Wellness

[goldensrbest]

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.

[Moonchilde]

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@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.

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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.

[MaggieMack]

@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.

[151949]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@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.

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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.

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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.

[Q4u]

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

[AKgirl2]

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:/

[tedEbear]

  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

[goldensrbest]

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.

[151949]

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.