Anyone else have this?

mellyhead · 05-10-2008, 08:17 PM

First, I'm sorry I'm asking SO many questions but I'm new this whole Met thing and trying to get through these first few weeks.
That said....has anyone else had their side effects slowly get worse during the day? I take my dose (still at 500 since I am only in week one) with breakfast and I feel fine. Then come 3 - 4 I start to feel yucky and then by 7-8 I feel downright sick. It seems that's when the headache, fatigue and nausea sets in. I'm getting nervous about upping the dose over the next two weeks. So, normal? or am I just weird?

Thanks much!
Mel

SunshineGirl47 · 05-10-2008, 08:25 PM

Hi Mel,

I've had really bad side effects w/ met previously, but my current doctor had a really good suggestion - take it at night before bed (or with your last meal - depending on how far apart they are) and then most of the symptoms would be during the night.

If you are having GI issues, try taking acidophillus with it (live cultures - can get from yogurt or just buy a pill), this has also helped me.

The only symptom I'm finding is fatigue, and that's definitely a pain that I haven't found solutions for.

AngelaGrace · 05-10-2008, 10:58 PM

Hi Mel & SunshineGirl,

Yep, my Dr. suggests taking Met in the middle of the biggest meal of the day. For me, that's dinner. (I hear towards the end of the day is best for most people anyway...) Then side effects are perhaps when I'm sleeping.

I just started week 2 of my Met, and I'm now on 1000mg. Next week I'll be on 1500mg.

Best wishes to you both!!

mellyhead · 05-10-2008, 11:33 PM

I've heard that I should take the met with the biggest meal of the day....how do you do this when you start increasing the dose? Do you take all 1500 at once?? I was told by me RE to take 500 in the AM week 1, then 500 in AM and 500 in PM for week 2 and the 500 AM in 1000 in PM for week three. I really want this to work because I've heard that the benefits outweigh the negatives. It's just hard (and I know I'm whining here and I apologize) to feel so icky and work full time, go to school part time and raise a toddler. I want to do is lay in bed!!!

SunshineGirl47 · 05-11-2008, 01:34 AM

melly - since you're still in week one maybe you should get your body more used to it by taking your only dose at night? Some doctors also recommend increasing much more slowly. I stayed in 500 for between 3 and 4 weeks. I'm now taking a 750 XR, so still only one pill (but a huge one!) that can be taken at night or in the evening. I actually don't take mine with food, but maybe I should - I don't have GI symptoms, just tired ones.

Somewhat Damaged · 05-11-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellyhead

First, I'm sorry I'm asking SO many questions but I'm new this whole Met thing and trying to get through these first few weeks.
That said....has anyone else had their side effects slowly get worse during the day? I take my dose (still at 500 since I am only in week one) with breakfast and I feel fine. Then come 3 - 4 I start to feel yucky and then by 7-8 I feel downright sick. It seems that's when the headache, fatigue and nausea sets in. I'm getting nervous about upping the dose over the next two weeks. So, normal? or am I just weird?

Thanks much!
Mel

This might be a silly question, but are you eating enough and often enough?

Melvin'sWifey · 05-11-2008, 09:14 PM

I'm now on 1500 dosage of Met but during my first month is was horrible. I always took one in the am, one with lunch, and one with dinner. I felt nauseaus pretty much 24/7 that whole first month, but the one thing I was greatful about, was that with each week that I upped my dosage, it never got worse. I still had the nausea and stuff, but it never got worse by upping my dose, so hopefully it won't with you either. Now being on it for almost 2 months, it doesn't affect me at all, and sometimes I just two at a time say if I forget in the morning, and I have no s/e at all.

mellyhead · 05-12-2008, 11:02 AM

Thanks for all the advice!! Could not eating enough really be effecting my nausea?

I'll be honest - I feel like I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy all over again!! Nauseaous, tired, a little crampy. But, I'm just going to tough it out. It hasn't been unbearable. Just kind of annoying...and making me grumpy =-).

LaLaRanger · 05-12-2008, 11:17 AM

Hi Melly,
I've just started Met last week myself. After ready the boards I started with just the 500mg dose at dinner, but this week I'm going to try and add a second dose. I'm a little worried, but with all of the helpful suggestions on here, it's worth a shot. I may have to do one dose a day for a few more weeks if the second dose becomes to difficult to handle, but I know the benefits are worth discomfort. Besides, I've already lost 4 lbs! (although I'm sure it's water weight...lol!)

SoSilly · 05-12-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellyhead

I'll be honest - I feel like I'm in my first trimester of pregnancy all over again!! Nauseaous, tired, a little crampy. But, I'm just going to tough it out. It hasn't been unbearable. Just kind of annoying...and making me grumpy =-).

That was me too. It only lasts about a week or so but it is definitely annoying. I have only taken the extended release so I dont know if it's worse with the regular kind. My advice to you is to keep on it. Make sure you keep taking it. I stopped for a few weeks.... mainly because I kept forgetting to take it, and recently started up again. I too felt like I was pregnant because I was constantly nauseous (if I so much as moved, I got nauseous again). I lived on Popsicles and soup for a few days because I just had no appetite but knew I had to eat something. I was also so achy, crampy and could have slept all day. It really sucked. Also for me, the gas pains in my shoulders/chest were awful. Had I not experienced that when I started taking the Met initially, I would have gone to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. It hurt so bad. Luckily that has now passed again so I'm not feeling as horrible (I was also recently dx'd with hypothyroidism so that could have had something to do with the fatigue but still). I hope you get to feeling better.

LoLo32382 · 05-12-2008, 01:17 PM

Melly, are you on regular Met or on Met XR? If you are on XR, many people do take it at night and that helps a lot. I was doing that with regular Met and my doc told me I need to take it in the morning or with meals since regular Met has a different half-life than the extended release.

Melvin'sWifey · 05-12-2008, 03:20 PM

Melly- Not eating enough COULD affect the nausea...but I ate plenty and still had nausea. Not enough nausea to like call in sick or throw up, but annoying nausea all day that just makes you feel like laying in bed. It'll pass, hang in there.

SandV · 05-12-2008, 03:41 PM

When the dr prescribed Met for me she told me to take it at night after my last meal. She suggested that I stay on that dosage until the side effects diminished. I continued on it for about 3 weeks at night, then added 1 in the morning which seemed to be OK. Depending on what I ate, the side effects were worse in the afternoon.

After my first AF on Met I chose to discontinue because the side effects during AF were unbareable while I had to work.

SunshineGirl47 · 05-12-2008, 07:10 PM

I'm still struggling with the tiredness... I seriously could live in bed. Unfortunately, it's the last week of school for me and I work full time (which pays for school if I do well enough) and so I have to power through.

The soreness in my shoulders is also a killer. I need a massage. I didn't realize this was part of the met - I'm glad you guys are here!

Anyone have any exercise / stretch suggestions that could help the shoulders?