Just diagnosed type 2 struggling with metformin

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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 .
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I had the same when I started but I found being moved to the Slow Release ones were better. I still have times when I get a bad stomach but it is much easier to cope with. They can give you other things if your cant tolerate the metformin.
 
Thank u. I managed to get the xr type so start them tomorrow evening, stopped the ir type this morning no stomach pains since mid day and have time wait until tomorrow night to take 2 x 500mg . I've taken on board dietary advice and understand it better now. Thank you to every one for showing me the light at the end of what I was seeing as a dark tunnel. My love and regards to everyone
 
Belfast1964 said:
Thank u. I managed to get the xr type so start them tomorrow evening, stopped the ir type this morning no stomach pains since mid day and have time wait until tomorrow night to take 2 x 500mg . I've taken on board dietary advice and understand it better now. Thank you to every one for showing me the light at the end of what I was seeing as a dark tunnel. My love and regards to everyone
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How do you know if you have slow release tablets or not. My box just says metmorfin 500mg? Thank you
 
Kbear said:
How do you know if you have slow release tablets or not. My box just says metmorfin 500mg? Thank you
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They tend to prescribe regular (not slow release) metformin first, as it's cheaper. I believe that the slow release metformin has SR in the name. If you are suffering with a bad tummy from the metformin, phone the GP surgery and let them know, so that they can prescribe you the slow release version. There's also other medications they can offer you, but hopefully the slow release will do the job.
 
Windy said:
They tend to prescribe regular (not slow release) metformin first, as it's cheaper. I believe that the slow release metformin has SR in the name. If you are suffering with a bad tummy from the metformin, phone the GP surgery and let them know, so that they can prescribe you the slow release version. There's also other medications they can offer you, but hopefully the slow release will do the job.
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I actually phoned GP this morning due to side effects. Booked for tablet review Tuesday so I will mention it. Thank you so much.
 
Update been a week since I've been prescribed the extended release version , stomach is much much better plus also I'm avoiding weetabix as well, as this may have played a part in stomach aches. The majority of the wind has stopped and back to normality now. I've been to the nurse had my first three month bloods done so hopefully hb1ac will have decreased substantially . Or can some one advise after u start treatment will it decease fast or take longer period of time than three months. Many thanks for advice as it has helped .

One other thing how much water should I expect to drink per day , I guess this includes any type of liquid in the tally as its the totality of the amount
 
Belfast1964 said:
Update been a week since I've been prescribed the extended release version , stomach is much much better plus also I'm avoiding weetabix as well, as this may have played a part in stomach aches. The majority of the wind has stopped and back to normality now. I've been to the nurse had my first three month bloods done so hopefully hb1ac will have decreased substantially . Or can some one advise after u start treatment will it decease fast or take longer period of time than three months. Many thanks for advice as it has helped .

One other thing how much water should I expect to drink per day , I guess this includes any type of liquid in the tally as its the totality of the amount
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The important thing in reversing type 2 or getting into remission is to cut down the carb intake as that is the root of the problem.
I had a violent reaction to the tablets I was prescribed, and as it was so bad I have relied on my diet for over 5 years now, and am much happier.
To know if you are drinking enough, check the colour of your urine - it should not be dark amber nor almost colourless but a golden yellow.
 
my husband and I are big fans of berries (we grow our own each year) with Greek yoghurt (Fage 5%) and a sprinkling of chopped mixed nuts on top. Also loads of fresh and frozen vegetables with fish and meats of all kinds. Vary small amounts of potato, bread, rice, pasta occasionally. I also do intermittent fasting, so for example I did not eat till mid day today, broke my fast with a tuna and mixed salad plus a small bowl of mixed nuts, snack of berries and yogurt mid afternoon and planning on cauliflower cheese with bacon and egg in it later. (plus a glass of wine, heehee). Hope that helps. Hubby was only diagnosed in January with a HbA1c of 121 so all this has come as a bit of a shock to us too. Best wishes and good luck.
 
