Severe diarrhea

[Manxie]

hi everyone im new here

I searched for help as Im having a dreadful time
Been diagnosed with type 2 about a year ago.was put on diet only at first but then about 7months ago put onto Metformin as fasting sugars still around 11.
from the very start had nausea and diarrhea but persisted as doctor told me to cut down to half a tablet twice a day for a few months then slowly got up to 2 a day before Christmas
my fasting sugars still up around 9 so told to increase slowly to 4 a day using half amounts again.

I havent even mangagd to get to that just on the 2 a day still as now been on regularly the 2 a day waiting for my stomach to settle down.I have cramps stomach pains and sever diarrhea.they did tests to rule out any bug or inflamations but my gp seems to insist he does not think Metformin can cause the diarrhea and told me I cant change to anything else as Metformin is best for me due to over weight

Trouble is i havent been able to leave my house for months.the diarrhea is persistant more than once a day.and so sever I cant get to loo on time sometimes as it just goes..Im at my wits end and cant cope anymore with it.

Ive tried the long release and it didnt seem to stop it unles maybe i need a few days break from the standard Metformin before trying the slow release..but with this amount and severity of side effect Im worried if the long release form will reallly make a lot of differnce? anyone had any experience of it making a lot of diference and helping ???

I dont know why my Gp insists it cant be the metformin.it started when i started taking it and increased worse after increasing the meds...please help..i would rather suffer diabetes than be like this the rest of my life

ive managed sort my diet out i think pretty well and now my sugars are around 6.2 to 6.5 much lower than my original but not sure if thats diet or the metformin helping me.s=funnily enough the Gp didnt want to start me on any meds at all and i had to keep asking for them so he probably just stop me on any..is there any other meds that help with weight loss i can tell him about ??? some of the newest i heard are meant to help but not sure where to look for info thank you

 

[sugarless sue]

Welcome to the Forum, Manxie.

Standard Metformin should be totally out of your body in about 48 hours after you stop taking it. The SR version is usually kinder to the gut. Metformin will bring your Bg levels down by about 1-2 mmol/L on the maximum dose.

If the GP cares to consult the BNF which all doctors have in their surgery he will see this :

Side-effects
anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea (usually transient), abdominal pain, taste disturbance, rarely lactic acidosis (withdraw treatment), decreased vitamin-B12 absorption, erythema, pruritus and urticaria; hepatitis also reported

Why not give diet another go ? There are alternative drugs which you could have and not all of them make you put on weight but if you can control it with diet it's worth the effort.

Here is the advice Ken and I give to new members, see if any of it helps.

Here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Sue/Ken.

 

[noblehead]

Manxie,

Would it not be possible to see another doctor in the practise as its clear that your present gp is not listening.

Nigel

 

[Manxie]

Thank you Sue thats been very helpful

I havent even had much info from my gp regarding the diabetes and its all been pretty scarey.I do have some insight as both my parents are diabetic but have very poor control due to their lifestyles and my mother has suffered as a result of her diabetes but we dnt talk much so they havent given me much info either.

I have tried seeing another Gp Nigel they did help by doing the tests to rule out any super bugs etc.he was the same said he didnt think it would be the metformin -more likely a bug he said !! but gave me the slow release version on perscription to try

there is one more doctor i can see who i intend to see once I have figured out if it really is the Metformin but Im very worried about starting the SR glucophage now after having all these problems

I am sure I can stick to the diet I have done well and lost a few stone in weight but i think the diarrhea helped there !! but my portion sizes are much smaller.i eat much more veg and less fat.i cut down on bread too so i have changed quite a bit.i dont actually eat sugars or puddings for fear that it would make things worse.i was using sweetener but over the time i found i dont need it now as got used to less sweet tooth but i really do miss a bit of chocolate now n then : (

 

[Manxie]

HI again all

my sugars done seem so stable since i stopped the metformin

it was 9.9 at 2 hours after this evening meal..should i be worried or is that ok..i know its not in the range though ?

doesnt look like i can cope on diet only now : (

 

[daisy1]

Hi Manxie and welcome to the forum Sorry to hear you have been having so much trouble with Metformin. It does cause trouble for many people. Don't give up on diet only yet - you haven't been doing it for long enough to have an effect. Your after meal level of 9-9 at 2 hours could have happened because of what you actually ate then. Could you let us know what you ate and we can try and see what caused your high Bg and give you suggestions for alternative foods. Remember the basic advice that Sue posted for you earlier, see if you can find anything in there which will help you. It takes time to make these changes and won't happen in just a day - you'll see your levels coming down gradually.

 

[JUSTFOCUS]

Hi
have you tried a meat only diet (Atkins diet) i'm sure i read somewere that a person on the atkins diet had to use laxative due to constipation .This may even your system out .I hope you get sorted soon . Good kuck. JF.

 

[hallii]

Just a thought, Sorbitol and some other sweeteners are laxative in anything other than small amounts.

It's in sugar free mints for instance and three or four of those in a day and I didn't need any prunes!

H

 

[donnellysdogs]

Incidentally, I would be asking the GP for an examination of my stomach.....diarhoeaa is not normal.

There are a lot of other reasons of why stomachs can get so upset on a constant basis besides metformin or other drugs.....I think personally, that I would be asking the GP to consider sending me for an endoscopy or gastroccopy to rule out other problems, and THEN asking to seek an alternative to the current medicines.


I really would tell your GP of the awful situtation you are in regarding the actions that your bowel are taking and asking whether he could find out what is wrong, rather than suggesting that it is the drug-I would be asking for an internal examination of my stomach, and then if everything turned up ok, THEN I would be asking for a change of medication....

