Has anyone been prescribed or taking metformin? Do you have side effects?

[mfcorey1]

it seems most of my friends are being told they need to take this drug that is under scrutiny.

[stopbush]

1. I took two doses and had blood in my urine. Stopped taking it immediately.

[Demonaut]

2. for diabetes?

[xmas74]

3. Gas pain

And diarrhea if I have too many carbs. I'm insulin resistant.

[DavidDvorkin]

4. My wife takes it; no side effects

Her older sister has been taking it for years. No side effects.

[mac56]

5. Me.

It gave me explosive, hair trigger diarrhea.

[OregonBlue]

6. My mom took it for years and did well on it. Lost quite a bit of weight which she loved.

[moonscape]

7. It's a drug with long positive

track record. The gastric side effects usually are a result of not titrating the dose or not taling the extended release version.

[dumbcat]

8. I've been taking it over 10 years

850 mg tablet twice a day. No side effects I notice. Works well to control my type 2 diabetes.

[phylny]

9. I'm prediabetic. I've been using it for months with no ill effects.

[sarisataka]

10. Wife takes it

She had to ramp up slowly to her full dose. Too much at once caused pretty severe stomach upset.

We just talked to her doctor about it. She indicated it is a unique drug for diabetic patients, nothing else really has the same effects for insulin sensitivity.

[DanieRains]

11. Stopped Taking It Diabetes Gone Keto Diet

Keto and walking at night.

A1c now under 7 with no pills.

PHARMA hates that.

[onecaliberal]

28. My husband had a stroke. After hospital stay, put him on almost KETO. It's been 3 years

His A1c is normal. 5.2 No pills or insulin.

[Maru Kitteh]

31. Oh Jeebus. Metformin is very old and cheap. "Pharma" is not a monolith. Humans

work there, the greatest majority of them having entered the field motivated by the suffering of a family member or dear friend. They don't "hate" people for being well. That's just lackadaisical, incurious statement that's very trendy right now.

Before "keto" was trendy as well, a carb-restricted diet focused on veggies and protein and low glycemic-index foods was called . . . . wait for it . . . . a diabetic diet! Physicians have always been instructed to advise diabetic diet and exercise as a first-line treatment, though admittedly many physicians, particularly older ones often fall short and do have a tendency to start with metformin and a short, unhelpful talk about getting some exercise and watching what you eat instead. But I digress . . .

Congratulations on controlling your diabetes with diabetic diet and exercise! That is truly an accomplishment you should be proud of as it is a feat much easier said than done, as many would attest. Best wishes for your continued good health.

[Aristus]

36. Medication-bashing is popular among the kale-and-I-wash-my-hands-a-lot crowd.

When it comes to my patients with diabetes, conservative management, with as few medications as possible at the lowest effective dose, is always the goal. But until my patients reach that goal, I treat with metformin whenever it's appropriate. Treatment-naïve patients can have some diarrhea in the initial stages, but this usually abates, and then they tolerate treatment very well.

Lot of concern-trolling in this thread. I'm grateful for those speaking up in support of the standard of care. I'm hoping it will quell the trolls.

[xmas74]

40. I'm insulin resistant and started it a month ago.

It's been trial and error on meals with it and times but I'm learning. It's forcing me to reevaluate what I'm eating or else I could have some upset-and that's a good thing.

As to price I've spent more on an antibiotic script.

[xmas74]

39. Metformin is on the $4.00 list at Walmart.

Between that and my D3 I spent around $10 at Walgreens. Walgreens even told me not to use my insurance card since the store price is cheaper.

[Ms. Toad]

43. The diabetic diet is NOT suitable for controlling diabetes, as a general rule.

It is the diabetes specialists' toss-hands-in-the-air recognition of the fact that they are discouaged by their efforts to get people to control diabetes by diet, and are giving up.

Their stated goal is diabetic-normal, not actual normal.

