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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Diabetes / April 2008prairie dogging on metformin
My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last A1c test was 5.9 so I thought I was doing good. I take insulin, 42 units Levemer at bedtime and Novolog before meals. My insulin use has increased to over 100 units a day and she says that is too much. The metformin XR gives me frequent runs and the feeling of "prairie dogging" all the time. I've tried taking Imodium, it works a little but I don't want to take it all the time. Anon T2 > My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking > 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last A1c [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > all the time. I've tried taking Imodium, it works a little but I don't want > to take it all the time. Try ramping up more slowly on dosage. My endo had me start at 250 mg a day and increase by 250 mg every two weeks. Then, when I got the GI effects and they didn't go away, I went on the extended release, which was good for a while. Eventually I got the GI effects again, with no relief, and I had to go off it entirely. I hope to try again when I've been off it a year or so. Some other suggestions beyond slowly increasing dosage and using the XR: have a little plain yoghurt with it, take it with your main meal, also decrease your carb consumption. Good luck! I wish I could take it again. Priscilla, T2, diet & exercise >> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Priscilla, T2, diet & exercise I did go 2 weeks at 500 mg before I started 1000 mg. That was when things got out of hand. Most times I'm afraid to leave the house. I don't like yoghurt very much but I'll try anything at this point. Any comment on why she thinks I'm using too much insulin? Why should that matter since my A1c is ok? So far, the metformin has not reduced my need for insulin as I can tell by testing. Anon > Any comment on why she thinks I'm using too much insulin? Why should that > matter since my A1c is ok? So far, the metformin has not reduced my need for > insulin as I can tell by testing. Besides the problem of increased insulin resistance with large doses of insulin as Ozgirl mentioned, there's the problem of weight gain with excess insulin, and, more importantly, the harmful effects of excessive insulin levels on your circulatory system--veins, arteries, and capillaries. >>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >>> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > matter since my A1c is ok? So far, the metformin has not reduced my need > for insulin as I can tell by testing. You seem to be highly insulin resistant, best thing to do is to lose a lot of weight. Less insulin, less insulin resistance, less metformin (especially if you cut the carbs). It seems that the more carbs one eats on metformin the worse the nausea and trots. I am on 2-1000 mg xr a day and had to drop down to one. The funny thing is I can take 4-500mg xr a day and not have the bad side affects. My Dr had prescribed the 4-500 because at the time the 1000 wasn't on my list yet...then one time when I went to my Pharmacy to pick the metformin up the Pharmacist told me she called my Insurance company and they decided I should be on the 2-1000 mg ones. I started having trouble from the beginning...the worst is waking up in the early morning hours with watering of the mouth and stomach cramps...I didn't vomit but I will do anything not to vomit...but it was a close thing...then by late morning the diarrhea started. The last time I went to pick up a refill I told the Pharmacist the problem and asked why did I have the problem with the 1000 but didn't with the 500..she said it may be from the way it is concentrated or the way it is dissolving...then told me I would have to ask my Dr to fill out a prescription for 4 - 500mg instead of the 1000mg. I see my Dr on Monday and hopefully I can go back on what I can tolerate best. I am still on a 1000 a day and it's not helping my numbers a lot. I can't get below 140 in the mornings ..with or without a snack in the evening...when I was on the 4-500 mg I could get down to a 95 reading in the mornings. Jacquie >>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >>> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Anon >I am on 2-1000 mg xr a day and had to drop down to one. The funny thing is >I can take 4-500mg xr a day and not have the bad side affects. My Dr had [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >mg I could get down to a 95 reading in the mornings. > Jacquie It could also be different manufacturers of the generic metformin. Different manufacturers might use different filler ingredients. I think I'll call my Dr. and get a Rx for the 500mg tablets and see if it makes a difference. I can't go on like this much longer. anon wrote in message ... >It could also be different manufacturers of the generic metformin. Different >manufacturers might use different filler ingredients. I think I'll call my >Dr. and get a Rx for the 500mg tablets and see if it makes a difference. I >can't go on like this much longer. Yes, I remember a few years ago when people were being switched from the Glucophage brand name to the cheaper generic metformin, many were complaining of more stomach upset, as well as the generic not performing as well for them. Cheri Speaking of prairie dogs, I had one on my patio today! A woodchuck/groundhog/prairie dog staning up between my dining room and my hot tub! Freaked the cats out but good. Wonder what it's doing here, in a town that's more like a small city? Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Susan I'm within the city limits of Boston, and I have a woodchuck in my backyard. That's why I can't grow my own organic lettuce or broccoli anymore. :-( Priscilla Soon there will be metformin gum that shouldn't cause any GI problems. Look up metformin gum in search. > I'm within the city limits of Boston, and I have a woodchuck in my > backyard. That's why I can't grow my own organic lettuce or broccoli > anymore. :-( Weird to see such a tall rodent standing on its hind legs on my patio! I've read that they're good climbers, so I guess a simple chicken wire surround wouldn't work? I'm really surprised, had no idea they'd show up in an urbanish area, like rats, squirrels and raccoons. Have you had any episodes of aggression from it, I've read they can be. Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Have you had any episodes of aggression from it, I've read they can be. We had them on the Cape. Never saw an aggression, but also never got really near it. I did once accidentally pet a skunk. My neighbors had a cat that was always wrapping himself around my legs. Turns out he had belonged to the people who lived in my house but they abandoned him. So he was adopted by the neighbors. We were on water restriction and only allowed to water our yards late at night. I went out in the semi-darkness to move the house when I felt that familiar wrapping around my legs. So I reached down to pet the cat, only to encounter really coarse fur. I immediately froze, looked down and saw the skunk. I dropped the hose and backed my way into the house. Water restrictions be damned! I let that sprinkler run all night. I used to work at a Pet Hospital that also had a large boarding kennels(everybody in Alaska goes to Hawaii in the winter so they board their animals.) we had a skunk that boarded with us...he was a red one and huge...thank goodness he would follow us wherever we went that way we didn't have to pick him up Have you ever seen their teeth..big and sharp:) We also had a contract with the zoo and many times I would walk in the treatment room in the morning and see an otter in the tub and hedge hog in a cage or a huge eagle waiting to be treated...what a treat:) >> x-no-archive: yes >> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > the skunk. I dropped the hose and backed my way into the house. Water > restrictions be damned! I let that sprinkler run all night. Maybe a Greenhouse is in order:) We live on five acres of desert and have ground squirrels, and Jack Rabbits and Cottontails that eat our plants. I have a dwarf orange tree that started producing last year and the rabbits and birds and javelina at the little oranges...this year a fence and a tree net is going around and on top of it..maybe this year I will get an orange or two:) >> x-no-archive: yes >> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Priscilla >I'm within the city limits of Boston, and I have a woodchuck in my >backyard. That's why I can't grow my own organic lettuce or broccoli >anymore. :-( Being a very lazy gardener, I like my lettuce where it's zero harvesting effort - on my windowsill! I also have radishes and sprouts on there atm, along with some beans and tomato seedlings that can go out pretty soon. But the lettuce bowl will stay there all summer - maybe with another one sprouting outside so I get a continuous crop. Nicky. T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid D&E, 100ug thyroxine Last A1c 5.6% BMI 25 >anon wrote in message ... > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >complaining of more stomach upset, as well as the generic not >performing as well for them. Someone in a different group on different medication had a major problem when his brand name was switched to a generic. It turned out that the generic had lactose as a filler - he was lactose intolerant "Inactive" ingredients can actually be active > I am on 2-1000 mg xr a day and had to drop down to one. The funny thing is I > can take 4-500mg xr a day and not have the bad side affects. My Dr had [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > snack in the evening...when I was on the 4-500 mg I could get down to a 95 > reading in the mornings. Gee, is there anybody who does not have problems with Metformin? my god. Jacquie, I was reading on the internet that doses below 1,500 mg per day do not have a clinically significant result for diabetics. That's supposedly form the Physician's Desk reference. But