Shane - defintely keep the fluid intake up in conjuction with the fibre intake. I usually have around 2-3 litres a day (mostly water and generally more in the summer). I have vastly reduced the carb aspect of my diet to a very little- perhaps 1-2 tablespoons at most each day and absolutely no bread and this stopped the bloating. I have increased the vegetable side of things and I have nowhere the issues I used to have. (I absolutely can not tolerate fat and find that this causes me alot of stomach/digestive problems).
I too got prescribed SR met whilst I was living in RoI and when I went to fill it at the chemist, they also advised it was not licensed, but then when on to say they could still order it from the UK if I didn't mind waiting a couple of days. Having said that my drugs bill for that month went from 6Euro to 24Euro, so it is not a cheap drug - probably why it is not licensed over there!. Eventually I went back onto standard Met, and combined with a controlled food intake everything settled down and I mostly had no issues with food/drugs/stomach cycle.
On my return to the UK,the doctor here has kept the same level of met (2000mg), but proscribed it as 4x500mg tablets, rather 2x1000mg. I have not any issues at all. Perhaps you could suggest your doctor/clinic to try the medication as 500mg doses, rather than 1000mg dose. It might make a difference if you are having problems and Irish pharmacies can issue 500mg doses without issues.
Don't ask me why the same dosage delivered as 2 tablets rather than one would make a difference - all I know is I don't have the same issues I had sometimes had when taking it as a single tablet. Diabetes is a disease that is so so different for each person. It has to be treated uniquely and one size really does not fit all.
yes really.....x
then after the drink works you feel like this 
. X