Snapdragon said:
my husband and I are big fans of berries (we grow our own each year) with Greek yoghurt (Fage 5%) and a sprinkling of chopped mixed nuts on top. Also loads of fresh and frozen vegetables with fish and meats of all kinds. Vary small amounts of potato, bread, rice, pasta occasionally. I also do intermittent fasting, so for example I did not eat till mid day today, broke my fast with a tuna and mixed salad plus a small bowl of mixed nuts, snack of berries and yogurt mid afternoon and planning on cauliflower cheese with bacon and egg in it later. (plus a glass of wine, heehee). Hope that helps. Hubby was only diagnosed in January with a HbA1c of 121 so all this has come as a bit of a shock to us too. Best wishes and good luck.
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I trust he will be able to reduce his level of hb1ac and wish u and everyone on here well ❤️
 
I hate Metformin but have continued taking it despite horrendous bowel issues. I am on Trulicity too which has no discerning side effects for me. I wish I could say the same about Metformin because I am totally miserable and it has greatly affected my life. Last year my DN told me to increase from two 500mg tabs to four to be taken with my main meal. The problem I have is not that day but the next morning even before breakfast, a sudden need to rush to loo with very loose bowel, then again a couple of times more. There is no way I can leave the house until the afternoon for this reason, fortunately I am retired. This is slow release Metformin I am on because I had bowel problems with the normal. It’s awful and very depressing, surely there are some drugs with little side effects. I am so upset.
 
Hi I'm sorry to hear of ur troubles with metformin, mine has thankfully settled and I tend to eat nuts ie a mixture of almond , brazil and cashew nuts crushed to help with fiber rather than weetabix that was toxic for my stomach , I mix it with alpro plain zero sugar youghart and this has helped settle further my loose stools that were very watery and loose snd had helped bind them . I get the 200g bags of nuts from lidl and crush them , 6 brazil nuts , 30 grams of almonds and 30grams of cashew with 150 g of alpro plus a sprinkle of powdered cinnamon but be careful to just break urself in with cinnamon as some can be allergic to it. . Do u take the metformin mid meal with a glass of water , I take one 1/3 way into meal and the other 2/3 rds into the meal . It seems to suit me better. I'll introduce rolled oats into my breakfast as I'm weary taking cereals due to the weetabix scenario, however I have started during the day to take small spoon of granola oats once a day. Then twice, then three times to build up a tolerance of to see if I'm intolerant to it as metformin is a strange medication that works with some foods but not others. I wish u health in ur endeavours my sincere regards
 
Belfast1964 said:
Hi I'm sorry to hear of ur troubles with metformin, mine has thankfully settled and I tend to eat nuts ie a mixture of almond , brazil and cashew nuts crushed to help with fiber rather than weetabix that was toxic for my stomach , I mix it with alpro plain zero sugar youghart and this has helped settle further my loose stools that were very watery and loose snd had helped bind them . I get the 200g bags of nuts from lidl and crush them , 6 brazil nuts , 30 grams of almonds and 30grams of cashew with 150 g of alpro plus a sprinkle of powdered cinnamon but be careful to just break urself in with cinnamon as some can be allergic to it. . Do u take the metformin mid meal with a glass of water , I take one 1/3 way into meal and the other 2/3 rds into the meal . It seems to suit me better. I'll introduce rolled oats into my breakfast as I'm weary taking cereals due to the weetabix scenario, however I have started during the day to take small spoon of granola oats once a day. Then twice, then three times to build up a tolerance of to see if I'm intolerant to it as metformin is a strange medication that works with some foods but not others. I wish u health in ur endeavours my sincere regards
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Hi I take all 4 500mg tabs halfway through my evening meal as this is what I was told to do. I have no problems then, it is always in the mornings., sometimes it is so severe and quick I sometimes don’t make the bathroom in time. The only reason I continue is the main benefits it has. I often don’t bother with breakfast, instead having something much later in the morning.
 
