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Type 2 and Metformin side affects.

Hi Paul
I was put on metformin when I was first diagnosed as T2 some 25 years ago. I had exactly the same experience as you. after much arguing with my GP, I was put on rosiglitazone (no longer available) and although this stopped the original symptoms this brought a whole lot of others. In the end, I insisted that I was given insulin. and after a couple of weeks experimenting with dosages, I went on to live a normal life.
Metformin is a nasty poisonous substance, and should have been banned years ago. along with Statins.
The only reason for its continued use is that it is CHEAP!
 
Hello Paul,

I had problematic side effects with metformin- predominantly the diarrhoea- but that has gradually improved. But that is after about 6 months. I still sometimes get mornings of problematic diarrhoea, but far less often. So, given it has gradually settled, and is, I think, by and large a good drug, I plan to keep going.

I hope things work out for you.

Mark
 
kitedoc said:
Hi @chocks63, I could not find a drug which has the same action as Metformin.
Googling Forxiga, it shows it is a totally different drug.
Only your doctor or perhaps DSN can advise you on what to do.
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I’m on metformin (slow release) 1000mg am and 1000mg pm and forxiga am and insulin injections x2 per day. The metformin wasn’t doing anything to high blood glucose. It’s only since I’ve been put on insulin that my blood glucose readings have gone into normal range. Have appt with diabetes endocrinologist in November. Hope they will be able to sort me out.
 
 
I've just come off Metformin because of a poor eGFR result. I was addvised to cut down from 3 to 2 but I took this as an opportunity to "dry out" and see if anything major changed.
So far, no change in major physical stuff like muscle, joint, bowel, sleeping, energy.
We shall see if there is a major change in eGFR.
One thing about this thread; if it turns out I have to come off Metformin to protect my kidneys then the next stage of medication, which modifies kidney function, may not be open to me.
 

LittleGreyCat - At a recent presentation by an Endo that I attended, he commented that there are over 400 options for medicating T2. Of course, that doesn't mean 400+ drugs, but it includes combinations of drugs, so please don't get hung up on not being able to take any given medication. There are likely to be alternatives, where medication is required at all.
 
chocks63 said:
Yes My mate suggests buying a slow cooker ?
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If you're strapped for time and don’t have a pressure cooker, then try taking a slow cooker recipe and portioning it down and put it in a lidded casserole dish on 150°C/300°F for 1.5 to 2hrs to get a very similar result. The only difference is to add a bit of extra liquid to the recipe (water or a bit extra of the liquid ingredients already used) as casseroling tends to evaporate the liquids a little more.
I’m a huge fan of one pot cooking for the fact that it’s fast and easy to prepare and also results in a lot less dishes at the end. So often I’ll take a slow cooker recipe and add all my low carb veges in it as well, park the whole lot in the oven for an hour and half while I do other stuff and whala - excellent healthy hassle free meal at the end of it! Plus all the veges get to absorb all the surrounding flavours so it makes the whole dish even better!

I also had reactions to metformin - that began as being positive but eventually became very negative which is why I went of it as well.

I was initially on 1000mg per day which my diabetic nurse moved up to 1500mg fairly shortly after to help get my bloods under control. I had been wearing glasses for distance vision for about 15 years prior to my T2 diagnosis. All my bloods were in normal range over that 15 yr period except for about a year prior to my T2 diagnosis (unfortunately my GP failed to tell me I was in pre-diabets I latter found out). During the pre-diabetes year there were no significant changes to my vision, so what happened next both surprised and amazed me at how potent metformin is. Within about 2 to 3 weeks of taking it my vision almost completely corrected from -2.5 to -.25 to the point were I no longer needed glasses! That both amazed me but also alarmed me at how potent metformin actually is on the body. And I am certain it was not my diabetes that was impacting my vision as I had needed the glasses for 15 years prior with normal blood sugar readings over that time. This correction stayed consistent for the full time I was on the medication.