the weird thng is, the max dose is supposed to be 2,550 mg per day. That seems like a real narrow range. So that seems like a weird statement. Personally I'd like to go on the timed release kind, but Walmart only has that in the 500mg x2 size, for the $4 deal. >Gee, is there anybody who does not have problems with Metformin? >my god. I can't honestly say that I have problems with it. But, I knew about the people having trouble with it & I had just gotten past a problem with Whelchol, which I was taking wrong, on an empty stomach. So, I just used the same precautions when I began taking Metformin, which is after eating, while I still have food in my stomach. I don't consider that a problem, considering the tribulations others have with it. But, it's not as if it's the only drug for diabetics that gives people trouble especially with regard to what is going into their stomach & intestines, right?  Signature: ^> DonnaB Yahoo Msgr: shallotpeel <*> new WIN Vista user, http://youtube.com/my_videos, http://www.myspace.com/shallotpeel,, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=617471854, Tree Pollen: 04/08-2655; 04/09-2787; 04/10-2805; 04/11-3238; 04/14-3327; 04/15-117; 04/16-149; 04/17-348; 04/18-694 "Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a bit out of shape & a little worn around the edges, but they fit well." - Bonnie Wilcox, OLD DOGS, OLD FRIENDS >Gee, is there anybody who does not have problems with Metformin? >my god. I had very little gastric disturbance (although a LOT of wind), but started to get muscle pains & lethargy about a year out. It had done the job I wanted it to do, so I stopped it. >Jacquie, I was reading on the internet that doses below 1,500 mg per >day do not have a clinically significant result for diabetics. That wasn't true for me; I consistently saw a 1mmol difference with meals I took it with, whilst on 1000mg per day. Nicky. T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid D&E, 100ug thyroxine Last A1c 5.6% BMI 25 I'm hoping my Dr will put me back on the 4-500 mg xr I had no problems with those. You know my numbers stayed good with only 1000mg a day for about 6 yrs then my numbers started going up. My last A1C was like 6.4, which was one reason they upped the pills. at one time I had my A1C down to 4.7 but that didn't last to long...usually stayed around 5., until this last year or so. I was put on the lizard spit for a while but that made me real sick... My Dr told me that some patients he has could tolerate it but others just couldn't. I accidentally took 3000 mg in one day...I blame it on lack of sleep:) Anyways I called my Dr, she said not to worry, that I might experience some gas and may have some diarrhea which I did:) On Apr 18, 1:49 pm, "jacquie" <happikat...@earthlink.net> wrote: > I am on 2-1000 mg xr a day and had to drop down to one. The funny thing is > I [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > news:xr2dnYqw864TW5rVnZ2dnUVZ_umlnZ2d@giganews.com... Gee, is there anybody who does not have problems with Metformin? my god. Jacquie, I was reading on the internet that doses below 1,500 mg per day do not have a clinically significant result for diabetics. That's supposedly form the Physician's Desk reference. But the weird thng is, the max dose is supposed to be 2,550 mg per day. That seems like a real narrow range. So that seems like a weird statement. Personally I'd like to go on the timed release kind, but Walmart only has that in the 500mg x2 size, for the $4 deal. > I'm hoping my Dr will put me back on the 4-500 mg xr I had no problems with > those. You know my numbers stayed good with only 1000mg a day for about 6 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > sleep:) Anyways I called my Dr, she said not to worry, that I might > experience some gas and may have some diarrhea which I did:) Lizard spit? Eeeeeew......what is the lizard spit? I just found out the Smith's grocery store chain is also doing $4 prescriptions, so I could conceivably get timed release metformin from both walmart and smith's if I need to. Smith's has an even wider range of meds available. The fact that so many people have trouble with metformin makes me think they aren't quite getting all the poison out. >Lizard spit? Eeeeeew......what is the lizard spit? Byetta : ) It's pretty close to the saliva of a Gila monster. Nicky. T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid D&E, 100ug thyroxine Last A1c 5.6% BMI 25 On Apr 19, 10:17 pm, "jacquie" <happikat...