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rm67ss
10-23-2009, 12:10 PM
Hi,

My name is Rick, and I'm a Type 2 Diabetic....

Diagnosed 7/15/09. A1C 7.5, weighed in at 215 lbs. Doc put me on 1000mg Metformin & 10mg Lisinopril. A.M. BG when first starting testing was 144 up to 168.
Previous meds HCTZ 25mg for bp & Simvastain 20mg for cholesterol.

Follow up visit 8/13/09 weight was down to 195 (diet and exercize). BG levels were coming down to good levels. Doc reduced Metformin to 500mg.

Have questions regarding side effects of Metformin....
Moonglo
10-23-2009, 12:13 PM
Welcome Rick!

What kinds of questions do you have about metformin? We'll help as much as we can. What kinds of side effects do you have?
Granny Shanny
10-23-2009, 12:13 PM
Welcome, Rick! The side effects I experienced with regular met were the digestive upsets. Slight nausea the first few days, and some diarrhea for a few days.

The extended release version is said to reduce some of those effects.
princesslinda
10-23-2009, 12:13 PM
Hi Rick, welcome to the forums! Sounds like you're managing things well, and seeing improvement. Congrats on the weight loss!

What questions did you have about metformin?
rm67ss
10-23-2009, 12:22 PM
Was experiencing tingling, itching and burning not only in my legs, but throughout my whole body. This began in mid September just about the time my weight went to 190lbs. Doc took me off lisinopril thinking I may be reacting to it. Had blood work done that came back "normal", no strange infection or electrolyte issues.

Still experience the tingle and itching occasionally(no more burning), some days less than others. Have also noticed hair thinning the past two months.....Metformin?
Moonglo
10-23-2009, 12:25 PM
Tingling and itching sound almost like possible signs of neuropathy more than metformin issues to me. I've had issues with my hair falling out more frequently than it did before lately, but I don't think it's the metformin (although I guess it could be).
princesslinda
10-23-2009, 12:26 PM
The itching and burning in your legs may be the result of neuropathy (nerve damage). Hopefully this will resolve as your blood sugars continue to normalize.

As for the thinning of your hair, i've read that insulin resistance can be the cause of this. Metformin helps with insulin resistance. Hair loss can be caused by many things: crash dieting, anemia, stress, anesthesia, heredity and certain medications.

When first diagnosed, I had thinning at the top of my scalp. As my numbers started improving, I noticed it did improve. My hair is overall thinner than it used to be though.
rm67ss
10-23-2009, 12:55 PM
Does neuropathy affect the whole body ? The tingling is not so much in the legs, feet or hands anymore. It's not constant or consistant.... thought maybe it was related to high or low BG level spikes, but levels are very steady throughout the day.

My Doc's reply was....get this..."Itching and tingling are a Mysterious Symtom" Hmmm....very reassuring ! lol
rm67ss
10-23-2009, 01:34 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome and info. It's greatly appreciated !!
princesslinda
10-23-2009, 01:45 PM
Neuropathy can affect any part of your body.

As for itching, I don't know if it's diabetic related or not, but I do tend to have dry itchy skin, esp. on my legs. Make sure you keep your body as well-moisturized as possible. Aveeno makes an oat-meal based lotion that is quite good, and Eucerin has a "calming cream" for itching skin.