Starting Metformin ... But Weirdly Enough, Not For T2d

Wish me luck - I really want to be able to tolerate the drug this time around.

First time I took it, I stupidly chose the ER version and I'm hoping it was the enteric coating that caused the subsequent bleeding gastritis and anemia from occult blood loss. That experiment lasted only 6 months and I never thought about trying it again.

As it says in my signature, I have another diagnosis besides T2D, namely Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). I have been offered and declined two new medications only available in Australia for the past couple of years. This video pretty much summarises why I turned them down, particularly given the lack of historical data and very common side effects. Not to mention that there's really no change to quality of life - all it does is possibly drag out the inevitable. And I already have enough GI issues without adding these drugs to the mix.



Very recently, I ran across this study using metformin for PF - yes, in a mouse model, but with the advantage that the words "reversing fibrosis" were used. Plus it's a well known drug with a long safety record.

Luckily my GP was open to prescribing the metformin to me, I guess because in the usual course of events I would already have been taking it. And after reading the study, I kind of wish I had been taking it all along!

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-018-0087-6

Wish me luck, peeps - I've beaten the odds with this disease so far, so hopefully this may extend my luck even further

Have taken the first dose - a few weird symptoms, but nothing major thus far. Fingers crossed!