@earthlink.net> wrote: > I'm hoping my Dr will put me back on the 4-500 mg xr I had no problems > with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > sleep:) Anyways I called my Dr, she said not to worry, that I might > experience some gas and may have some diarrhea which I did:) Lizard spit? Eeeeeew......what is the lizard spit? I just found out the Smith's grocery store chain is also doing $4 prescriptions, so I could conceivably get timed release metformin from both walmart and smith's if I need to. Smith's has an even wider range of meds available. The fact that so many people have trouble with metformin makes me think they aren't quite getting all the poison out. Lizard spit is Byetta..they don't use the spit they use a synthetic form of the spit :) Smith's closed down all of their stores in Tucson. My husband is retired AF so we use tri-care for our prescriptions. I can get most of my prescriptions at the base pharmacy for free except for crestor and my metformin xr. Right now I am getting them all downtown except for my voccodin. My husband has a flex account at the college where he works so whatever copay we have to pay ,we pay with the flex account..so I get all of my prescriptions free ..and my pharmacy is much closer than the base. I still get my viccodin on base because they can give me like three months + 1 refill...they can't fill that kind of prescription downtown..I can only get 1 months supply and then have to go back to my Dr to get a refill. There's poison in Metformin? : > My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking : > 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last A1c [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] : > all the time. I've tried taking Imodium, it works a little but I don't want : > to take it all the time. : Try ramping up more slowly on dosage. My endo had me start at 250 mg a : day and increase by 250 mg every two weeks. Then, when I got the GI : effects and they didn't go away, I went on the extended release, which : was good for a while. Eventually I got the GI effects again, with no : relief, and I had to go off it entirely. I hope to try again when I've : been off it a year or so. : Some other suggestions beyond slowly increasing dosage and using the XR: : have a little plain yoghurt with it, take it with your main meal, also : decrease your carb consumption. : Good luck! I wish I could take it again. : Priscilla, T2, diet & exercise Sorry and a bit worried to hear that Priscilla. I have been on 1000mg 2x a day of the extended for some years now without a repeat of my galloping trots problem. I figured this was permanent. Now I am worried:-) I did have to reramp up after my stay in teh hospital for about 5 days withut metformin, but after a slow reintroduction over quite a few weeks, everything was back to just fine. Wendy You should have started at 250 a day and gone up more slowly. > My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking > 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Anon > T2 > You should have started at 250 a day and gone up more slowly. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >> Anon >> T2 I have gained about 10 pounds in 2 years of using insulin. I could stand to loose 15-20 pounds but no more than that. I do eat a lot of carbs and use insulin to keep BG under control. There would be a lot of insulin in my blood but only until the glucose was absorbed. This only a short time, primararyly after meals. I will try eating fewer carbs and see if it makes any difference. Is it better to take the metformin before eating or after eating or does it make any difference? Does it make any difference how much water I drink with the metformin, maybe less water would mean less runs. I feel like crap most of the time in more ways than one. Anon T2 anon wrote in message <3MKdnUj_cI2SfprVnZ2dnUVZ_remnZ2d@giganews.com>... >I have gained about 10 pounds in 2 years of using insulin. I could stand to >loose 15-20 pounds but no more than that. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >absorbed. This only a short time, primararyly after meals. I will try eating >fewer carbs and see if it makes any difference. What is "a lot of carbs" to you? If you are eating huge amounts of carbs, I'm sure that cutting back on them would be helpful. Cheri > My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking > 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > dogging" all the time. I've tried taking Imodium, it works a little but I > don't want to take it all the time. Prairie dogging? What does that mean? >> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Prairie dogging? What does that mean? http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PRAIRIE+DOGGING >>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >>> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> > http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PRAIRIE+DOGGING Well, that's rather disgusting. >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Well, that's rather disgusting. It's more disgusting to have it than to read about it. Still got it this morning, even though I only had 15 carbs for dinner last night and even less for breakfast. My granddaughter is getting me some yogurt. If that don't work I will have to give up on the metformin. : >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me : >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] : > : > Well, that's rather disgusting. : It's more disgusting to have it than to read about it. Still got it this : morning, even though I only had 15 carbs for dinner last night and even less : for breakfast. My