increase in metformin

[rossie]

a delicate issue....i have had my tablets increased from one twice a day to 2 twice a day...i now find that i have a permanent jiffy tummy about 3 to 4 hours after eating and taking the morning tablet...sometimes the evening one but daily the morning one doesnt like me anymore....is this normal and will it settle please.......

 

[Andy HB]

I never had a problem with metformin, but understand from others on this forum that it is quite common to have such issues. But, in some people, the problems do settle (I think in one or two weeks, but am not sure). Alternatively, people have been switched to the slow-release version which also helps improve side-effects.

Andy 🙂

 

[LeeLee]

Hello Rossie, the symptoms may settle down in a few weeks. If they don't, ask your doctor for the slow release version. Many people find it less problematic.

Something that I've learned from experience is that having a low-carb meal at the same time as taking the metformin tablets significantly reduces the side-effects. So for breakfast, I often have a Mullerlight yogurt with just 15g of wholemeal cereal and a few berries with my morning M. With my evening dose I usually have mashed cauliflower instead of potato, shredded cabbage instead of spaghetti, beansprouts instead of noodles, etc.

 

[Copepod]

How about discussing a compromise with doctor - instead of doubling both doses at same time, you could increase either morning or evening dose initially, and then, when your gut is used to that, increase whichever you didn't increase at first?

LeeLee has some good suggestions - I'm surprised that shredded cabbage is less problematic than spagetti, though, but that's speaking for my gut without the complication of metformin 🙂 The important thing is to find a method that works for you.

 

[rossie]

thankyou

thankyou for the suggestions...was worried something was really wrong with me......will suggest this and change my morning food as i have two buregn toast with scrambled eggs so will change it for a lighter start.....this forum is so good for helping.......🙂

 

[ch1ps]

I can sympathise with you as metformin upsets my digestive system.

Definitely ask your Dr if you can go up to say 2 in the morning and then a couple of weeks later go on to 2 in the evening.

Also I take the slow release but on odd occasions it still gives me an upset tummy, it depends on what I have eaten.

My consultant also advised to take them in the middle of the meal. Not sure if that helps or not.

All the best 🙂

 

[rossie]

I can sympathise with you as metformin upsets my digestive system.

Definitely ask your Dr if you can go up to say 2 in the morning and then a couple of weeks later go on to 2 in the evening.

Also I take the slow release but on odd occasions it still gives me an upset tummy, it depends on what I have eaten.

My consultant also advised to take them in the middle of the meal. Not sure if that helps or not.

All the best 🙂

thankyou yes it does...

 

[itsallgood]

Agree with LeeLee - I found I was getting upset a couple of hours after breakfast/Metformin really badly. Turned out it was because I was having porridge oats and skimmed milk, which I thought was good but after swapping that for a small banana I was cured!

Carbs and metformin don't go together very well for me at least, especially in the morning.