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Metformin and Nausea

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A

aouaj04

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Good morning

I was newly diagnosed last June - but have been diet only.

I am under weight management to lose weight and the consultant advised I go on Metformin. He wants me on 2000mg a day...(starting on 500mg with a gradual weekly increase to 2000mg)

I started 500mg on the 6th of this month and I noticed I felt very sick on a short journey home in my friend's car a couple of days later. I felt like I was very low in sugar and as soon as I got home I had to have a biscuit to feel better. I don't go out very much unless I have to as I have agoraphobia. I had skipped lunch however.

Two days ago I increased my dose to 1000mg and yesterday I was coming home from a hospital visit (about a 3 minute journey) and again had the same nausea and shaking I hadn't had lunch again because I was going to have it when I got home.

I was in the bath this morning (about 5:30) and again got the nausea and this time was sick a little bit.

I am not sure if it is coincidence or if the metformin could be causing it...I know it is a side effect but wonder why it is a problem in cars. I am just concerned how I am going to be when I increase to the full dose.

I am due to go in a taxi to get weighed today and really nervous about feeling sick - I will eat something before I travel to see if that makes a difference.

I also wonder will missing a meal why taking metformin cause this?(I don't miss altogether but sometimes dont have them at the right time if I am not home) I never had this problem prior to taking it. My blood sugar count which was taken in December (sorry don't remember the correct term) was 51. I have done well with my diet losing 16 pounds in 4 weeks and wonder if the diet is reducing my blood sugars naturally and maybe combining with the Metforming may be lowering it too much. I don't have a testing machine to know what is the cause. Sorry for long post, but really new to all this.
 
Because Metformin enables your body to use your own insulin more efficiently, it is possible that the symptoms of feeling 'low in sugar' are brought on by your body THINKING that your blood glucose is dangerously low when it actually isn't. All it is, is a bit less than it has been for a while. So, the body then needs to get used to it being a bit lower, and that might happen each time you increase the dose until you get your BG where it should be and get it to stay at the correct level.

Likewise 'gastric' side effects are quite common when starting metformin and each time the dose is increased - but again these wear off after a little while.

Once you've got up to the full dose and your tum's got over the final increase it's perfectly possible the sickness will just cease - at any stage if it doesn't cease - then you need to see your GP asap because there are different tablets to be had.

I think you're doing the right things about the taxi journey - and take plenty of tissues plus a polythene bag in your handbag 'just in case' - I've always found if I take sensible precautions I've most often not needed them but if I think 'perhaps I ought to' and then don't - I do!
 
Thank you so much for your reply Jenny. That is great advice and you are probably right - I am just adjusting to the meds. I will give it as you said until I get on to the full dose and then see how I am after a couple of weeks. I had a slice of toast before I went to my weigh in today and I must admit I wasn't sickly at all going, I was just a bit nauseous coming home but I was almost home when the nausea came on - so wasn't so bad.

Kind regards

Jane
 
I was very ill taking just one tablet of Metformin and Atorvastatin - I lasted five weeks and binned them. Life was not worth living.
Once my blood glucose was normal I lost weight without any effort - I did not even notice until my clothes began sliding south.
If you are eating a low carb diet then that can result in weightloss, but I think that the Metformin just makes people feel so unwell they don't, or daren't eat.
 
Thank you so much Drummer - I am hoping that I manage on them but at the same time if I can manage to lose the weight (lost another 3 pounds this week - 19 in total since 12th Jan) without them and they do continue to make me feel sick - I am going to tell them I want to stop taking them. I will give it a bit longer though.
 
I’m also on Metformin and I agree with @trophywench, if your body is used to high glucose levels, then lowering those levels does make you feel ‘hypo’ - I’ve felt it the last week or so (am on very low calorie diet) but it was simply my body thinking I was low, when in fact I was normal.

Also, always take the Metformin on a full stomach to help ease any symptoms.
 
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