post your tips on dealing with gluc/met side effects

peppermint tea · 12-20-2002, 01:49 AM

let's post all the tips here and make it a sticky for easy reference.

i'll start. i just started gluc xr on 12/18/02, so i'm still seeing what effect it will have on me. so far it's just some gas & bloating. but, it's not too bad.

for g.i. problems:
-taking 2 big spoonful of plain yogurt a day(i take this for mild ibs and it helps, so, i think it'll fit here)
-ginger(fresh or capsules) is really good for g.i. problems(i blend several fresh slices in my morning smoothie.)
-chamomile tea, also very good for g.i. prob.(i found this in my research, but i've not tried it)

note: ginger & chamomile are herbs. from my research, i didn't find them to interact badly with gluc/met. you may want to do your own research, especially if you take other meds. check out this site for herb/drug interaction. http://www.everybody.co.nz/otc/herbals.html

for those taking gluc xr:
-take it with evening meal or before bed time so you may be able sleep through some of the side effects

tips in general:
-no greasy/high fat foods or alcohol

hunterli · 12-20-2002, 06:56 AM

when your whole inside feels like a volcano erupting.......one alka-seltzer tablet works miracles for me.

Lis

Mera · 12-20-2002, 10:56 AM

After 4 years on regular Met, here is what I have learned:

1) Try to take your pills at the same time every day
2) Take your pills with food
3) Try to not consume a lot of greasy/sugary foods
4) Keep hydrated - it just seems to lessen the effects

Good luck!

Summer-girl · 12-20-2002, 12:13 PM

My advice:

1) Increase your dose slowly
2) Don't be too far from a bathroom in the early days
3) Take with a substantial meal
4) Avoid fatty foods and carbs
5) Drink lots of water
6) Cut back on alcohol...a drink or two is ok, but make sure you follow it up with lots of water!
7) Ask your Dr if you can switch from the regular to the xr (or vice versa) most cysters suffer less side effects on the xr, but you may just have a problem with the binders and fillers*

* My Dr would not allow me to switch from the regular to the xr. His position was that the studies are not there yet for treating pcos with the xr, so he wanted to stick with what he KNOWS works!

peppermint tea · 12-21-2002, 04:40 PM

thanks, cysters. keep those tips coming. mods, let's make this a sticky for easy reference.

sanctuary1999 · 12-21-2002, 05:52 PM

My perscription(500mg's)
tells me to take at dinner, does that really matter?

My dinner's vary from 5-9 pm.

peppermint tea · 12-27-2002, 07:07 PM

you should take it at the same time daily. drink some milk with it if you're not having a meal at the time or have some food, so you're not taking it on an empty stomach.

StaciM · 12-27-2002, 09:59 PM

1.) Chewable Immodium AD was my best friend for awhile.

2.) Upping the roughage in my diet helped tremendously. When my diarrhea got/gets bad, then I eat extra fiber. I usually go for the All Bran Extra Fiber to eat once a day. Some women even use Metamucill.

3.) Avoid Salads at night!

I'll add more as I think of them.

peppermint tea · 01-01-2003, 02:41 PM

betsi78 · 01-05-2003, 01:45 PM

Hello, in april 2001 I started on Glucopage XR (1,000mg 1st week,then increased to 1,500,then by October 2000mg), by September I've lost 30lbs, tetosterone levels decreased, which it's good but AF came only 2 times and last between 40 to 45 days each one.

By august I had a CBC and it showed that I have High Platelets, not only that, also it showed that the AST(SGOT) and ALT(SGPT) (liver function) is high as well, does these abnormal results have anything related to GLugophage.
Now I'm off Glucophage XR, I'm still waiting to see an especialist and find out what's going with my liver functions.

At this point I'm very dissapointed and my last AF last 42 days, tomorrow I'll see my new primary physician ( the previous one) closed her practice) which it delayed my visit to a an especialist.I hope that the damages in my liver are not as bad as I think.

Does anyone have experience this? will herbs and natural medicine could be my next step? .
Any comments or similar experiences will be greatly appreciated,I hope that I could still have hope to continue taking care of PCOS without having side effects.

Thanks,

Betsi

santa'sbaby · 01-05-2003, 02:47 PM

Although it is high in carbs and I don't recommend it everyday. I usually find a single serving of plain rice (white or brown) will help with the bowel problems while on Metformin. Once every other day worked for me.

Once I was 3 weeks or better on the Metformin the symptoms lessened. Now unless I have a greasy or sugary meal or snack I am generally OK.

Ms_Peaches_01 · 01-05-2003, 03:44 PM

Today is my second day on met and last night I was as sick as a dog. I tossed, turned, and sweated all night but am glad I have some tips now for dealing with it.

