Apologies for the content

[Kath Newman]

Hi, I was diagnosed in June and started on metformin (hba1c 7.7). They triggered awful diarrhoea and so was changed to a branded version which the PN said would be better. The new ones are better but I still experience 2 - 3 bouts of diarrhoea a week, almost immediately after eating. Terribly explosive and watery (I did apologise for the content ). I’m now wondering if it is actually a symptom of the actual diabetes rather than the medication? I’ve kept a food diary and can’t see any correlation between what I’m eating and when it happens ( now eating a very low carb diet & have been for a while now so don’t think it’s the dietary change that is causing it)
Would be great for your thoughts and thanks in advance, Katherine

 

[Lucyr]

I get exactly that repeatedly if I eat low carb, but if you’ve only been getting it since the metformin then it’s more likely to be that. Does your metformin say anything like slow release, SR, XR on the box? Those are supposed to reduce the side effects, so if you’re not already on them then worth trying, but if you’re still getting it on slow release then it might be time to ask about a different tablet instead.

 

[Drummer]

I had a similar reaction to Metformin and it stopped as soon as I stopped the tablets - it was Christmas and I could not face trying to see family with that going on.
After a few weeks it was obvious from the readings I was getting that I did not need medication to be in the normal range.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Hi, I was diagnosed in June and started on metformin (hba1c 7.7). They triggered awful diarrhoea and so was changed to a branded version which the PN said would be better. The new ones are better but I still experience 2 - 3 bouts of diarrhoea a week, almost immediately after eating. Terribly explosive and watery (I did apologise for the content ). I’m now wondering if it is actually a symptom of the actual diabetes rather than the medication? I’ve kept a food diary and can’t see any correlation between what I’m eating and when it happens ( now eating a very low carb diet & have been for a while now so don’t think it’s the dietary change that is causing it)
Would be great for your thoughts and thanks in advance, Katherine

If it's the metformin, it would be repeatable.
Not just 2-3 times a week.
Look for a pattern in the food, is there one type of low carb that triggers it, or maybe a type of fat?

 

[silentsquirrel]

Worth trying the slow release metformin if they are not already. Too much sweetener can also have this effect.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your tummy troubles @Kath Newman

Some gastric upset is quite common with Metformin as I understand it. For the majority of people it seems to settle down after a few weeks, but we have had a number of members over the years who found their symptoms continued or who reacted more strongly,

Hope the extended release helps if you can get hold of that. I believe it is also thought to help to take it with a reasonable sized meal, but one only a moderate amount of carbs - though it sounds like you are already taking that approach?

Do keep in contact with your GP or practice nurse and let them know how difficult you are finding things.

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Kath Newman I just want to say that your HbA1C wasn't that high (compared to many ) when you were diagnosed and if you have been low carbing for some time then it would almost certainly be a fair bit lower now.
So don't worry if you find that you can't tolerate Metformin, since many have had higher HbA1C than you and have got into remission without the aid of any diabetes medication at all.