TeenHelp - Metformin

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- - Metformin (http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f16-general-health/t164381-metformin/)

Okay so long story short I’m pre-diabetic and have pcos. They’ve put me on this tablet called metformin starting me on a low dose but I’m getting side effects…. And the side effects are awful the main one being the runs/very loose stools. I am just wondering if anyone else has taken or is taking metformin and how they cope with the side effects?

From what I read, the side effect of diarrhea only is supposed to last for a few weeks and then resolves. The search said that taking the metformin with meals can help. I'd talk to your doctor before starting an anti-diarrheal like Imodium in case there are any drug interactions.

I've never taken Metformin, but I did do a quick Google search and, according to the National Library of Medicine, gastrointestinal side effects occur in roughly 75% of patients who take it. If you're interested in reading more, you can do so here.

If it's something you're concerned about or that is causing a lot of problems in your daily life, I would definitely recommend speaking to your doctor about it! They may be able to prescribe an anti-diarrheal or recommend changes you can make in your daily life to help minimize the side effects. Additionally, making them aware of the side effects you're experiencing will allow them to log it and track whether or not they decrease, increase, or remain the same during follow-up visits, which gives your doctor the opportunity to adjust your treatment/dosage/medication accordingly.

Yep, same issues I had with it. I stopped taking it after discussing this with my doctor and was put on insulin. It was so bad I couldn't even go anywhere without having to suffer that side effect.