Hi I have been diabetic for a few years but haven't found a medication to help. I'm new here ad wonder if anyone can help me find a tablet which doesn

[Alison Carr]

Hi im new here and wondering if anyone can suggest a medication which doesn't give one diarrhoea?
I tried metformin and slow release metformin but the result was disastrous!
I just cant take those type tablets whilst i go out to work (very embarrassing for me and those i work with).

 

[Deleted member 21371]

How long did it go on for?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Alison Carr

Sorry to hear you have been having a rough time with both standard and slow release Metfartin

Some people find the gastric upheaval settles down after a few weeks, but we have other members who couldn’t tolerate them.

Were you taking them with a reasonable sized meal (but one without too many carbs?)

There do seem to be a variety of alternative meds, both tablets and injectables, which people are offered. Have you discussed the problems you are having with your Dr?

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum.
Quite a few people find that they are intolerant to any of the forms of metformin, but remember that metformin will only give the body a helping hand to cope with carbohydrates and the most useful thing you can do is making changes to your diet to reduce your intake of high carbohydrate foods.
Have you also made lifestyle changes or have you thought that the meds alone will be sufficient.
If you have and it is still not working then there are alternatives to metformin.

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi @Alison Carr Some people find their body adjusts to taking Metformin SR when it is taken with food, others have no alternative but to give it up.

Unfortunately all the drugs for Type 2 diabetes have possible nasty side effects.
Gliclazide is a common one, it encourages (some say 'forces' ) the Beta cells to produce more insulin . Apart from the same possible side effects as Metformin there are constipation, High Blood Pressure, Hypoglycemia and it may also make the the beta cells 'burn out' quicker since in a Type 2 they're already making much more insulin than in a normal person.
SGLT2 Inhibitors definitely make you pee more often and the pee is high sugar possibly creating urinary tract and yeast infections. but they tend to cause low blood pressure rather than high. They also come with a small risk of some very nasty side effects.
Victoza has the same common side effects as SGLT2's except they swap the peeing for possible dizziness, blurred vison, mood changes and slurred speech. It is injected.
The next main drug is then insulin which is also injected and needs a dose appropriate for what you will eat (it's too slow acting to help much with what you have already eaten.

In my opinion, for those who can take it, the best Type 2 medicine is food - low carb food which has remission rate (without drugs) of around 50% (in those who can keep doing it). Alternative food based treatments are prolonged fasting or gastric surgery (if substantially overweight) or a short term a very low calorie diet such as the 'Newcastle diet. None of these are cures because you can still sabotage them (even gastric surgery) by eating too much of the wrong things after the memory of initial benefit has faded a little.

 

[Allisondoc]

Hi im new here and wondering if anyone can suggest a medication which doesn't give one diarrhoea?
I tried metformin and slow release metformin but the result was disastrous!
I just cant take those type tablets whilst i go out to work (very embarrassing for me and those i work with).

Hi Alison , I couldn’t take Metformin anymore due to the side effects that you are experiencing ! I lived in Spain for a few years and was prescribed with a tablet called invokana ( canagliflozen) when I lived there . Now back in the UK and asked my doctor for it as I did not have the awful side effects that I was experiencing with Metformin. I now get it on prescription here and for me , it is such an improvement on metformin. Obviously there are side effects so you would need to discuss with your GP

 

[Alison Carr]

How long did it go on for?

All that evening whilst i was out at work with vulnerable people.

 

[Alison Carr]

Once too often for me. I wouldn't take any more slow release metformin

 

[Alison Carr]

Hi Alison , I couldn’t take Metformin anymore due to the side effects that you are experiencing ! I lived in Spain for a few years and was prescribed with a tablet called invokana ( canagliflozen) when I lived there . Now back in the UK and asked my doctor for it as I did not have the awful side effects that I was experiencing with Metformin. I now get it on prescription here and for me , it is such an improvement on metformin. Obviously there are side effects so you would need to discuss with your GP

Sounds hopeful if my doctors will dispense it to me?

 

[Alison Carr]

Hi @Alison Carr Some people find their body adjusts to taking Metformin SR when it is taken with food, others have no alternative but to give it up.

Unfortunately all the drugs for Type 2 diabetes have possible nasty side effects.
Gliclazide is a common one, it encourages (some say 'forces' ) the Beta cells to produce more insulin . Apart from the same possible side effects as Metformin there are constipation, High Blood Pressure, Hypoglycemia and it may also make the the beta cells 'burn out' quicker since in a Type 2 they're already making much more insulin than in a normal person.
SGLT2 Inhibitors definitely make you pee more often and the pee is high sugar possibly creating urinary tract and yeast infections. but they tend to cause low blood pressure rather than high. They also come with a small risk of some very nasty side effects.
Victoza has the same common side effects as SGLT2's except they swap the peeing for possible dizziness, blurred vison, mood changes and slurred speech. It is injected.
The next main drug is then insulin which is also injected and needs a dose appropriate for what you will eat (it's too slow acting to help much with what you have already eaten.

In my opinion, for those who can take it, the best Type 2 medicine is food - low carb food which has remission rate (without drugs) of around 50% (in those who can keep doing it). Alternative food based treatments are prolonged fasting or gastric surgery (if substantially overweight) or a short term a very low calorie diet such as the 'Newcastle diet. None of these are cures because you can still sabotage them (even gastric surgery) by eating too much of the wrong things after the memory of initial benefit has faded a little.

I was doing well on LC/HF way of life. Lost weight and not on any diabetes meds. Unfortunately I got food poisoning which got into my bloodstream causing a triple A. I can't seem to get back onto eating properly since so I'm high risk at the moment. Thus I'm trying to find a medication which I can take.

 

[Alison Carr]

Welcome to the forum.
Quite a few people find that they are intolerant to any of the forms of metformin, but remember that metformin will only give the body a helping hand to cope with carbohydrates and the most useful thing you can do is making changes to your diet to reduce your intake of high carbohydrate foods.
Have you also made lifestyle changes or have you thought that the meds alone will be sufficient.
If you have and it is still not working then there are alternatives to metformin.

Since being ill I am not able to exercise as previously and am not as fit. Fitting HF/LCt type meals in with afternoon - evening work has not proved easy.