Just diagnosed type 2 struggling with metformin

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Belfast1964

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Type 2
Hi all, thanks for reading this post, I've just even diagnosed in the last two months as a type two diabetic , I'm finding that metformin after eating and taking it is having me awful cramps then followed later by wind which smells awful. I take 500 mg morning with breakfast ie I eat a bit then take the tablet. and 500mg evening which I do the same with . Just recently in past three weeks started to feel this way. I'd appreciate advice. Waiting to speak to Dr to transition across to the xtended release 1000mg per day tablet . Is it a better option. Plus how can I relief the stomach cramps better. Thank u everyone if u read or can help me with advice .
 
The only way you will find out is to try, some find it is better some find they still can't tolerate. The slow release version is also available in 500 mg tabs.
 
Have you started to get the problem when you increased the dose to 2 tablets a day, I have read some people have been fine with just the 1 but get issues when they increase the dose.
Slow release may suit you better as I think it is normally taken only once a day.
Have you also made some dietary changes as it may be 1 would be enough together with reducing carbs in your diet.
What was your Hba1C as that will indicate how much work you will need to do.
 
Hi. I think you will find the SR/MR versions of Metformin give far fewer bowel problems
 
The issue started about 3 weeks in when dose was increased and I started getting loose bowel and very smelly wind , , I have tried to reduce carbs switching from where bread to at most slices of granary nutty bread, I eat one banana per day , drink almond or soya or coconut milk zero sugars and eat almonds, walnuts and brazil nuts , my hb1ac was very high 103 as I had been undiagnosed . I can't find out the reduction for three months apparently with a bed test. I've being treated for Hugh blood pressure and high cholesterol the ch has started to reduced its now at 5.4 and dropping . The blood pressure I've had a monitor to see it over 24hrs and get treatment from started from its findings . Its just the cramps from after taking the dose is very debilitating at times
 
Belfast1964 said:
I have tried to reduce carbs switching from where bread to at most slices of granary nutty bread, I eat one banana per day , drink almond or soya or coconut milk zero sugars and eat almonds, walnuts and brazil nuts ,
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A lot of that is way more carbs than I'd ever consider eating with a T2 diagnosis.
Bananas are sticks of sugar, bread of any kind is pretty bad sounds like you aren't eating much fat either so I'd guess you are often hungry too?

As for metformin.. I threw the pills in the bin after 3 weeks of digestive hell and cut carbs to an absolute minimum to get into ketosis.

Most of the medical problems you currently have simply disappeared when I did that.
 
I know everyone is different, but since i started taking metformin about 4 months ago i have found that taking mine half way through a meal has really helped with side affects and am now up to 4 tablets a day with very little issues. Hope things improve for you.
 
Just a suggestion but maybe try taking it towards the end or just after the meal. Seems logical that it would then have to compete with the food to be absorbed, which may slow down the effects.

I'd give the bananas a miss while working on reducing your levels. They're high in carbs, nearly all of which is sugar.
 
Then what exactly can I eat , as I'm still waiting to see a dietation and the diabetic nurse, the national health service isn't like what it used to be. Yes I do feel hungry
 
RBZ5416 said:
Just a suggestion but maybe try taking it towards the end or just after the meal. Seems logical that it would then have to compete with the food to be absorbed, which may slow down the effects.

I'd give the bananas a miss while working on reducing your levels. They're high in carbs, nearly all of which is sugar
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What then can I eat? As I'm struggling here , many thanks
 
Belfast1964 said:
What then can I eat? As I'm struggling here , many thanks
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The objective for T2s not on insulin if foods low in carbs. That's all carbs & not just sugar. You should ideally be aiming around 120g total per day or less if you can manage it. Some info here.

That's was a rather high HbA1c to manage just with metformin, so I'm afraid the meds are going to need quite a bit of assistance from your diet. At least until you've had another HbA1c to see how things are progressing. You may want to consider buying a glucose meter so you can both see what foods spike your levels the most & if your levels in general are reducing.

Ascensia were giving away their Contour Plus Blue meter & the strips aren't too pricey if you hunt around. Give them a call on 0345 600 6030. It would be useful to know if the offer is still available as I've posted it a few times, but no one has ever come back to say they got one or not.
 
Belfast1964 said:
What then can I eat? As I'm struggling here , many thanks
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Firstly, I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering, it must be horrible for you. Hopefully, the slow release metformin will be better, or if that's still bad, you can ask your GP for a different medication to try.

Can you keep a food diary and see if there's foods that you can tolerate better with your metformin?

Soup's good, filling and easy to make. BBC Good food have some low carb recipes which you can try. Also, if you're a meat/fish/chicken eater, lean meat, chicken and fish are low carb - perhaps served with roasted broccoli or cauliflower. There's some meal ideas on the main Diabetes UK site if you want to have a look there.