With a tightly carb-controlled diet (not necessarily keto) it is possible to achieve true normal. BUT doing so often triggers alarm from medical care providers and diabetes specialists - so many of us have to hide what we are doing. (Fortunately I'm not one of them) It is a very dangerous scenario in which diabetics are in something close to remission - but unable to share freely with their doctors about how they managed it.

The glycemic index is bunk (at least as far as how my body works). The only two significant variants in my 21 carbs in a 2-hour period is that (1) alcohol shuts down the sugar factor, so until it is out of my system I can consume more carbs with a lower impact and (2) fibers do no increase my blood glucose so I can count carbs, less fiber.

[Gothmog]

12. I have been taking this medication for years

There are occasional incidents of diarrhea but otherwise no problems. My AIC was 6.5 last month

[BannonsLiver]

13. It threw my wife's liver enzymes out of whack

It worked for what it was prescribed for but she can no longer take it because of that. No previous liver problems either.

[Drahthaardogs]

14. I had a doctor who said he thought everyone should take

Metformin and a low level statin startimg at 30 and cardiobascular dosease would almost cease to exist.

[nykym]

15. I had been taking

Metformin a while back, i started to get a rash on my abdomen itched like all hell.
Stopped taking it as my primary's group left my insurance provider.
Now with a new doc i'm on Rosuvastatin 5mg smaller irritation on abdomen with a little itching but bearable. Going to doc on Friday and will discuss.

[COLGATE4]

16. One 500mg tablet a day

No side effects whatsoever

[UTUSN]

17. 2 850mg per day. No noticeable anythings.

[BSdetect]

18. I take it once daily with evening food. No effects I can detect.

Stopped taking aspirin and my acid reflux went away.

Taking 500 mg metformin.

Also insulin.

For years I exercised daily (25 years) to burn off 700 calories combined with diet. Managed to keep off insulin till about 10 years ago.

Now I use insulin and diet.

Now vegan for 7 weeks.

Seem to be losing weight slowly.

[Hekate]

19. No side effects here, but my dose is once a day...

My doc says others are on 4X a day. Blood sugar stable for several years now.

It's being prescribed as widely as you've observed because diabetes is a national epidemic thanks to our obesity epidemic. I was shocked when I visited my city of origin and saw dialysis clinics one after another -- kidney failure is a direct consequence of diabetes.

I didn't know metformin was under scrutiny.

[Greybnk48]

20. 1000 mg a day for 10+ years.

I take the control release, but even so, if I take my pills too close together within a 24 hour period I have lower G.I. issues. Not a little, but the kind that causes a costume change.

I used to take 2000 mg., but went low carb and got my dosage cut in half due to the aforementioned most common side-effect, diarrhea.

FYI: I recently (tried to) read a medical white paper that discussed metformin and it's usage in reversing(!) M.S., but it was in the middle stages of research and neither my daughter nor I could understand the neurophysiological jargon. She has M.S. and was going to show her doc to get more info.

[kskiska]

21. 500 mg a day for the past 10 years.

No side effects whatsoever. A1C 6.5.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. My wife takes the XR

She does ok on it as long as she doesn't take more than one at a time. She has severe digestive issues if she does.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. It got my A1c, fasting and postprandial numbers all under control. No ill side effects here.

My mom was nearly half Indigenous Mexican, so diabetes is a thing in my family, for sure.

[Shrike47]

24. On metformin 10 plus years for type II. A little diarrhea if I eat excess fats. A1c 5.9. Love it.

[spinbaby]

25. No issues

Been taking one extended release—I forget the dosage—with my first meal of the day for years.

[lynintenn]

26. Metformin XL causes less gas and diarrhea.

Been taking it for 7 years for pre-diabetes.

[Eugene]

27. Taking it for a year. An occasional upset stomach has been the only side effect.

That was mostly in the early months.

2000 mg/day for type 2 diabetes.

[meow2u3]

29. I take 1000 mg 2x per day

I got wind of the possible cancerous side effects. I'll have to take this up with my doctor.

[TheBlackAdder]

30. I went on Keto-16 with Intermittent Fasting. Lost 75lbs, BP and sugars normal, fatty liver repaired.

.

