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Type 2 - Overdose of metformin for two months +

edgarinuk

edgarinuk

Member
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9
I have discovered today that the dose of metformin I have been taking for the last two months or so, is in excess of the maximum recommended by the manufacturer. The dose I have been taking is 2 x 750ml on a morning and the same on an evening; a total of 3000 ml a day. The maximum is 2000ml per day.

A junior doctor from the practice has been on the phone, offering the surgery's apologies but I do not feel confident I am being told the full story. I have been asked to collect a prescription tomorrow and reduce my dose to 2000ml per day. I have a history of cardiac problems (2 x cabg) etc and have been told I am suffering from heart failure. Two weeks ago I was taken to hospital via ambulance when I was diagnosed with unusually low blood pressure. the experts could not figure out what caused the problem but they were under the impression I was taking only 4 x 500ml metformin.

Anyone had a long term overdose of metformin or can anyone recommend if I should be seeking other medical advice?

Thank you.

Medication I am now taking:

Metformin 750 - 4 per day, Gliclazide 40, Citalopram 40, Furosamide 40, Atorvastatin 80, Aspirin 75, ISMO 10, Ramipril 5, Ramipril 2.5 (Ramipril recently reduced from 10)
Omeprazole 20 (twice a day), ISMO 10 (twice a day) Carvedilol 12.5 (tiwce a day),
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello Edgar

That certainly sounds like a scary thing to happen. I have no medical words of wisdom to offer.

Hopefully the fact that it was caught now will be of benefit but I would suggest you telephone your hospital consultant's secretary your self and ask them to inform him/her of what has happened.

I would also make a formal complain to the GP practice manager and the pharmacist.
You have quite a range of medication and I don't think your case was managed properly.


Hopefully another member here can offer some more advice


Best of luck and let us know how you get on

Cara
 
That's dreadfully isn't it but they will close ranks maybe try pals or your equivalent patient advice and liaison service
 
Actually technically you have not been overdosing the bmi states 2000mg as a suggested amount but the max is 3000 mg however it's not recommended due to how many more medications are now on the market
 
it used to be higher, they reduced it recently i think so i wouldnt be too concerned, but im no expert
 
Until recently I was on 3 x 850 mg regular metformin (2550 mg per day) - I took that amount for nearly six years. It wasn't changed until I challenged the dose. I'm now on 2 x 1000 mg SR metformin.

The maximum dose of 3000 mg per day was only reduced because it was found that doses over 2000 mg don't have that much effect.
 
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