Just an update regarding my hb1ac

Jan diagnosed with hb1ac of over 100 , this week 10 weeks later through medication, diet and exercise ive reduced it to just under 50. I believe 48 and above equals diabetes and that 42 to 47 equals prediabetes
 
Annette&Bertie said:
Hi I take all 4 500mg tabs halfway through my evening meal as this is what I was told to do. I have no problems then, it is always in the mornings., sometimes it is so severe and quick I sometimes don’t make the bathroom in time. The only reason I continue is the main benefits it has. I often don’t bother with breakfast, instead having something much later in the morning.
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You really do have my sympathy - I used to wait until mid day to eat and take the tablets, then could not go out for the rest of the day. I became suicidal just before Christmas 2016 and so decided to throw the tablets, Metformin and Atorvastatin, in the bin and do without, whatever the consequences.
Fortunately I did not need the tablets in the first place, diet alone has taken me back to normal numbers.
My usual routine is now to eat at 12 hour intervals and no more than 40gm of carbs a day as a rule - which I break from time to time as that makes no difference - going back to a 'healthy' diet would be a disaster as I can't cope with it, but going out and having fish and an ice cream on the sea front, with the walk from the car park seems to work out just fine. I am well over 5 years from diagnosis now, and thousands of grams of carbs not eaten have had the desired effect.
 
Belfast1964 said:
Just an update regarding my hb1ac

Jan diagnosed with hb1ac of over 100 , this week 10 weeks later through medication, diet and exercise ive reduced it to just under 50. I believe 48 and above equals diabetes and that 42 to 47 equals prediabetes
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Well done, that's a superb achievement!
 
Belfast1964 said:
Just an update regarding my hb1ac

Jan diagnosed with hb1ac of over 100 , this week 10 weeks later through medication, diet and exercise ive reduced it to just under 50. I believe 48 and above equals diabetes and that 42 to 47 equals prediabetes
Click to expand...
Well done on all your hard work Belfast1964, I hope that the GP/nurse was chuffed with you also!
 
Hello i am on metformin SR. get few tummy cramps mine is one daily with a meal allf ine until today when i had to rush to the loo. I take mine in the eve.
 
Awful stuff, glad I was misdiagnosed and type 1 now. The pain, trots, gut aches, awful. Went on to slow release all stopped very quickly, unfortunatly stupid dr halfed dose... chemist picked it up, still need same amount. Hope long works out for you it was awful, best wishes.
 
Drummer said:
You really do have my sympathy - I used to wait until mid day to eat and take the tablets, then could not go out for the rest of the day. I became suicidal just before Christmas 2016 and so decided to throw the tablets, Metformin and Atorvastatin, in the bin and do without, whatever the consequences.
Fortunately I did not need the tablets in the first place, diet alone has taken me back to normal numbers.
My usual routine is now to eat at 12 hour intervals and no more than 40gm of carbs a day as a rule - which I break from time to time as that makes no difference - going back to a 'healthy' diet would be a disaster as I can't cope with it, but going out and having fish and an ice cream on the sea front, with the walk from the car park seems to work out just fine. I am well over 5 years from diagnosis now, and thousands of grams of carbs not eaten have had the desired effect.
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My numbers were very good just trying to be careful, but with once weekly Trulicity (dulaglutide) my db nurse told me to take all four SR Metformin 500mg equals 2g all together with my main meal, preferably in the evening. As you can see from my initial post there were no problems until the next morning. I rang her last week saying regardless of the consequences, I could not continue this way having given them a fair try over a year. The upshot of the phone call was that because of other benefits if I could manage just 500mg with one meal it was better than nothing. So far no problems. Unfortunately I have several heart related problems and my balance is very poor, I am like a prisoner in my home and only leave now to drive to town just for a break. I envy anyone who can do what I used to do, walk and exercise I cannot do it. I’m alone with no relatives and friends because most have died. Hate how my life now is and totally fed up. Diabetes and heart problems run in my family not weight related so very little I could do to avoid either.
 
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