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Metformin (slow release) is ruining me

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Sh1rin123

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Evening All
I wondered if any of you lovely people have any advice

Finally after 6 years of prediabetes I've been diagnosed as type 2.
Dr put me on metformin 500 x 2 a day slow release.
I have IBD and my stomach has been ruined since I started, yes I take with meals, not eating many cards, have a liquid diahorrea, today 5 times. The sheer uncomfortable feeling of this is making me feel I Don't want to take the meds and just stick to my plan of loosing 2 Stone via low carb to keep blood sugars stable.
Can anyone please advise if they had similar? How long did ot last?
Thanks
 
Sh1rin123 said:
Evening All
I wondered if any of you lovely people have any advice

Finally after 6 years of prediabetes I've been diagnosed as type 2.
Dr put me on metformin 500 x 2 a day slow release.
I have IBD and my stomach has been ruined since I started, yes I take with meals, not eating many cards, have a liquid diahorrea, today 5 times. The sheer uncomfortable feeling of this is making me feel I Don't want to take the meds and just stick to my plan of loosing 2 Stone via low carb to keep blood sugars stable.
Can anyone please advise if they had similar? How long did ot last?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum. You reaction to the metformin sounds horrendous, some people do have a bad reaction to even the slow release or can tolerate 1 tablet but not 2 and this can be exasperated if people have other stomach issues.
There are other medication that can help in reducing blood glucose if dietary measures alone are insufficient.
You need to tell your GP of your bad reaction but you could try dropping your dose to 1 or give it a rest and see if that helps until you can speak to your doctor. Of course it is always a holiday period when you need to speak to your GP.

What is your HbA1C as if not too high then dietary measures may be enough.
As far as losing weight then this link may help you with some ideas.
lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk
It has been a successful approach for many in losing weight and reducing blood glucose.
There is of course a low calorie or shakes-based regime but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable.
 
Hi and welcome

Sorry to hear you are having such a bad response to the Metformin slow release. Some people seem to react to the coatings and/or binding agents used in some Metformin tablets and cope better with a different brand, so that might be something to enquire about. You could also cut back to just 1 tablet for a week and see if your body will cope better with a lower dose before increasing it back up to 2

Is your HbA1c sufficiently high to warrant medication? Do you know the actual results?
I suppose your doctor might say that you have had 6 years to do something about the prediabetes and it has still progressed, so maybe they feel medication is necessary but it is no good if that medication is making you unwell in other ways, and clearly impacting your quality of life when you need to be near to a toilet at short notice.

Only you know how committed you are to making lifestyle changes but I think I would be going back to the GP if these side effects persisted beyond a week... or perhaps discuss a lower initial dose and see how your body copes with that or a change of brand.
 
Hi, thank you for your replies, The Hba1c jumped from 44 to 76in 6 months, I do struggle to lose weight, I know low carb works but due to the IBD and resulting haemmaroid issues I've always put my (butt) health over the diet. Having had to go private for an emergency heamarroidectomy this year and the memory of the pain! Today I feel truly stuck. My haemmaroids are inflamed, I'm loathe to do anything to make this worse.
Feel v depressed. Cholesterol is 7, BP is high, it seems a rock and hard place between the meds and the need to protect my haemmaroid issues. Will see Dr next week but won't take the metformin, it's been ghastly
 
Leadinglights said:
Welcome to the forum. You reaction to the metformin sounds horrendous, some people do have a bad reaction to even the slow release or can tolerate 1 tablet but not 2 and this can be exasperated if people have other stomach issues.
There are other medication that can help in reducing blood glucose if dietary measures alone are insufficient.
You need to tell your GP of your bad reaction but you could try dropping your dose to 1 or give it a rest and see if that helps until you can speak to your doctor. Of course it is always a holiday period when you need to speak to your GP.

What is your HbA1C as if not too high then dietary measures may be enough.
As far as losing weight then this link may help you with some ideas.
lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk

Freshwell Low Carb Project - Home

lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk
It has been a successful approach for many in losing weight and reducing blood glucose.
There is of course a low calorie or shakes-based regime but whatever you choose has to be enjoyable otherwise it will not be sustainable.
Click to expand...
 
@Leadinglights my weight fluctuations meant the blood sugars stayed in a range. Even till April Hbac was 44, then following a bereavement.. it all went haywire. I do admit to leading an unhealthy lifestyle but as I'm only 46 I know I have to change. I don't know of the most recent Hbac of 75 is high enough to warrant medication. Suspect that once I stop drinking as much as I have been and eat right I may swing the pendulum back again? I'm just feeling so dreadful right now.
 
Your HbA1C is high enough to warrant medication but it does not have to be metformin, other oral meds are available.
Many do find a low carb diet helps with the symptoms of IBD and IBS and also can reduce cholesterol.
You may find the book or app Carbs and Cals helpful in making better food choices as it gives carb values of various portions of a whole range of foods and meals.
Could it be that you are anaemic due to the haemorrhoids if so that can affect your HbA1C result.
 
I found that my bowel health improved enormously on a low carb diet, although I do make sure to include a soluble fibre supplement, which also helps with cholesterol.

I know it is really hard after a bereavement to look after yourself and I am sure most of us want to comfort eat/drink, but it sounds like you are at the point where you realize you need to take steps to look after your own health now.
Unfortunately an HbA1c of 76 is at a level where medication would be recommended but there are quite a few members here who have brought their levels down from that level and higher through dietary changes, but you do need to be committed to making those changes.
 
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