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Rough night after 3 days of Metformin.

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Book Gail

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Type 2
Hi all, apologies for number two talk at this time of the morning! I read here and was warned by the doctor about Metformin having the unpleasant side effect of loose stools. I started on Tuesday and have been feeling okay, but hadn't 'been' until yesterday evening. It was, as I expected, a bit loose but I felt fine. Then last night, I woke up feeling sick and had horrendous diarrhoea, accompanied by hot sweats and feeling faint, which passed after I had been to the loo. I'm not sure if this was caused by perhaps being a bit constipated at first, or if I maybe ate a bit too much in the evening (I had a parents' evening so was ate later than usual, too). Basically, I am wondering if this is typical of others' experiences and how much things improved or otherwise. I feel okay at the moment - just about to make some breakfast and take another tablet, though!

Apologies for the long post and thanks for reading! Any advice etc will be gratefully received.
 
Hi Gail, I am one of the lucky ones that can tolerate metformin and havent had any of the typical side effects. I had a bit of bloatng in the first month but dont get that anymore. It might be worth having a word with your gp about changing onto something else or I believe there is a slow release version which isnt as bad on the old digestive system.
 
Thank you Stitch. I will see how things go today. The slow release version could be an option to discuss with gp if I have more problems. I thought I was lucky after being okay for the first couple of days. Oh well!
 
It might settle down. If I get bloating now I just take a windeze tablet which helps.
 
I am also one of the lucky ones and suffered no ill effects whatsoever!

Are you taking your Met after eating? I was advised to take it after breakfast and evening meal as it seems to stop some of the gastric problems. Give it a few more days to settle down and see how you are then.
 
I think people tend to find the bowel problems worse if they eat a lot of carbohydrate, as Metformin disrupts its digestion (I think). Are you trying to cut down your carbs at all? ( which also helps blood glucose control). I'm afraid the standard advice given out by dieticians and diabetic nurses still tends to be, 'low fat high carb is the way forward' but this is being increasingly questioned.
 
Book Gail said:
Then last night, I woke up feeling sick and had horrendous diarrhoea, accompanied by hot sweats and feeling faint, which passed after I had been to the loo.
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That sounds exactly like my symptoms when I have an IBS attack :/
 
Thanks for your comments, everyone.

I've been starting my meal, then taking the tablet, then eating the rest. I might experiment with taking it after eating to see if there's a difference.

I have been reducing my carbs, but did have some brown rice with my evening meal. The portion may have been a bit too big. I had breakfast of egg, half a small tin of baked beans and a couple of bacon medallions. Hopefully that will be a bit better.

Sydney, I even ran a towel under the tap and sat with it round my neck whilst I was on the loo! As soon as I had finished I started feeling more normal. It was not very nice so your IBS must be really horrid. You have my sympathies!
 
I always take my metformin after my meals.
 
I always had problems with metformin, the side effects got so bad we all called it nuclear fall out here. It does settle in some folks after a while, so give it a little time. Some folks find slow release metformin better so it is always advisable to talk to your doctor.
 
Hi Gail,1st I hope you are felling better, if you are still experiencing the same toilet problems hopefully this bit of advice might help. I have been diabetic for 20 years now, when I first started taking Metformin back then, I had the same problems as you which went on for about 2 weeks then settled down.I was fine up until 10 months ago and all the bowel problems started again, after suffering for about 4 months I went to see my GP who changed my Metformin to the slow release Metformin and I am feeling much better and don't have to spend my days anymore worrying about when I need to go or if I might get caught sort. If the problem does not ease within a couple weeks don't suffer any longer and go see your GP, I now a lot of people who had the same problem and swapping the Metformin for slow release Metformin made all the difference. Good luck.x
 
Speaking as a person who isn't on Metformin but has never been 'loose' and frequently bunged up, with/without trapped wind - frankly that sounds much more like trapped wind than anything else. Also it didn't continue after you'd expelled it - my understanding of Metfartin woes is that it's more like having D&V, where it isn't constant, but it's several times day in day out.

See how you go - but mainly - don't get bunged up! Drink more water, do more exercise, make sure you eat things that seem to make you 'go' regularly. Always remember a friend saying years ago as we were sitting in a pub restaurant and I asked her what starter she'd ordered that she was having a prawn cocktail purely because they served brown bread and butter with it, which she needed cos she was bunged up, when usually she had to avoid it completely because of that effect! I remember commenting that I wished it worked for me and my husband saying Jen needs a Cruise missile to do that!
 
Neets, that's really useful advice.

I do wonder if it has been a bit stress related, as I had an upset stomach before the gp when the Metformin was prescribed and then the couple of days 'bunged'. So I think it may have been a bit of a build up. I've taken my lunch time dose at the end of my meal instead of 'with' so will see how that goes.
 
I could NOT tolerate metformin at all. I got stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhoea, terrible wind and on occasion even threw up! They put me on the modified release and I've been a million times better. Definitely worth asking 🙂
 
Very interesting....I'll find out what meds (if any ) in will be offered tomorrow.
I have a terrible tummy with chronic diarrhoea anyway so I think I might ask a bit more about it, if it is prescribed.
There's nothing worse than severe cramps and sweating waking you up in the night.
 
After around 15 years on standard metformin I was switch to the modified release (slow release) and now don't suffer from exhaust gas like I used to.
 
Morph. said:
Very interesting....I'll find out what meds (if any ) in will be offered tomorrow.
I have a terrible tummy with chronic diarrhoea anyway so I think I might ask a bit more about it, if it is prescribed.
There's nothing worse than severe cramps and sweating waking you up in the night.
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It's definitely worth bearing in mind. Things are settling down a bit now, but if you already have digestive problems you are right to see what your gp thinks.
 
Hi book gail. I got changed over to modified release metformin and its made a big difference. The only time i seem to have the urgency is if my bg is high. Miserable when it happens though. Hope you are feeling better
 
Carolg said:
Hi book gail. I got changed over to modified release metformin and its made a big difference. The only time i seem to have the urgency is if my bg is high. Miserable when it happens though. Hope you are feeling better
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Thanks Carol. That's useful information. Things seem to be improving at the moment - fingers crossed!
 
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