I was insulin resistant and was hypertensive crisis. I either needed medical or a lifestyle change.

I opted to go on Keto, which after two weeks I've lost most desire to snack and after a month, really no desire to eat. I was insulin resistant, which is evident if you have belly fat. I had a host of issues, including high ocular pressure, high sugars, high BP, a fatty liver confirmed by an ultrasound.

I started taking Resveratrol 500mg and that dropped by BP numbers from 180/160 to 160/140 within 20 minutes. Then started Keto, after a few days the keto flu kicked in for two days, where I felt like the flu was setting in. That's the body's signal that you are changing from a carb-based diet to a fat & protein one. I kept my carbs under 16 grams to ensure I would stay in ketosis. Sure, I popped out a few times, but when you are in ketosis for a while, short cheats do not impact this, only if you cheat for a whole day--so I didn't deprive myself of a piece of candy, small fruit or dark chocolate.

After 6 months, I went from 247lbs to 177lbs, wearing XXL to L (fitted). Instead of baggy denim jeans, I'm now wearing size 34 skinny jeans. All of my numbers are back to normal and my visceral fat is now 7 which is comfortably in the normal range.

If you reduce your carbs, you reduce insulin. The liver can repair itself if cirrhosis is not too far along. The pancreas and kidneys are now being shown to repair itself, even if you are Type-2. But, you'll need to be on Keto and fast for over 18 hours a day, which is what I do daily. I eat dinner and then coffee in the morning as an appetite suppressant and that carried me until 2PM. Even if you are Type-1, while your pancreas won't fix itself, you reduce the insulin needed, because you are not eating the carbs that drive insulin demands.

Check out the YouTube videos by Dr Sten Ekberg.

.

[Maru Kitteh]

34. Those BP numbers have an extremely narrow pulse pressure. Incompatible with life

kind of narrow, and the diastolic was really, really high. Glad you are doing better.

[TheBlackAdder]

35. Thanks, Maru. I provide guidance for a few locals who are Type-2 and a former co-worker who's Type-1

.

The progress with their lives is amazing. Similar to mine, except I was just pre-diabetic.

Folks who know me, knew I was fighting dieting for over a decade with frustration. This change came without any physical exercise. I am now exercising, but when I was overweight, I found that hip, knee, foot or back injuries would often follow any exercise regime because I was essentially carrying around a military field pack on my body. I lost it all while working my desk job. Exercise only contributes to 10% of your weight loss, the rest is dietary. But, as long as you are on a barb diet, you'll always have hunger pangs and it will be a battle. There are no hunger pangs with keto.

.

[NewDayOranges]

32. I've been taking Metformin about 15 years...

I forgot once to get it refilled on time and had to go without for about 5 days and I never got a BG reading below 200 during that time.

Other than coping with loose stools when I take Met on an empty stomach in the mornings, I have had no side effects yet...

[Jane Austin]

33. Metformin has been in use for more than 90 years.

It sure keeps my A1C numbers under control.

I also intermittently fast (14/10) and exercise aerobically on a seated stepper for at least 30 minutes a day.

I haven't lost much weight, unfortunately.

[mahina]

37. To read abstracts of the reasearch google

Pubmed metformin.

It’s your database and easy to read.

[Patterson]

38. It can cause depletion of B12.

[Pathwalker]

41. Oh boy, and how! Chronic Diarrhea so bad I had to stop it.

Second Gastroenterologist I saw ordered me to stop, as it was slowly killing me. I am now on Januvia, much more expensive, and am slowly coming back. He declared it the number one medication that causes severe diarrhea, and the number one drug that causes diabetics to stop taking their medication.

[LisaL]

42. Under scrutiny for what?

It's not a new drug, been around for many years.

[Dorian Gray]

44. Biggest side effect (as you're getting used to it)

is diarrhea/upset stomach. But that passes eventually. It's a great drug. Studies have been done on it showing that it have health benefits for a lot of people/