Then about 4 months into taking the metformin I started to notice that my face would become very red as soon as I took the meds and stayed like that for the best part of the day. I discussed this with my nurse who said she had never heard of it and to keep taking them. I accepted that for lack of knowledge and the symptoms slowly worsened to other noticeable unusual skin behaviours on my body to which I then booked an appointment with my GP who immediately told me to stop taking them as by bloods were under control at that point and he agreed that diet management was the next best step for me. I have stayed in normal blood sugar range ever since, however my vision slowly returned back to -2.25, which I’m fine with as it was obviously the metfornin that was unnaturally producing the vision improvement - but the skin conditions occurring were such that I needed to stop it. They have since halted since stopping the medication, and I’m glad I did stop it as that was always my goal anyway. So I am of the opinion that one should only take metformin if it’s necessary and once one reaches the point were diet is obviously consistently managing your T2 blood sugar levels, stop the meds as soon as possible and trust your dietary changes will see you through. They certainly have for me.
 
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My only complaint about Metformin SR is that it didn’t flipping work. Did nothing for my glucose levels. Now on insulin and at last my glucose is under control and my general health has greatly improved. Before I was on insulin I was losing weight rapidly, I had chronic fatigue and I blamed all my ailments on post stroke (had stroke on 1st May 2017). But now on insulin and I feel brand new. I’m also on forxiga. Never had any side effects on any meds it’s just the others didn’t work.
 
Hi
I was diagnosed several years ago. I have been dealing with type 2 through diet and exercise however this has become harder to do successfully and my last blood test showed me at 7.2. I have agreed to take metformin as told now I have reached 60 the risks are too great to carry on without drugs.
When I asked what difference they would expect to see next test I was informed a reduction in bslevel of .4. Really is this all the difference. Any help is appreciated
 
nic02 said:
Have you tried a different brand. I can only use teva have nearly every side effect with others.
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am so pleased you have said that I had trouble with other brands of metformin and found I could only take teva, others would not bring my blood down , but after saying that I am on metformin and forxiga now for the last 3 months ,with theses new ones I get very low bloods on them have to watch my bm closely .
 
Well I wish I could say the same about the insulin I'm not on metformin anymore thank God but I still get very tired I've just started a lowe carb diet I've lost seven pounds in two weeks and I've lowered my insulin down from 22 two ten twice a day but I still feel so tired I'm hoping it will go away when I lose more weight
 
Our bodies are like combination locks - each one a bit different. That said, I refused to take Metformin right from the start because I have mild IBS and no way did I want more issues in that area. My Endocrinologist put me on Jardiance (empagliflozin) about 4 years ago and it works great. I am 72 and diagnosed pre-diabetic at age 67. I wasn't much overweight and lost 25 lbs (1.8 stone) in about 7 months (from 210 lbs to 185 lbs), then down another 20 lbs (1.4 stone) after another 11 months, and controlled my BG (down from 16-18 to 6.5). Not for everyone and was tried on a trial first to see if it affected my kidneys - which it did not - and no side-effects at all (well, pee a lot more now LOL). My diet had to change also - not dramatically and I am far from being a vegan or vegetarian so cravings are hard to control. Coming up in a few weeks for my update review that has been delayed due to the COVID-19 preventing doctor visits except by phone or video. Based on my own BG testing I should be down on my HB-A1c (hopefully) as it was getting close to remission 6 months ago.
 
I'm amazed you've lasted so long on it tbh.

I lasted barely a week. Stopped it a few days ago. No regrets.

There was a really interesting study done which concluded that it's only useful if you aren't planning on doing much exercise, as it seems to negate the blood sugar lowering benefits from doing that especially after meals.

The group assigned to do excercise and take Metaformin had erratic results with HALF actually doing WORSE than the group who did exercise and didn't take Metaformin!

I don't fancy the gamble, personally.
I'd rather do exercise.
 

Do you have a link to that study, please? It sounds fascinating.
 
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