Thanks Cysters

peppermint tea · 01-05-2003, 03:58 PM

kat,

thanks for making this thread a sticky.

peppermint tea · 01-05-2003, 04:14 PM

bitsi,

yes, gluc can alter liver function. there's an herb called milk thistle that may be able to restore normal liver function. do a search in the alt. remedy board for a thread started by mickin. i believe she had lactic acidosis caused by met. she talked about the herb normalizing her liver function.

also, if you can't take gluc, you may want to ask your dr. about other insulin sensitizing meds. good luck.

betsi78 · 01-05-2003, 04:29 PM

Thanks peppermint,now I feel that I'm not alone!

For those who need relief while taking glucophage and/or metformin I tried these teas and I felt much better ( I'm not advising to do it but I just want to share my experience while I was on Glucophage XR):

* Caraway seeds: soothes the digestive tract, relieving colic, cramps, and flatulence.
*Aniseed--Pimpinella anisum: useful for digestive complaints, such as gas, bloating, colic, nausea.

*Allspice--Pimento officinalis:Similar to cloves, both are stomach-settling, stimulating, antiseptic, useful for flatulence, diarrhea, and indigestion
*Cloves: Good for bloating

I used to boil water then mix caraway seeds,cloves and a pinch of nutmeg, and it worked!!! it was good for me,some of my friends tried too so I guess is good for bloating,flatulence,colics etc..

Betsi

12-20-2002, 01:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	post your tips on dealing with gluc/met side effects let's post all the tips here and make it a sticky for easy reference. i'll start. i just started gluc xr on 12/18/02, so i'm still seeing what effect it will have on me. so far it's just some gas & bloating. but, it's not too bad. for g.i. problems: -taking 2 big spoonful of plain yogurt a day(i take this for mild ibs and it helps, so, i think it'll fit here) -ginger(fresh or capsules) is really good for g.i. problems(i blend several fresh slices in my morning smoothie.) -chamomile tea, also very good for g.i. prob.(i found this in my research, but i've not tried it) note: ginger & chamomile are herbs. from my research, i didn't find them to interact badly with gluc/met. you may want to do your own research, especially if you take other meds. check out this site for herb/drug interaction. http://www.everybody.co.nz/otc/herbals.html for those taking gluc xr: -take it with evening meal or before bed time so you may be able sleep through some of the side effects tips in general: -no greasy/high fat foods or alcohol __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

12-20-2002, 10:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mera I love being Geneva's mom Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,048 My Mood: Points: 332.31 Bank: 3,429.36 Total Points: 3,761.67 Donate	After 4 years on regular Met, here is what I have learned: 1) Try to take your pills at the same time every day 2) Take your pills with food 3) Try to not consume a lot of greasy/sugary foods 4) Keep hydrated - it just seems to lessen the effects Good luck! __________________ Me 41 & DH 40 Lost our little hobbit ~Clare Naomi~ 10 wks D&C 1/13/04 Lost our little pumpkin seed ~Patrick~ 9 wks D&C 4/28/05 BFP 7/29/05 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Lost our little twin ~Baby B~ @ 8 wks & empty triplet sac 8/05 Our little miracle, Geneva Louise To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-20-2002, 12:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
Summer-girl Girlie Mama! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 2,487 Points: 606.83 Bank: 13,281.20 Total Points: 13,888.03 Donate	My advice: 1) Increase your dose slowly 2) Don't be too far from a bathroom in the early days 3) Take with a substantial meal 4) Avoid fatty foods and carbs 5) Drink lots of water 6) Cut back on alcohol...a drink or two is ok, but make sure you follow it up with lots of water! 7) Ask your Dr if you can switch from the regular to the xr (or vice versa) most cysters suffer less side effects on the xr, but you may just have a problem with the binders and fillers* * My Dr would not allow me to switch from the regular to the xr. His position was that the studies are not there yet for treating pcos with the xr, so he wanted to stick with what he KNOWS works! __________________ Ginger (34) Mark (39) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. google_ad_section_end -->

12-21-2002, 04:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	thanks, cysters. keep those tips coming. mods, let's make this a sticky for easy reference. __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

12-21-2002, 05:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
sanctuary1999 Body, Mind and SoulCyster Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Jax, FL Posts: 102 Points: 1,829.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 1,829.00 Donate	That's Great Info! My perscription(500mg's) tells me to take at dinner, does that really matter? My dinner's vary from 5-9 pm.

12-20-2002, 06:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
hunterli Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London, England Posts: 1,406 Points: 1,553.22 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 1,553.22 Donate	when your whole inside feels like a volcano erupting.......one alka-seltzer tablet works miracles for me. Lis

12-27-2002, 07:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	you should take it at the same time daily. drink some milk with it if you're not having a meal at the time or have some food, so you're not taking it on an empty stomach. __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

12-27-2002, 09:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
StaciM PCOS Warhorse Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 285 Points: 345.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 345.00 Donate	1.) Chewable Immodium AD was my best friend for awhile. 2.) Upping the roughage in my diet helped tremendously. When my diarrhea got/gets bad, then I eat extra fiber. I usually go for the All Bran Extra Fiber to eat once a day. Some women even use Metamucill. 3.) Avoid Salads at night! I'll add more as I think of them.

