I suffered quite badly , not only stomach pains but spells of dizziness and a feeling that I was leaning to one side as I walked [quite frightening in some situations} for 3 years. The doctor was adamant hat I must continue to take them for the cardiovascular protection they are supposed o afford. I still have reacions from time t time after nearly 5 years.

I suppose it is all down to what the individual is prepared to tolerate.. I found the Sr helped but does not entirely do away with all the unpleasant side effects.
The only time the side effects entirely disappeared was after the glimepiride caused me o gain 2 stone in weight. Now back
to my pre-diagnosis weight I am again experiencing some problems. For me at least the side effects are obviously related to weight.
In fact i was convinced at one point that it actually RAISED my bg levels. This may well have been the case because of the side effects!

I understand the drug was only licensed fr use in the US a few years ago. I would be inerested in any studies carried out there since as o its efficacy. In this country I feel it was prescribed to everyone for years in the absence of anything else.
It is only over the past few years that here has been any addition to oral medication for diabetics.

I had Glucophage added to my existing meds a few months ago but recently gave up on them as i found myself becoming very friendly with the toilet for 5 days out of 7, For the last month i also had very bad dizzy spells and found myself inexplicably on the floor a number of times, for some reason i didn't even consider it was a side effect, i put it down to other meds. A week after stopping the Gluchphage no more dizzy spells or camping in the smallest room in the house :lol: I never noticed any side effects regarding the size of meals or amount of carbs i ate but i expect that has more to do with the fact that i am on insulin (Basel + Bolus) as well.