Terrible side effects...I want to quit.

Watermisbehaves · 06-04-2007, 12:31 AM

Fair warning: It's a long post and I'm really whiny - sorry!

Hi there ladies! I've been on the met (now up to 1500) for five months and the side effects have never lessened. It is my 4th time trying to do this. I've read everything there is to read on it. I don't eat a high carb greasy diet. I've been a vegetarian for 13 years, I don't eat white carbs, I don't eat butter or oil (or cook in butter or oil). I write all of my food down (because of Weight Watchers). I drink ALL (and some extra) of my water. I don't eat candy or sweets or anything.

Now, I've lost 17lbs in the 5 months (ticker needs updating), but I'm neither satisfied w/ that (as I expected it to come off...this is an unusually high weight for me and I gained about 50lbs in the past year from a ton of stress and not planning meals as well) nor sure the met deserves any credit for it.

The first time I did met in 2002 (also with WW), I lost 60 pounds in 5 months. I really haven't the slightest idea why the side effects were more bearable then, but even then I didn't stay on it past five months (though kept the weight off and about 10lbs more for nearly 5 years).

So, why I want to quit....it's not as simple as disappointment w/ the results. I'm just terribly terribly sick right now. I am trying to get the sickness over with while I have the summer off (before I start my PhD in the Fall). I really couldn't study or sit in class like this, that's for sure. I am puking so much that my throat is raw...and well...every other bad met side effect has me locked in the bathroom. I can't sleep...and as of today I just can't eat or drink...the very slightest is sending me running to the bathroom. I feel so weak that I can barely get out of bed (and I've already checked my B12 and take additional B12). I'm sure the weakness is just from the loss of fluids/sickness.

The only reason I've been on it for this long is because I'm scared of A) my weight going up (despite eating well) or B) being unable to lose more weight w/o it.

I've tried the peppermint tea and an array of things for stomach upset...still no luck..hell, I'm even scared of lettuce.

So I guess I'm asking, when is it time to quit the met? I'm not diabetic, I show no signs of pre-diabetes. My period (which had a 4 month long run -- not a day off this winter) has stopped and become regular w/ bcp.

I definitely can't live like this. I'm trying to go to the gym...but I can't because of the stomach upset. I can't even sleep more than a couple hours at a time between running to the bathroom.

Speaking of, I'm pretty sleep deprived right now, I'll stop babbling. Thank you!

Please offer whatever you can: advice, encouragement, some tip I don't know, other meds to try, or support for stopping.

KMCLWB1296 · 06-04-2007, 01:20 AM

I've been on and off met since 2003 and have had many of the same side effects that you have had. When I started taking it again last November the nurse practitioner in my endo's office said to start at a low dose and go slow when I increase (duh). She also said to take a 1/2 of an anti-diarrheal with the met until I am not locked in the bathroom. It worked...plus, I started really slow...I quartered a 500 mg tablet and started with that. For nausea I carry Emetrol in my purse. I hope this helps and I hope you feel better!

Hang in there!

Karen

sheepiegirl · 06-04-2007, 12:06 PM

You mentioned BCPs...

Are you taking them now, along with the Met? When I was first prescribed the Met I was also prescribed BCPs. Since I had to take the Met with dinner, I decided to take the BCPs at night too. I was so sick. Throwing up, diarrhea, stomach cramping, etc...This went on for weeks.

I was ready to quit and I was calling my doctor every morning saying, please help...

I finally realized that on the 4 non-pill taking days I felt much better and didn't have the upset stomach...so I started taking the BCPs in the morning and the MEt at night, and it was MUCH better.

Have you tried taking the pills at different times?

Watermisbehaves · 06-04-2007, 01:14 PM

That's really interesting. I take a met at 8am, 4pm, and 12am. I take Yaz (bcp) at 9pm so--just four hours from a met dose. I don't know if I could do any better than that considering I'm taking met every 8 hours. So, not I haven't tried different times. I'm trying to get my gyno to prescribe the 1000mg met so I can take it at midnight and noon...then maybe I'd have a 6 hr gap w/ the bcp. Do you have a different suggestion for a schedule? I'm supposed to get up to 2500mg. May I ask, how are you taking yours/how much?

Thanks so much for your help! It's great to hear!

Watermisbehaves · 06-04-2007, 01:15 PM

KM, thanks for your support and advice...I'm trying to make it through another day (imodium AD in hand lol). I think I will start changing how/how much I'm taking.

Thank you thank you.

sheepiegirl · 06-04-2007, 07:35 PM

Hmm, I don't really have a schedule suggestion, except maybe taking the 4pm one an hour or two earlier. It sounds like you are spacing it about as well as you can. I take all 3 500mg (total of 1500mg) all at once, so I think that's why it helped me to take the BCPs at a completely different time.

I'm sorry I don't have better suggestions!

KMCLWB1296 · 06-07-2007, 10:56 PM

This sounds insane but I take all of mine met (2000 mg) at once in the morning. This works for me and just happened to be the last way that I tried to take it because of how horrible I thought it would be. This is after years of trying different ways of taking the medication...I've tried before dinner, after dinner, splitting up the dosage (am, noon and pm). You name it and I have tried it.

Personally I thought taking it in the evening would be the best bet but I think that waking up with an empty stomach and met running through my body was not a good mix. Then I would be sick all day and would not want to eat which would make things worse. It was like a horrible cycle that I could not break. My theory is that by taking it in the am, breakfast, lunch and dinner are working against it. Sounds silly and I don't know why it works but it does.

Doesn't hurt to try. Try on a day that you do not ahve to leave the house. Just incase, if you know what I mean. ; )

Hope this helps! Good luck...I totally know how you feel. It sucks to know where every bathroom is located between work and home. : ) Hang in there!

Karen

farmgrrl · 06-08-2007, 11:19 AM

I am not on met yet so no personal experience. But have you talked to your doctor about maybe trying a different BCP? My doctor is going to give me the Mirena IUD along with the Met. I'm on Yaz right now, just until my D&C on June 19 (I can't bloody (haha) wait!)

Tashak · 06-08-2007, 04:53 PM

I would try to take 2 doses of met. You'll have to down more pills at one time, but it would space it out more.