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Side effects when increasing meds

R

Ramona4

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello
I was on 500mg MR metformin taken with evening meal.
Hba1c recently shot up to 80.
Told to increase by 500mg every 2 weeks to max 2000mg.
Was experiencing nausea and fuzzy head for 3 weeks before increase.
Was this due to high sugar levels?
Started increase 4 days ago and still got symptoms but had these side effects when I first started on metformin for a week or 2.
Will I continue to have these until I reach the max dose?
Taking 2 slow release at once at evening meal between 6 and 7 but seem to get really nauseous and weak about 5pm.
Should I try splitting the dose between morning and night?
Nausea and fuzziness preventing me doing anything much. Getting frightened to go out and about either walking or driving.
Really confused and anxious.
 
Sorry to hear about the nausea and fuzziness you are feeling @Ramona4

Nausea can be a side effect of Metformin, but I don’t read many on the forum who experience fuzziness?

www.nhs.uk

Side effects of metformin

NHS medicines information on side effects of metformin and what you can do to cope.
www.nhs.uk www.nhs.uk
 
Ramona4 said:
Hello
I was on 500mg MR metformin taken with evening meal.
Hba1c recently shot up to 80.
Told to increase by 500mg every 2 weeks to max 2000mg.
Was experiencing nausea and fuzzy head for 3 weeks before increase.
Was this due to high sugar levels?
Started increase 4 days ago and still got symptoms but had these side effects when I first started on metformin for a week or 2.
Will I continue to have these until I reach the max dose?
Taking 2 slow release at once at evening meal between 6 and 7 but seem to get really nauseous and weak about 5pm.
Should I try splitting the dose between morning and night?
Nausea and fuzziness preventing me doing anything much. Getting frightened to go out and about either walking or driving.
Really confused and anxious.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum
Your low dose of metformin would unlikely to have had much impact unless you also made some dietary changes in reducing carbohydrates in your diet but it sounds as if the metformin was already causing common side effects of nausea and stomach issues but the dizziness may well be because of high blood glucose.
Some people cannot tolerate more than the minimum dose but there are other medications that you could be prescribed instead. You should not have to tolerate symptoms which are making you feel unwell.
A chat with your diabetic nurse or GP should mean you can hopefully be prescribed a different medication.
In the meantime have a look at your diet as that could help you a lot in reducing your blood glucose. Have a look at this link for some ideas for modifying your diet and comparing it to what you are doing. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
 
@Ramona4 welcome to the forum. When were you diagnosed with Diabetes? You said your Hba1c recently shot up to 80. Were you already diabetic and was this a subsequent hba1c? Were you already on metformin then your doctor increased the dose? I started on SR metformin two weeks after my confirmatory second test for diabetes. I spent one week on one dose then upped it one tablet a week. However a few days after I had reached 4 tablets I was put on a SGLT2 and the metformin was reduced to 2 tablets. I take one with breakfast and one with lunch. If I skip breakfast I tend to take 2 with lunch so I don't risk forgetting with supper.
It affected my bowels. I started off being bunged up - didn't go for 8 days but then as dose increased I was definitely not bunged up.
I was not affected by dizziness. Do you check your BG? 80 is quite high. Have you altered your diet too quickly or the opposite still eating too much sugar and carbs.? Have you started too rigorous exercise?

I would suggest you check your BG using a meter. Maybe you have a friend who can use a new needle and do it or go to a pharmacy who will charge.

Ultimately you should discuss it with your doctor who will know if you have other conditions or medications which may have caused the dizziness.











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Hi @Ramona4 if your now taking the max dose
I’m sure It would be usual to take the 200mg - split equally between the morning and the evening
so 2x500mg at breakfast time
and the other 2 with your evening meal

Personally I’ve never had any real undesirable side effects from Metformin
and have now been taking it for over 30 years but I know some people get various side effects on Metformin, after all - we are all different

other meds in the past in my case did give me some side effects
so obviously I no longer take those, there are many different meds that can help those of us T2’s that need them, and many T2’s get everything under a good control with a lower carb healthy eating and more active lifestyle, obviously @Leadinglights has already popped up with some great advice on the freshwell scheme

Hope you find what’s best to help you
 
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