I hope you manage to get your medication sorted, best wishes, Sarah
 
Belfast1964 said:
What then can I eat? As I'm struggling here , many thanks
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Any meat, fish, eggs, dairy, above ground grown veg.
I aim to only eat single ingredient foods freshly cooked.
If you base your meals on those principles you'l probably do just fine.
You might even find you can skip a meal every day I replaced breakfast with coffee and double cream (3 every morning).
In remission within 4 months.
 
Windy said:
Firstly, I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering, it must be horrible for you. Hopefully, the slow release metformin will be better, or if that's still bad, you can ask your GP for a different medication to try.

Can you keep a food diary and see if there's foods that you can tolerate better with your metformin?

Soup's good, filling and easy to make. BBC Good food have some low carb recipes which you can try. Also, if you're a meat/fish/chicken eater, lean meat, chicken and fish are low carb - perhaps served with roasted broccoli or cauliflower. There's some meal ideas on the main Diabetes UK site if you want to have a look there.

I hope you manage to get your medication sorted, best wishes, Sarah
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Thank u very much , I'm getting more sensible info here than I've had in two months googling as it contradicts each and every site. I've contacted ascentia and arranged a blood sugar meter and currently on phone waiting for gp to get the xr version rather than the ir version of drug . It's just very hard without meaningful face to face dialogue
 
Ps how much should I drink or including water, almond milk , soya milk and or other zero carb liquids each day In litres , 1 , 1.5, 2 , 2.5
 
As mentioned what you are having is quite high in carbohydrates but reducing those in your diet and concentrating on meals based on meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, vegetables and salads with fruit like berries you can still have tasty filling meals. Making sure you have protein and healthy fats whilst cutting out or reducing portions of high carb foods which are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread regardless of colour, breakfast cereals, pastry, tropical fruits as well as the obvious cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks including fruit juice.
Have a look at this link for some ideas of meals for a low carb approach. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
 
Belfast1964 said:
Ps how much should I drink or including water, almond milk , soya milk and or other zero carb liquids each day In litres , 1 , 1.5, 2 , 2.5
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I don't think there is any specific amount other than for people who are on medication which encourages the kidneys to excrete excess glucose via urine which you are not at the moment when it is important to drink plenty.
I would drink what you are comfortable with but once you have your monitor and can test your blood glucose then if your levels are particularly high then drinking fluids can help.
There was something in the press recently suggesting people are over hydrating and people don't need as much as has been being pushed for years, but equally it is important to have enough. Only you can judge.
 
Belfast1964 said:
Hi all, thanks for reading this post, I've just even diagnosed in the last two months as a type two diabetic , I'm finding that metformin after eating and taking it is having me awful cramps then followed later by wind which smells awful. I take 500 mg morning with breakfast ie I eat a bit then take the tablet. and 500mg evening which I do the same with . Just recently in past three weeks started to feel this way. I'd appreciate advice. Waiting to speak to Dr to transition across to the xtended release 1000mg per day tablet . Is it a better option. Plus how can I relief the stomach cramps better. Thank u everyone if u read or can help me with advice .
Click to expand...

The slow release usually works out for those that react badly to the normal version.
 
Belfast1964 said:
What then can I eat? As I'm struggling here , many thanks
Click to expand...
There is a thread Food Ideas With Photos which may also help - just check the type of the poster and maybe their signature slightly as not everyone who posts there is type 2/reduced carb.

I usually have:

Breakfast: some form of eggs - fried, omelette, "Frittata" - basically quiche but without any pastry. If I am having fried eggs then I will have one slice of toast but otherwise I don't tend to have carbs much with breakfast (and fried eggs is usually once a week if that).

Lunch: soup or salad. I make soups myself so I adjust for what vegetables I have in. I usually add some coconut milk/cream/soft cheese to the soup to add a bit of fat to make it more filling. I usually have a small amount of carbohydrates with lunch, maybe one slice of toast or a couple of crackers (I use my blood glucose meter to monitor how well my body is coping with the carbohydrates).

Dinner/tea: steamed or roasted vegetables and meat mostly, sometimes salad. Depending on the vegetables I might have a couple of baby potatoes or similar. Or I might have black bean spaghetti (low carb - currently in Aldi middle aisle if yours hasn't sold out) with homemade Bolognese sauce.

Snacks: peanuts or roasted chickpeas, sometimes some berries, sometimes a couple of squares of dark high cocoa chocolate (I sometimes make this into "peanut butter cups" by melting into petit four cases with a spoon of no added sugar peanut butter).

Some days I give into temptation to have something a bit higher in carbs (or plan that I will as a treat), but I try to not make that too many times in the week - and again try to use my blood glucose meter to see if my body is managing to produce an adequate insulin response to those treats.
 
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