Bad Side Effect - Anyone Else?

MelonBerry · 05-13-2008, 10:43 PM

Hello Everyone… I was on Metformin for 3 weeks and experienced horrible diarrhea. My doctor put me on 2 (500 mg) pills twice a day (total of 2,000 mg daily). My doctor started me with just one pill a night at first to minimize initial side-effects. However, with taking the one pill I experienced horrible diarrhea every night. I was afraid to take my morning dose because I did not want diarrhea at work. I was never able to take more than the 1 pill.

Has anyone had this same problem? Is this normal? Does it get better? Any help would be great! I'm in the process of changing doctors, so I haven't been able to consult my doctor.

eeyore1978 · 05-13-2008, 10:52 PM

I have been on 1500mg of Met since mid-January and I take all 3 pills prior to going to bed at night. That being said, personally, my diahrrea has not improved at all. I spoke to my doctor the other day and he said that part of the continuing problem could be that I also have IBS with a tendancy toward diahrrea. Everyone is different, but so far, I still have to run to the bathroom SEVERAL times a day!!

MelonBerry · 05-14-2008, 12:03 AM

Thank you eeyore for the response... I do have IBS. However, after 10 years of suffering from IBS, I finally have been able to manage it fairly well. Once I got on Met though I have had diarrhea very bad. I hate to have my IBS act up again because it has taken me so long to get it under control.

Did you Dr. approve you taking the 3 pills all at once? I wonder if it would be bad to take 2,000 mg all at once or not.

Anyone take 2,000mg of Met at once?

LittleBitIzzy · 05-14-2008, 01:10 AM

I do, it's been ok for me so far, surprisingly. It took me awhile to get used to the 1500, so when it was bumped up to 2000 (four pills before bed) I thought for SURE I would have the diarrhea. I did however wake up the first few nights with awful stomach pain, but that has passed.
Your doctor really should have "weaned" you up to the 1500....get used to the 1000, then maybe go up? It might take awhile, I dunno...

MelonBerry · 05-14-2008, 01:17 AM

Thanks for the advice... I will try to talk to a doc (hopefully a new one soon) about the possibility of trying to take them all at night...

Can Met be used in combination with anti-diarrhea pills?

Mzsymb · 05-14-2008, 07:07 AM

I also had bad nausea and diarrhea from taking 1500 mg of Met. I'm now taking 2000 mg and it's not that bad. I think your body just has to get use to it. I first started taking only one pill 4x/day (I'd been off for a while) and gradually inched my way up to 1000 mg 2x/day (morning w/breakfast and night w/dinner) but never on an empty stomach. I also noticed more nausea when the pharmacy switches to different companies. Hope this helps!!

jewele76 · 05-14-2008, 06:58 PM

You should only take the full dailey dose if you are on XR version. Other wise you do need to split it up am to pm. As for me I have been off and on of Met for years and I always get the doo doo's when I start and increase my dose but it always goes away in about a week. HTH's =0)

MelonBerry · 05-14-2008, 08:18 PM

Thanks everyone! This helps a lot... Thanks for sharing!!!

mesha · 05-14-2008, 08:45 PM

Yes Melonberry,

Your dr should have you grdually increase your way up to that. I am supposed to be on 2000mg but my body can't tolerate it very well, so I am gradually increasing it like my dr told me.

Mesha

LittleBitIzzy · 05-14-2008, 09:02 PM

Jewele,
My doctor is the one that prescribed me to take all the pills before bed, and I am not on XR. I don't think there is a strict way to take it...just whatever works best for the patient.

scmjem · 05-15-2008, 04:52 PM

I am supposed to work my way up to 2000mg by the 4th week. I am still only on 500mg a day and it has not affected me at all but now I am scared.

carlos'mami · 05-17-2008, 04:19 PM

I recently started met again. I took it a few years ago to get pregnant and now I'm TTC again so I'm on it again. I should have stayed on it because my PCOS is getting worse. Anyway last time I adjusted to it more quickly but this time I'm not and the nausea and diarrhea is horrible! Hopefully I adjust to it soon because it's rough. I may switch to the XR soon.

ms_tara · 05-18-2008, 04:37 PM

I started out a year ago on 500 mg of regular met and had horrible diarrhea. I had to go off it for a while because of the side effects. I restarted it again this year and am on 1500 mg of XR and am doing much better.

Fried and/or highly processed food still gives me a problem so I have to stay away from that. I also take it at night and that's helped to reduce some of the GI problems. You should read up on how some of the other cysters have reduced their side effects and experiment. Stick with it! The benefits for me highly outweigh the downside.

YellowButterfly · 05-18-2008, 06:28 PM

When my Dr finally got me on it, she had me wait for two weeks before increasing the amount. I am now on two 750mgER pills before bed. I only have problems occasionally. I've been doing well. I know a friend who has to watch what she eats. She can't have pork, but I have no problems with it. I just keep track of what bothers me and avoid it.

Sweetface · 05-22-2008, 05:18 PM

On 1000 mgs I have diarrhea if I don't take it with food. I take XR and cannot imagine taking 2000 mgs without XR. I seem to tolerate better 1 pill 4x per day when I am up to 2000 mgs. First time on it, it was for 3 months. Second time on it 1 month. Now, I'm on my 3rd time and it's easier than the first two times, but I never really gave it too much of a chance for the symps to go away. I hate feeling nauseous and dizzy. We'll see what the benefits are long term.