[yannah]

I take metformin, I have taken it two months with no problem.
but then developed diarrhea. lasted the past 2 weeks. Is it the met or what could it be? the blood sugar is well controlled.

[mazea]

I don't know. But I hope you find some answers as that must be dehydrating you. Make sure you get some electrolytes.

[the terminator]

I have been taking metformin for almost 3 months. I find that the loose stools come about once a week. I had to get up 16 times last night, from 3:00 to 7:30. When it starts, I know that I am going to get no rest. I guess that this is a small price to pay.

[TomB]

I took metformin for about 5 years, 1000mg 2x daily, but had to stop taking it a few months ago. I am now subject to having unscheduled angiograms. Metformin mixed with the contrast dye used during that procedure can play havoc with the kidneys. But I also had boughts of diarrhea once or twice a week that were awfully similar to what "the terminator" described.
. I now take 12 units of Lantos at bedtime and my morning numbers have dropped from 130-150 to 90-110. Found out that a little needle hurts less than a lancet and the pen type is real easy to use. Tom

[Handybear]

If you eat a greasy meal with metformin it can be the cause. Also make sure you are taking it before the meal, not during or after.

[HuskerMychal]

I too had that problem for a couple years, Dr prescribed a low dose Colesteral med and it cleared up. He suspects i have Hadda <habba?> syndrome. It effects how much bile your body produces causing the runs because it makes to much

[cyberus]

Originally Posted by yannah

I take metformin, I have taken it two months with no problem.
but then developed diarrhea. lasted the past 2 weeks. Is it the met or what could it be? the blood sugar is well controlled.

Did you change your diet because you are now "well controlled"???
While greasy food is listed most as a culprit don't stop looking there, any significant diet change like increasing carb levels (which increases fiber for instance) in a low carb diet can cause a re-adjustment session.

[enigmalady777]

Cyberus, I'm laughing at your reason for editing: "kitten on keyboard" - I'm sitting here trying to type a response and one of my 6 cats WILL NOT GET OFF MY LAP!!!!! So I can very very well relate!!!! He's now perched his chin (and drooling nose) on my right elbow making it a little tough to type! Gotta love em!

When I first started taking metformin, I got the runs for the first couple of weeks (steadily) and then after a while it went away, but then out of nowhere I would get them again for a spell. Keep in mind I've been on met for something close to 10 years now.

[BigcityRich]

I dont think it is the metformin. If you have been taking it for a couple of months, and all of a sudden this has started is has to be something else.

I know how miserable you must be, and I hope you are felling better soon.

[yannah]

Originally Posted by cyberus

Did you change your diet because you are now "well controlled"???
While greasy food is listed most as a culprit don't stop looking there, any significant diet change like increasing carb levels (which increases fiber for instance) in a low carb diet can cause a re-adjustment session.

I am wicked low carb, I wonder if that is the problem.

[jakin]

It is probably the metformin. You are having the most common side effect associated with met. I had the same problem while taking 2000mg/day, but seem to tolerate 1000 ok. Maybe you could combine a lower dose of met with another drug like Januvia.

[cyberus]

Originally Posted by yannah

I am wicked low carb, I wonder if that is the problem.

Try watching how much fat and oil you are consuming at a sitting ... I too am low carb and on metformin and too much fat/oil in a sitting ... like too much bacon grease in my bowl of turnip greens and ham ... can set off a bout of diarrhea for me.

[Hammer]

Yannah....I couldn't handle the metformin as it caused me all sorts of stomach problems. What you might try is to stop taking the metformin and see if your diarrhea disappears. If it does, then you might want to consider insulin, as you don't take it orally. Injecting insulin seems to give you better control of your numbers without the stomach upset.

[gettingby]

Yannah, I don't know about the Met since I don't take it. I wanted to ask though, are you eating more lettuce than you did before? Too much lettuce is known to have that type of effect on your body . Just a thought.

[GeishaGirl]

I was on Met for a full year, and had, shall we say, evacuation issues for the ENTIRE year. Nearly every day, I wound up running to the bathroom at least once -- usually twice or more.

Every single day. For a year. I was never so glad as when I was correctly diagnosed and I could go OFF that horrible medicine.

Before this, I tended to have problems in the other direction, so I know it was the metformin causing the diarhea because nothing else changed.

This is just to let you know that, while some ppl become accustomed to the meds after a few weeks or a month, some don't. It might be worth talking to your doc.