 

[))Denise((]

Its my theory about Metformin, that if you have a sensitive stomach then metformin will make it loads worse. My weakness is wheat (although I've had two negative coeliac tests) and when I first started taking the metformin, I wish I had stayed indoors. Since cutting out the wheat, metformin and me get on fine ....

 

[candy1567]

hi

long time no post so i thought i would reply with how i deal with the dreaded metformin.

Although it used to upset my stomach on a daily basis, i think i have got this under control now. While i dont condone medication which is not necessary, i take a 1 co-codomol daily, the codine in this tablet helps to control all the side effects associated with the metformin and allows me to lead a normal life without having a friendship with every toilet on the shopping route!!!! codine is known to cause constipation in some.

I did go back to the gp several times, had tests etc and was eventually told that nothing medical was wrong and that it was a side effect of the metformin. It was through error that i found out the co-codomol helped as i had a fall and was prescribed these for pain relief and quickly realised that it had been almost a week without the dreaded symptoms of gurgling stomach, wind, bloating and the increasing trips to the loo. Wen the tablets were stopped the symptoms returned with vengence.

I discussed this at great length with my gp and also the diabetes consultant and while they didn't condone taking the co-codomol they agreed in MY case that the benefit of my taking the metformin certainly outweighted the 1 co-codomol taken each day. I now manage to take my 2000mg SR metformin aday without those bl**dy anti-social side effects.

This is wat works for me, everyone is different, i am not a HCP and cannot comment on everyones gripe with metformin and i would suggest speaking to ur gp to find a solution to the embarrasing side effects of metformin

Juliex

 

[anniep]

How/when do you take your metformin? - I can only take mine with a meal - not even just before, or I do get the runs.

 

[Unbeliever]

I would give the SR a shot. I had dreadful problems with metformin , not only the usual stomach problems but dizziness lack of co-ordination etc. The specialist diabetic doctor refused even to consider hat it could be the metformin. When forced to re-consider he offered me something for he sympoms.

Then I heard the pharmacist in my local chemist tell anoher customer that there were two kinds of metformin.
I went back to a different GP and got him to prescribe the SR metformin. It was not a total cure but was a tremendous improvement. Well worth the effort.

I have never acually heard of anyone saying the SR made maters worse but I am sure someone will tell you if it has .

I have to say that I am once again experiencing some symptoms as i am low-carbing but they are very mild. I can remeber wondering how people were expected o function with the horrific effects of metformi. Others of course, tolerate them very well and don't understand what all the fuss is about.

 

[catherinecherub]

I think you need to stop them for a few days and see if things improve, then you will be sure it is the Metformin causing the problem.
If it still persists then you need more investigations for probable causes. These can include IBS, Chrohns, lactose or wheat intolerance......the list is endless.

Good luck and I hope things improve soon.

 

[burtont455]

I have had terrible stomach pain, gastritis and diode iris for a few years so was put on Metformin SR. I still had stomach problems and began to get pain under my right rib and fever. They eventually removed my gallbladder in Jan but still had all the same symptoms including severe diarrhoea. It's been so bad I have rarely been out for months if I do I stress that I might have an accident! I am waiting for a colonoscopy at present! I saw the consultant on Thursday and was told to leave off metformin for three weeks to see if my problems ease or stop! Well 2 days no meds and things appear to be easing off! I have had metformin for about 3 years and stomach problems started after 2 years.. So late onset! Anyone else having pain, explosive diarrhoea please bear in mind! Fingers crossed it continues to settle!

 

[stillo]

Hi

Just a little info for you with regards to Diarrhea, i have had this for the last 5 years and Docs took no notice of me whatsoever, about 12 months ago i was put on Metformin and i swear they were trying to kill me i have never been so unwell, after suffering for over 12 Months with constant Diarrhea and severe stomach pains i demanded that something be done.

I have Just had a colonoscopy and guess what two Tubular sessile adenomas have been removed and 5 biopsies of suspicious areas have been taken, i was told by the lady that did the test that my Colonoscopy was abnormal and that i would have the results in about six weeks, 3 days later i received a letter to attend an Hospital appointment for next week.

Don't leave it to the Doctors sometimes i think they don't have a clue Constant Diarrhea is not normal no mater what anyone says get it checked out

Take care

Stillo

 

[Sinsypie]

Hi, just invade anybody is still looking for info on this thread, I also had this problem with networking! My GP was very unsympathetic but after being referred to a diabetic nurse she urged me to start using GLUCOPHAGE! (A brand of metformin) she has no idea why, but for some reason, using this actual brand of metformin as opposed to the generic stuff, reduces the stomach problems, cramps diahorreah etc etc! I totally worked for me! I very rarely get stomach cramps or an upset stomach now and when (or if) I do its way less severe! I hope this helps. Oh, my GP also had me on 3000mg of metformin a day! WAY too much according to the nurse! You shouldn't be taking any more than 2000mg a day, anything over this just causes havoc with your stomach x

 

[louch1]

I to have had problems with mediformin . I was taking the normal standard stuff last year and they tried to up my dose to 4 tablets which failed. I kept having problems so after Christmas they changed it to the slow releasing which was worse . They have now reduced my medication but i still have problems with upset stomach. It makes me cross when you see your nurse or who ever you deal with for your diabetes and then have to justify why you should not be on this medication . I think sometimes they think we enjoy living on the loo. Sorry I had to rant.