01-01-2003, 02:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	bump __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

01-05-2003, 01:45 PM	#10 (permalink)
betsi78 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Viera,Florida (please any cyster living in Brevard county, please contact me!!) Posts: 8 Points: 78.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 78.00 Donate	side effects Hello, in april 2001 I started on Glucopage XR (1,000mg 1st week,then increased to 1,500,then by October 2000mg), by September I've lost 30lbs, tetosterone levels decreased, which it's good but AF came only 2 times and last between 40 to 45 days each one. By august I had a CBC and it showed that I have High Platelets, not only that, also it showed that the AST(SGOT) and ALT(SGPT) (liver function) is high as well, does these abnormal results have anything related to GLugophage. Now I'm off Glucophage XR, I'm still waiting to see an especialist and find out what's going with my liver functions. At this point I'm very dissapointed and my last AF last 42 days, tomorrow I'll see my new primary physician ( the previous one) closed her practice) which it delayed my visit to a an especialist.I hope that the damages in my liver are not as bad as I think. Does anyone have experience this? will herbs and natural medicine could be my next step? . Any comments or similar experiences will be greatly appreciated,I hope that I could still have hope to continue taking care of PCOS without having side effects. Thanks, Betsi __________________ I'm 24 DH 37 I was DX when I was 14 years old Married for 5 years TTC # 1 Glucophage april 2002 until october (it damaged my liver functions) Now taking vitex,dong quai,red raspberry,saw palmetto,flax seed

01-05-2003, 02:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
santa'sbaby A new day......... Join Date: May 2002 Location: Canada Eh? Posts: 925 Points: 53,580.15 Bank: 5,533.84 Total Points: 59,113.99 Donate	Good Thread!! Although it is high in carbs and I don't recommend it everyday. I usually find a single serving of plain rice (white or brown) will help with the bowel problems while on Metformin. Once every other day worked for me. Once I was 3 weeks or better on the Metformin the symptoms lessened. Now unless I have a greasy or sugary meal or snack I am generally OK. __________________ Me 35, DH 52. DSS 22, DD 15 150mg of Effexor Hysterectomy on Jan 17, 2006 Going back on Meds June 1st to treat PCOS symptoms though ovaries are gone. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mod for Depression and Diet and Exercise Buddies. Check out my new message board for Traditional Christian Women To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-05-2003, 03:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ms_Peaches_01 SoulCyster from NC Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 340 My Mood: Points: 6,213.79 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 6,213.79 Donate	Thanks for the tips Today is my second day on met and last night I was as sick as a dog. I tossed, turned, and sweated all night but am glad I have some tips now for dealing with it. Thanks Cysters __________________ Hyponidd Vitex

01-05-2003, 03:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	kat, thanks for making this thread a sticky. __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

01-05-2003, 04:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
peppermint tea 3 monkeys in 2004 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: state of mind Posts: 271 Points: 45,894.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 45,894.00 Donate	bitsi, yes, gluc can alter liver function. there's an herb called milk thistle that may be able to restore normal liver function. do a search in the alt. remedy board for a thread started by mickin. i believe she had lactic acidosis caused by met. she talked about the herb normalizing her liver function. also, if you can't take gluc, you may want to ask your dr. about other insulin sensitizing meds. good luck. __________________ peppermint tea ttc since 12/99 lost my precious baby in may, 2001 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. started glucophage xr 12/18/02 taking 1500 mg as of 12/20/02 5/13/03 actos 15 mg & met 500 mg 5/17 increased met to 1000 mg 6/6 increased met to 1500 mg 6/12 increased actos to 30 mg 7/11 reduced actos to 15 mg due to swelling reduced met to 1000 mg due to severe diarrhea rx meds: met & actos 9/5/03 i ovulated for the 2nd time in my life. wow!!! new cycle 9/21 nettle infusion, almond, brewer's yeast, flax seed, standardized black cohosh knowledge is potential power.

01-05-2003, 04:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
betsi78 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Viera,Florida (please any cyster living in Brevard county, please contact me!!) Posts: 8 Points: 78.00 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 78.00 Donate	thanks a lot! Thanks peppermint,now I feel that I'm not alone! For those who need relief while taking glucophage and/or metformin I tried these teas and I felt much better ( I'm not advising to do it but I just want to share my experience while I was on Glucophage XR): * Caraway seeds: soothes the digestive tract, relieving colic, cramps, and flatulence. Aniseed--Pimpinella anisum: useful for digestive complaints, such as gas, bloating, colic, nausea. Allspice--Pimento officinalis:Similar to cloves, both are stomach-settling, stimulating, antiseptic, useful for flatulence, diarrhea, and indigestion Cloves: Good for bloating I used to boil water then mix caraway seeds,cloves and a pinch of nutmeg, and it worked!!! it was good for me,some of my friends tried too so I guess is good for bloating,flatulence,colics etc.. Betsi Last edited by betsi78 : 01-05-2003 at 10:18 PM.*

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