topic Re: Issues with a medication in Wellness

Issues with a medication

goldensrbest — Mon, 23 May 2016 21:47:59 GMT

I have been on metformin, for so many years,as years has passed i have had bowel issues,this past 6 months it had increased to 3 days a week,cramps could not go out any whare on those days, last week it became more than i could take, i thought i might have colon cancer ,called doctor, i had a appointment already made for june,i could not get in sooner, he said to stop this medication, it took 4 days to start feeling like i felt years ago, so if you have stomach issues ,and are on this medication, tell your doctor,don't wait like i did.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Mon, 23 May 2016 22:08:30 GMT

My DH occasionally gets similar problems with metformin. If you are taking just metformin and not a combo drug they now have a slow release form that dissolves slowly over 24 hours and causes less stomach distress.

Re: Issues with a medication

tansy — Mon, 23 May 2016 22:27:25 GMT

I tried metformin for over a year because my doctor was so enthusiastic about the med. I couldn't leave the house before noon and finally refused to take it.

Re: Issues with a medication

RedTop — Mon, 23 May 2016 22:40:09 GMT

@goldensrbest,

I am glad you are feeling better after stopping this medication. Metformin may be considered the top diabetic drug, and number one choice by physicians to control blood sugar, but I don't think anyone should take the same diabetes medication for an extended period of time. My husband has been diabetic for 19 years, and every few years I would ask his doctor about changing his medication to avoid tolerance build up. He was taken off Metformin last year because of the same type of intestinal issues you experienced, but with mild rectal bleeding from the irritation. His diabetes is controlled now with a short acting and a long acting insulin. He took 850 mg of Metformin once a day for 3 1/2 years.

Re: Issues with a medication

esmeraldagooch — Tue, 24 May 2016 00:03:38 GMT

This medication is horrible. My DH is still dealing with problems because he took it. NEVER again.

Re: Issues with a medication

Gooday — Tue, 24 May 2016 00:06:59 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
I have been on metformin, for so many years,as years has passed i have had bowel issues,this past 6 months it had increased to 3 days a week,cramps could not go out any whare on those days, last week it became more than i could take, i thought i might have colon cancer ,called doctor, i had a appointment already made for june,i could not get in sooner, he said to stop this medication, it took 4 days to start feeling like i felt years ago, so if you have stomach issues ,and are on this medication, tell your doctor,don't wait like i did.

I have been on 500mg. daily and at first my bowels were in an uproar. However, prior to that I have had issues. My doctor told me I had an "infantile bowel". I said what's that? He said, just like a baby, right after you eat, you evacuate. It's not often that I do NOT use a restroom within 15-30 minutes after eating.

Oh well....if that's one of the very few problems in my life, I'll count my blessings but, it is a hassle for sure.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Tue, 24 May 2016 00:46:58 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
@goldensrbest,
I am glad you are feeling better after stopping this medication. Metformin may be considered the top diabetic drug, and number one choice by physicians to control blood sugar, but I don't think anyone should take the same diabetes medication for an extended period of time. My husband has been diabetic for 19 years, and every few years I would ask his doctor about changing his medication to avoid tolerance build up. He was taken off Metformin last year because of the same type of intestinal issues you experienced, but with mild rectal bleeding from the irritation. His diabetes is controlled now with a short acting and a long acting insulin. He took 850 mg of Metformin once a day for 3 1/2 years.

What on earth is your source of this information? Many diabetics take the same meds for decades and do extremely well on them.Why would you want to torture your poor husband with new meds all the time, throwing his blood sugars all out of whack? My DH has been on metformin/glucovance for 16 years and does extremely well on it. When he once had to change to a different drug because of insurance he did poorly and quickly decided to pay out of pocket for his med instead of having his sugars all wonky.The best thing for any diabetic is consistancy- taking the same meds, exercise daily and eating on the same schedule.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Tue, 24 May 2016 00:53:37 GMT

The reason doctors like to use metformin when ever possible is that it helps protect your organs from damage due to diabetes. Diabetes is very hard on a person's vital organs so metformin & good sugar control do help prevent organ damage.

Re: Issues with a medication

RedTop — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:48:40 GMT

@151949

I will leave you to take what you will from my words. My husband has received excellent medical care and we are used to having doctors who work with us. All of my husbands med changes were done because of his specific documented issues, which I questioned. We have even had meetings with a VA pharmacist in attendance over my husbands reactions to diabetic medications. Yes, diabetics do best on a working regimen, which in my husbands case means insulin, not oral meds.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Tue, 24 May 2016 02:50:56 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
@151949
I will leave you to take what you will from my words. My husband has received excellent medical care and we are used to having doctors who work with us. All of my husbands med changes were done because of his specific documented issues, which I questioned. We have even had meetings with a VA pharmacist in attendance over my husbands reactions to diabetic medications. Yes, diabetics do best on a working regimen, which in my husbands case means insulin, not oral meds.

YOU said you did not want his tolerance to build up - now you change to this story. Alrighty then.

Re: Issues with a medication

goldensrbest — Tue, 24 May 2016 10:44:48 GMT

Why turn my post into a argument? I wanted to let others know ,what might happen, seems any time there are others that want to start a argument.

