• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Metformin woozy

C

CoastalK

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all - I’ve just gone from 1 x 500mg of metformin to 2 x 500 mg per day. My hba1c had increased to 62 :-( fasting tests had been in the high 8s but yesterday was 7.5 yay. But I’m feeling slightly sick and woozy. Sickness I get it but is the woozyness maybe because my sugars have dropped and body isn’t used to it? Anyone else had this?
 
Woozyness might be a side effect of another issue i.e. low B12 which can be caused by Metformin. Might be worth giving your practice a call and checking in with them on that specific point. They can do a test to see if your B12 levels are OK. Alternatively try a B12 supplement and see if that fixes the issue.
As I never went above 1x500mg per day and never had any side effects not sure if the woozyness is directly attributed to Metformin.
 
Most unlikely to be your 'body not being used to such low blood glucose' (aka a false hypo) - not at such a level as 7, anyway. Anyone ordinary has a fingerprick test BG level of between 4 and 7 and does not feel 'Hypo woozy' until the mid to low 3s.
 
JimmyBlue said:
Woozyness might be a side effect of another issue i.e. low B12 which can be caused by Metformin. Might be worth giving your practice a call and checking in with them on that specific point. They can do a test to see if your B12 levels are OK. Alternatively try a B12 supplement and see if that fixes the issue.
As I never went above 1x500mg per day and never had any side effects not sure if the woozyness is directly attributed to Metformin.
Click to expand...
Thank you - I had my B12 checked a couple of weeks ago and it was fine but I hadn’t started the new dose then. Feels like low B12 would take a bit longer than a couple of weeks to kick in so you think? I’ll give my nurse a call.
 
CoastalK said:
Thank you - I had my B12 checked a couple of weeks ago and it was fine but I hadn’t started the new dose then. Feels like low B12 would take a bit longer than a couple of weeks to kick in so you think? I’ll give my nurse a call.
Click to expand...
The effect of metformin on B12 would likely take much longer to have that impact.
The problem is that the symptoms of low blood glucose and high blood glucose can be very similar so having a home testing monitor can help distinguish between the two. It could just be your body needing to adjust to lower glucose level than it has been used to from the increased dose and dietary changes.
Keep well hydrated as well as that may help, but see what your nurse says.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top