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Original poster

Metformin! Diarrhea help

17 replies

Inni632 · 12/08/2021 21:32

Shamelessly posting on AIBU because of traffic. I've been prescribed Metformin which gives me very bad diarrhea.

Tomorrow I have a picnic planned with no toilet in sight! Any advice? Does anyone know if there's a way to avoid the diarrhea with Metformin? I have only been on it for 3 days so haven't really tested it out ie full stomach empty stomach with fiber with a carb diet etc

OP posts:
bailey999 · 12/08/2021 22:00

Take it with meals. If it doesn't settle go back to Dr or diabetes nurse and ask to be put on slow release metformin. It's a lot kinder on the tummy. That doesn't help you for tomorrow though I'm afraid Sad

Defiantly41 · 12/08/2021 22:05

All bran helped me.

And taking it at night

SamanthaJayne4 · 12/08/2021 22:29

I use Imodium. Maximum dose is 6 but Dr said I can take up to 8 if needed (best to check with your gp). You may get constipated as a result but it's better than having a dodgy tum when you are not going to be near any toilets. In the early days metformin made me feel nauseous as well. I changed to slow release but can't remember when. I have been taking it for 22 years now and I suppose my body has got used to it. I can tell now when I need to take Imodium to ward off upset stomach. I have had a sensitive stomach all my life so metformin certainly didn't help! I hope you can get used to it as well OP. Oddly it also improved slightly when I started taking a statin (cheap one).

Ohbeeryme · 13/08/2021 04:14

Imodium. The instant ones.

browny1981 · 13/08/2021 10:27

Just switched to the slow release and soooo much better! I would recommend doing the same its got some really unpleasant side effects hasnt it Sad x

Flatdisco · 13/08/2021 10:28

Take an anti dihorrea tablet like immodium.
Ask to switch to the slow release.

BrilloPaddy · 13/08/2021 10:30

I had to go onto the modified release for this reason. It's brutal on your stomach, so you really must take it after eating and not before. My diabetic nurse said to take both tablets in the morning with your last mouthful of breakfast.

I've had times where I thought I've got a stomach ulcer the pain is so bad from it and often have to not take it for a few days. Horrid stuff.

Sceptre86 · 13/08/2021 10:54

As other posters have said you need to go back to your gp and ask to be switched to the slow release version.

LadyRoughDiamond · 13/08/2021 11:30

My Mum had the same problem with Metformin. She went back to the diabetic nurse and changed to something else as it was really impacting her day to day life. Apparently there are alternatives.

Toomanyradishes · 13/08/2021 11:37

Dairy was what triggered it for me or fatty food so avoiding that might help as a solution just for today but yes to the slow release

EBearhug · 13/08/2021 11:43

I've not had side effects from it, but that is of no help to you, unfortunately.

LondonTTC · 13/08/2021 11:54

Definitely take it at meal times. It will take 2-3 weeks for your stomach to get used to it and for the diarrhoea to stop - that's what I found in the early weeks. All fine now.

jojogoesbust · 13/08/2021 14:15

I was like this with metformin, ask for slow release. Much kinder to your tummy

Remaker · 13/08/2021 14:19

I believe the slow release ones are a lot better. In the meantime I found I needed to be low carb, low sugar and no alcohol as all of those set me off.

MsJuniper · 13/08/2021 14:25

It took me a couple of weeks to get used to it and I had a couple of very unpleasant incidents. I started on 1 tablet a day, then increased to 2 and both times I had a problem so I waited a while before adding the third. By this time I was on a very low carb / low cal diet and I had no problems. So either my body had got used to it, or the low carb diet helped.

TheWernethWife · 13/08/2021 21:05

I've really recently had my dose of metformin increased, when I rang the GPs surgery to tell them that it was giving me diorrhea I was told to ring after 8 to request a telephone consultation. Tried for 3 days and have up.

Going out is a nightmare, trying to make sure you can get to a toilet. I was in B & Q buying paint when I suddenly had a desperate need for the toilet, a member of staff was very unsympathetic and said their toilets had been closed for ages. Left stuff in the trolley and
headed out to car to try and get home, shit myself in the car park, very upsetting.

Soapflower · 13/08/2021 21:23

My husband has had the same issue and like a previous poster narrowed it down to dairy and fatty foods - he still struggles a bit but moving over to lactose free milk/cheese etc and knocking saturated fats and processed foods out of his diet had really helped

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