Metformin - Dizzy/feint

[sweet tooth]

I'm newly diagnosed Type 2, and have been on Metformin for over two weeks.
However, each day I am feeling more dizzy. I wake feeling dizzy and it now last longer each day and have to take things easy or else I'm close to feinting.
Is this likely to wear off?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Pine Marten]

Hi @sweet tooth, did this start happening when you started taking Metformin? I haven't heard of that side effect (I took Metformin for a while) so I would talk to your GP about it.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I agree - talk to yr doc and to be on the safe side, I'd stop taking the Metformin until you've done that (no harm in stopping it for a while - interrupting the dosage shouldn't have a major short-term effect for BG).

Dizziness could be something to take seriously. This is an authoritative site: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a696005.html

If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking metformin and call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness, weakness, or discomfort; nausea; vomiting; stomach pain; decreased appetite; deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath; dizziness; lightheadedness; fast or slow heartbeat; flushing of the skin; muscle pain; or feeling cold, especially in your hands or feet.

 

[Grannylorraine]

I also agree talk to your doctor, just to be on the safe side. It is most likely nothing and just your body getting used to the Metformin, but get it checked out just to be sure.

 

[SB2015]

As others have said it would be worth you checking with your doctor.

It could be that the Metformin is starting to bring your glucose levels down and your body is complaining, as it has been happily feasting on a high glucose level for a while. Are you able to test your levels? Many people on here with T2 choose to self test, even thought they are not provided with a meter, so self fund. This enables them to see what impact certain foods have on their levels, and helps them make adjustments to the diet.

For those wishing to test, but not able to get strips prescribed, these are the cheapest option we have come across: SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50....

Let us know how you get on

 

[Drummer]

Is Metformin doing its usual thing with diarrhoea?
In this hot weather you could be dehydrated by that - losing electrolytes too.
I think you should get advice, but check you are drinking enough and add a little salt to something to see if that might help.

 

[lonepine27]

I'm newly diagnosed Type 2, and have been on Metformin for over two weeks.
However, each day I am feeling more dizzy. I wake feeling dizzy and it now last longer each day and have to take things easy or else I'm close to feinting.
Is this likely to wear off?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Responding to an old post in the event this helps anyone else. I too became dizzy after starting metformin. Stopped and started and the same thing happened. As it turns out metformin can cause B12 deficiency which can then cause iron anemia, which I had, albeit undiagnosed due to not testing prior to initiating metformin. Fatigue and lethargy was explained by doctor as a side effect of high blood sugar, and of course, menopause (an 'umbrella' diagnosis for women who have any malady i.e. "it's just menopause"). Anemia can falsely increase A1C. Something I had to research on my own. Doctor was not well-versed. In any event, continuing metformin if anemic can become dangerous as it lowers hemoglobin and thus, oxygen to the body/brain. If you have ever had anemia, or your grandmother/mother/father, etc. required B12 injections, make sure you have an extensive B12 and anemia panel (TIBC, etc.) run prior to starting or continuing metformin. You can be anemic with a high/normal ferritin since ferritin is also an inflammatory marker, which mine was (doctor, "it's high/normal because of blood sugar!"). Wrong. There have indeed been scientifically adjudicated reports of individuals under these circumstances - undiagnosed anemia - who kept taking metformin and ended up in critical care. It has taken 2 weeks after stopping metformin for the dizziness to abate. Metformin is an excellent and relatively safe medicine for most, certainly inexpensive, just not for those who are pre-disposed to anemia (genetic or otherwise). Truly believe docs have become a bit lazy about metformin since it is so widely used and cheap, therefore, formularies encourage prescribing it. I read my doctor the riot act for not prescribing properly i.e. testing for potential issues in advance.