Re: Issues with a medication

Moonchilde — Tue, 24 May 2016 11:18:52 GMT

@151949 wrote:
The reason doctors like to use metformin when ever possible is that it helps protect your organs from damage due to diabetes. Diabetes is very hard on a person's vital organs so metformin & good sugar control do help prevent organ damage.

I've been on metformin since I was diagnosed about 8-10 years ago and it has served me well. I tolerate it better than many, though I still have days when it's very...inconvenient :-(

It's doctors' first line of defense because it works well *while doing no harm to major organs.* Many people don't seem to understand that every diabetes medication that has been released in the past 10 years has serious side effects on kidneys and/or pancreas, and several can cause cardiac issues, one to the point of being taken off the market. As long as it's working for me and as long as its side effects remain intermittent for me (though I sure don't love them), I would rather have it over medications that could give me pancreatitis, kidney failure or a heart attack.

Re: Issues with a medication

MaggieMack — Tue, 24 May 2016 11:20:48 GMT

@goldensrbest, I am glad to hear things have improved for you. I know very little about diabetes or the drugs used to treat it, I just know that high blood sugar levels are dangerous. I hope being off the drug until your June appointment is safe for you.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Tue, 24 May 2016 11:30:37 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@151949 wrote:
The reason doctors like to use metformin when ever possible is that it helps protect your organs from damage due to diabetes. Diabetes is very hard on a person's vital organs so metformin & good sugar control do help prevent organ damage.

I've been on metformin since I was diagnosed about 8-10 years ago and it has served me well. I tolerate it better than many, though I still have days when it's very...inconvenient :-(

It's doctors' first line of defense because it works well *while doing no harm to major organs.* Many people don't seem to understand that every diabetes medication that has been released in the past 10 years has serious side effects on kidneys and/or pancreas, and several can cause cardiac issues, one to the point of being taken off the market. As long as it's working for me and as long as its side effects remain intermittent for me (though I sure don't love them), I would rather have it over medications that could give me pancreatitis, kidney failure or a heart attack.

So true. At my diabetes class they told us that one class of the new drugs has a 10% chance of causing pancreatic cancer. The other has a 25% chance of causing renal failure. HOLY COW - those are very high numbers IMO. I would have to really discuss the NEED for these drugs with the doctor before using.

Re: Issues with a medication

Q4u — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:35:01 GMT

I've also been on Metformin for about 8 - 9 years and yes, it was an adjustment! Abjectly horrible if truth be known, however I adjusted totally within a couple of months. The medication has a long, successful and safe history and if you are lucky enough to have your body get used to it, it performs well. I've kept my numbers under control since my first A1C reading thanks to this drug (and Glipiside, another older drug that is successful).

Be very wary of the new class of Incretin drugs that are being advertised all over the TV. Merck makes Januvia (and others), also a combo of Januvia and Metformin. The problem with the incretin drugs is that it processes differently and has a propensity for cancer-developing tumors developing in the pancreas. There is a lawsuit pending right now from a man who lost his wife after taking one of these drugs and developed Pancreatic cancer. The basis of the lawsuit is that no one told them (or anyone else for that matter) that animal studies done while testing this drug showed this tendency!! and THIS TENDENCY WAS HIDDEN AND NOT PUBLIC.

A study done in 2013 by UCLA's Medical School regarding Incretin Drugs can be found online that will outline this.

General Info -

Incretin mimetic drugs for type 2 diabetes. Drugs in the incretinmimetic class include exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon), liraglutide (Victoza), sitagliptin (Januvia, Janumet, Janumet XR, Juvisync), saxagliptin (Onglyza, Kombiglyze XR), alogliptin (Nesina, Kazano, Oseni), and linagliptin (Tradjenta, Jentadueto).Dec 9, 2014

Re: Issues with a medication

AKgirl2 — Wed, 25 May 2016 02:05:53 GMT

I just started on metmorfin a month ago. 1x/day for week...then 2, twice a day. I've experienced nausea, less of an appetite, but I do suffer from constipation, and metmorfin helps a bit in that dept., but I still need to take a lax and use Senokot, sometimes with other lax. This problem started couple months ago..was regular til then:/

Re: Issues with a medication

tedEbear — Wed, 25 May 2016 02:21:46 GMT

My DH was on Metformin and Januvia. He quit the Met several months ago and the only thing different-----no diarrea everyday, all day. I always carried immodium to try and stop any of these attacks. He just decidede today he is done with Januvia. 200.00 dollars is out of his range, he is going to see if there is a difference. He asks the Dr. about these TV ad meds and Dr. puts him on them. So stupid!!!!! Half the time I have to argue about just getting the meds I take.-----tedEbear

Re: Issues with a medication

goldensrbest — Wed, 25 May 2016 12:57:42 GMT

I have been reading up on other drugs, i don't know what the doctor will put me on, but i took metformin for a very long time, and had my stomach issues for years, i feel so much better as of now, so i will see what he will recommend.

Re: Issues with a medication

151949 — Wed, 25 May 2016 13:15:32 GMT

I started taking metformin timed release 5 months ago and have had some experience with constipation but did not associate it with the metformin. Anyway, for me it is easily cured by simply drinking a diet coke, for some reason diet coke makes me have to go within min. of drinking it every time.