Type 2 UPSET STOMACH WITH METFORMIN SR

If your metformin has only recently been a problem after taking them for so long it is less likely to be a side effect issue. I think you would be best advised to bite the bullet and see your GP.

Cases of tablets can come through looking as if the medication has not come out of them - particularly the casings of SR medication - when the medication has come out of them.

Hope this helps

Doug

Hi. Metformin SR does leave it's evidence in the toilet bowl and that's normal. I can only suggest stopping the Metformin for a week or so to see if that's the cause of the upset; it could well be something else so be prepared to see the GP. I wouldn't normally suggest stopping a drug for short while without seeing the GP but Metformin should be OK with that regard but see the GP if in doubt.

lynnedeloo said:

I have been on metformin slow release for around a year and I take 1500mg per day.

Over the last few weeks/months I get an upset stomach a few hours after taking metformin.

Sorry to be so explicit but I can see the 1000mg tablet in the toilet. I am not sure if I am digesting these
properly or not.

I am on a lot of tablets for a heart condition and worry if I have an upset stomach, will it stop these tablets working if they straight through me.

I am too scared to see my GP!! Please can you offer some advice. Many thanks!!

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If you can see the tablet in the bowl - it is not being digested - so it is not getting into your body and doing its job - a vital job.
I understand that metformin can cause tummy upsets. I take 2x 500mg a day and once in a while I have to run to the bathroom. My nurse will not give me a long term prescription until she is happy that the metformin is going more good than harm. (Happy with that)
BUT, BUT, BUT, you must go and see your GP or your diabetes nurse. Your diabetes meds are not working if they pass straight through you. (I'm also on meds for blood pressure and cholesterol so it can be a balancing act.
If you had leaky taps that were flooding your house, you would call a plumber. Please call your GP and make an appointment. They are there to help, not judge so no need to feel embarressed.

lynnedeloo said:

Sorry to be so explicit but I can see the 1000mg tablet in the toilet. I am not sure if I am digesting these
properly or not.

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It is perfectly normal to see the casing of the SR version of Metformin.

The shells of Glucophage SR tablets may pass through your gut undigested and be visible in your faeces. This is normal
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/diabetes/a6810/glucophage-metformin/

Sean01 said:

If you can see the tablet in the bowl - it is not being digested - so it is not getting into your body and doing its job - a vital job.
I understand that metformin can cause tummy upsets. I take 2x 500mg a day and once in a while I have to run to the bathroom. My nurse will not give me a long term prescription until she is happy that the metformin is going more good than harm. (Happy with that)
BUT, BUT, BUT, you must go and see your GP or your diabetes nurse. Your diabetes meds are not working if they pass straight through you. (I'm also on meds for blood pressure and cholesterol so it can be a balancing act.
If you had leaky taps that were flooding your house, you would call a plumber. Please call your GP and make an appointment. They are there to help, not judge so no need to feel embarressed.

Click to expand...

Hi. That's not true for the SR version. A bit left in the bowl is normal and nothing to worry about

Daibell said:

Hi. That's not true for the SR version. A bit left in the bowl is normal and nothing to worry about

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Hi, I don't doubt you for one minute _ I'm very open minded but if the tablet goes straight through - intact then it goes in and out when surely the objective is to stay inside and do something. Obviously the question is - how much passes out?

It is only the shell of the tablet that passes out rather than the contents.

These articles explain time release technology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_release_technology

Time-release pills are designed to release a steady stream of a drug into your system over a certain period of time (six to eight hours) instead of an instant ‘hit’ of the drug in one go. This can be especially useful for continual suppression of unwanted symptoms of certain diseases or when painkillers need to be administered over a long length of time rather than the effects of the drug wearing off quickly. The active ingredient is usually concealed in a ‘web’ of insoluble substances, so that the dissolving substance has to find its way through the gaps in the web. Alternatively, the drug can be combined with other substances that, once ingested, swell up to form a gel with a near impenetrable outer coating, therefore releasing the active ingredient slowly. Some drugs will naturally dissolve slowly and therefore don’t need to be embedded in other less-soluble substances.
http://www.howitworksdaily.com/question-of-the-day-how-do-time-release-pills-work/

I have had a weak stomach for a long time. My symptoms got worse being diagnosed type 2 eighteen months ago. I was put on SR after nagging my GP. No improvement. I have had every type of investigation going in that area and thankfully there is nothing sinister. Consultant confirmed I had IBS and recommended low dose amytriptylene 20mcg to relieve pain. Not convinced that the aggravation is not from metformin. More tablets!

Has your diet changed since being diagnosed with diabetes?