granddaughter is getting me some yogurt. If that don't : work I will have to give up on the metformin. Have you tried Immodium. it was what enabled me to go out of the house before I went on the extended version, which, in my case, fixed things up. I used half a dose and it worked for me. I carriend a pill(they are individually wrapped) in every pocket, just in case. Wendy > : It's more disgusting to have it than to read about it. Still got it this > : morning, even though I only had 15 carbs for dinner last night and even [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Wendy I've tried Imodium, it does work but I don't want to keep on taking it. I need to take 2 tablets in the morning and 1 more in the afternoon to get any results. Even then I feel crappy in the evening and at night. > >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me > >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > for breakfast. My granddaughter is getting me some yogurt. If that don't > work I will have to give up on the metformin. You should speak with your doctor about your treatment plan. >> >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >> >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > You should speak with your doctor about your treatment plan. She's not very sympathetic towards what she calls temporary minor discomforts. I'm supposed to suck it up until my next set of tests. Then she can see if the metformin is doing any good. Lower carbs has helped some maybe it will get better, at least until next month when the metformin will be increased to 1500. Lower carbs will also help me loose some weight. >>> >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >>> >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > month when the metformin will be increased to 1500. Lower carbs will also > help me loose some weight. When they first put me on Metformin I felt bad for about 4 months but I stuck it out because I was also loosing weight..as I said before Imodium became my best buddy..after the 4 months I started feeling better and only had attacks once in a while ... Then I was put on the extended release and did great...the only time I got feeling bad again was with the 1000 mg xr. >>> >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >>> >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >discomforts. I'm supposed to suck it up until my next set of tests. Then she >can see if the metformin is doing any good. Drop a conker in her office? >Lower carbs has helped some maybe it will get better, at least until next >month when the metformin will be increased to 1500. Lower carbs will also >help me loose some weight. Yes that seems to help with this particular side effect, for some folks the XR is better but sounds like you aren't one of them. Lower carbs is generally a Good Idea all round. If you really can't tolerate Metformin as some can't, Actos and Avandia are also anti-IR meds which work though a different pathway. Also Alpha-Lipoic Acid may be a non-prescription alternative. >>>> >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >>>> >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Avandia are also anti-IR meds which work though a different pathway. > Also Alpha-Lipoic Acid may be a non-prescription alternative. I was on Actos before, my ankles swelled up to the size of my calf. I couldn't even wear shoes. I was also on metformin before with mild to moderate problems. Stopped it when I went on basal/bolus insulin. This worked well for 2 years and was still working but I had to keep increasing my bolus insulin. That was when she started me on metformin again. I've been doing lower carbs for 2 days now, only had 20 carbs at dinner last night, I used 4 units of insulin and was high so took 2 more units. The metformin is not doing much to reduce my insulin requirements. >>>>> >>>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me >>>>> >>>> taking 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] >night, I used 4 units of insulin and was high so took 2 more units. The >metformin is not doing much to reduce my insulin requirements. Only thing I can suggest at this point is patience, metformin takes three weeks to get to work and maybe longer to reach full efficiency, plus you may need to jack up the dose until it's effective, supposedly the side effects should wear off during this time. Keeping the carbs down and the exercise up should help. If it's still intolerable, ask what she knows about Alpha Lipoic Acid. There have been some good threads on this here in the recent past. >>> My doctor insists that I start taking metformin again. She has me taking >>> 1000 mg a day and wants to increase this to 1500 mg next month. My last [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PRAIRIE+DOGGING Mr Turtle is poking his head out > The metformin XR gives me frequent runs and the feeling of "prairie dogging" > all the time. That was why I went off it. Could not work out a safe level. It was good or bad, no between. |
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