Metformin and hypoglycemia

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paulhomer

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Type 2
Hello I've been a type 2 diabetic for about 6 years, I'm on metformin and alogliptin, but since I've been on these tablets I've been having symptoms that are like hypoglycemia attacks, medical experts ie doctors say I can't get hypoglycemia with metformin. This week alone I've had 2 hypos, is there anyone that can help and tell me what I can do or do I need a change in medication kinds regards Paul.
 
Do you have a meter to measure your BG levels when you feel like this?

It could be that you have been running at very high BG levels which your body has got used so that when your levels go more towards normal it feels like you are hypo when you aren't. Commonly known as false hypos.
 
paulhomer said:
Hello I've been a type 2 diabetic for about 6 years, I'm on metformin and alogliptin, but since I've been on these tablets I've been having symptoms that are like hypoglycemia attacks, medical experts ie doctors say I can't get hypoglycemia with metformin. This week alone I've had 2 hypos, is there anyone that can help and tell me what I can do or do I need a change in medication kinds regards Paul.
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I think it is more likely to be the alogliptin, and you should have a means of testing blood glucose level at home if on that medication which the doctor should give you with strips to test.
This may help https://www.drugs.com/mtm/alogliptin.html
 
Thank you for your comments, but these episodes of hypo have been coming on before I had alogliptin, I was only on metformin at first then the doctor gave alogliptin thinking it my help.
 
Were you able to confirm your blood sugars were under 4mmol/l through a blood test at the time?
 
Yes the lowest they have been is 1.6mmol/l and every other times its been less then 3mmol/l.
 
Are you on any other medication? Metformin and alcohol can cause hypos.

There is a small risk of hypos with Metformin, but it's very rare, apparently.
 
I have a BG tester and no I don't drink, I do know of someone else who had same problem and doctor put her on insulin and she is also type 2 so there maybe a connection in the tablets
 
You could read up about reactive hypoglycaemia and see if you think that fits at all
 
Looking around on Google, I only found one paper looking at a link between Metformin and Hypoglycaemia. In that paper they commented that it's virtually impossible to find a subject as it happens so rarely.
 
Everybody is different in how they respond to medications and symptoms they might get, it is not too wise to compare yourself to other people as you may easily come to the wrong conclusions but still useful to find as much as you can about how the medications you are taking could impact you.
 
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