Anyone else never, ever get used to Met???

skiboo · 08-19-2003, 02:14 AM

I have been on Metformin for many years now and my body has never, ever adjusted to it. I have done everything possible to lessen the side effects, but I seem to constantly have what my dh has termed "gluco-belly" as well as feeling nauseated. I think dh is a saint for putting up with my "gluco-farts" as they are excessively smelly. Even though I am supposed to do 4 500 mg pills per day, I often downsize my dose during the work week. I work as a reference librarian and as an Internet instructor.... some days I just can't go around passing gas like it is going out of style -- it is too obvious in a library.
My RE is insistent that I try to tolerate 2000 mg a day.... but I am tired of feeling sick from Met. He also says that approx. 5% of people never, ever adjust to Met no matter how long they are on it...I wasn't on Met for the last 6 weeks while I was recovering from surgery and just started back up again... I have been feeling vile for the last several days as I rev back up to my full dose... pure misery...
Anyone else like me????
Janie

quizzicalxx · 08-19-2003, 10:38 AM

skiboo,

Have you tried glucophage? Even though met is the generic of glucophage and they're supposed to be the same, I can't take the met. Here's my experience with it:

I had been taking glucophage for 2 years (with no problems after the first few weeks) and when met came out, I was automatically given it, since it's the generic of glucophage. As soon as I took 500 mg of metformin, I was sick with nausea. Since I realized that the nausea started at the same time my prescription changed from gluc to met, I asked my doctor if I could switch back to the glucophage and she gave me a new prescription. As soon as I switched back, all the bad symptoms went away. I realize that they're supposed to be the same thing, but the doc thinks something in either the filler or the coating of the met caused the stomach problems. Since I can take the gluc, she said she's willing to write the rpescription for "name brand only".

Maybe you could ask your dr. if you could try glucopahge and see if you can adjust to it.

quizzicalxx

~Sandra · 08-19-2003, 12:26 PM

I too have never adjusted to Met.
I’m on my third attempt at taking it right now and after a month have only been able to get up to 500mg/day. Like you I have tried everything under the sun from taking it with/without food, with milk, varying dose times, standing on my head while taking it…ok, not really, but it feels like it! I’m one of the lucky ones though in that even this small of a dose makes me feel better. On 500mg I have a regular period (28 days baby!), clear skin and controlled blood sugars. My weight is slowly but steadily going down and I have more energy. Maybe your dose is too high? I think that many docs push for that minimum 1500mg dose as that’s the lowest recommended dose for “most” people. We’ve just proven that we’re not like “most” people, right?
Also, watch your diet. I have always been a very healthy eater and make even more of an effort when I’m on the Met. I’ve started to keep a food journal so that maybe I can correlate the side effects with something I ate. Maybe.
I guess another option is to look into other drugs. Avandia or Actos might work for you. I was on Avandia for most of last year. I felt better on it but didn’t get the energy boost that I get from the Met. It does have the side effect of weight gain so that’s a problem for some people.

Anyways, enough of my rambling! I just wanted to let you know that you’re not alone.
Some people just don’t adjust. Posts like yours are why I get so upset when generalizations are made about these side effects. Don’t tell people that the side effects go away with time. Tell them that they go away for “most” people with time.

christyz · 08-19-2003, 01:17 PM

So sorry you're going through this...years is a long time to be patient, so I totally admire you for hanging in through it....I don't think i would have persevered as you have.

I took longer than most girls on the forum to lose my side effects (13 months). For me, I realized by default that it was a dietary thing. When I altered my diet to more moderate carbs, fats and sugars, it helped immensely. I still have the odd bout of side effects but it's much rarer. My case isn't the case for everybody, but could diet be contributing at all?

Met isn't a drug that automatically works for everyone. I hope you can make the decision that's right for you. Take Care.

ellialex · 08-19-2003, 04:08 PM

I too never got used to METFORMIN. For 6 months I was either sitting or kneeling over the toiliet. It took me only a week to adjust to Glucophage. Also diet is important too while taking Glucophage. Less refined carbs and sugars would not only help the side effects, but make the Glucophage/Metformin more effective.

skiboo · 08-19-2003, 07:59 PM

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply... glad to know that I am not alone in my intolerance for Met... the hints and tips were also very appreciated

I should have explained that I have been on both Met and Glucophage... I use the word Met to mean both Gluc and Met since it is the generic name. My RE keeps switching me back and forth between the 2 in an attempt to get me to tolerate one or the other better. Just this month he put me on Glucophage XR, but my nasty side effects still remain.

I try to eat a pretty healthy diet and have been low carbing for years. I am not a thin cyster... I am kind of a "medium" cyster. I am trying to lose about 40 pounds right now, but 25 pounds of that was gained during the clomid treatments and while recovering from my surgery.

I just wish my body would accept the Met/Gluc and let me live a life free of gluco-belly....

Do you think I can take all of my dose of Gluc XR before bed? All 2000 mg??? That seems like a heaping dose to take at bedtime...

Janie

christyz · 08-19-2003, 08:53 PM

Janie: If you're on XR, you can take it all at once. It's time-released to keep a steady stream in your blood for 24 hours, so go for it. I also tell anybody taking the meds before bed to make sure they eat a snack or something with it to keep their blood sugar from dropping too low during the longer fast at night.