Metformin Side Effects
Metformin is known for its trade name “Glucophage” and used mainly to treat diabetes . There are several studies that say metformin weight loss is seen to patients taking the medication. It reduces the person’s hunger that’s why it results to weight loss.
Metformin is used to manage type II diabetes if a person has a high blood sugar in the body and cannot be controlled through diet and exercise. Some patients are using metformin to reduce the amount of blood sugar in the body and to maintain it in a normal level. The drug is very helpful to increase the sensitivity of the body to insulin and to know to produce good results among diabetic clients. Like all medications, metformin also has side effects. People who are taking metformin may experience the side effects from time to time and it also varies in different persons because of the different body factors.
Most common metformin side effects:
- Changes in taste
- Abnormal stools
- Difficulty of breathing
- Muscle pain
- Increased thirst
- Increased sweating
- Flushing of the face
- Flu- like symptoms such as weakness, muscle pain, fever and chills
- Light headedness/ dizziness
- Nail problems
More severe glucophage side effects:
- Allergic reaction signs such as skin itching, wheezing, rash, difficulty of breathing, unexplained swelling and hives.
- Causes reduced absorption of vitamin B12 but B12 injections can be done to provide more B12 vitamins in the patient’s body
- It causes electrolyte disturbances which makes the body acidic. Metformin reduces lactic acidosis which can be harmful in the body but these symptoms are only experienced by 10 in every 100,000 persons who are taking metformin medication.
- Metformin causes impaired liver and kidney functions. But it only happens if the patient is overdose by the medication. If there is an excessive intake, there is a tendency for the liver and kidney to completely stop working.
- The drug can affect the level of hormones. Overdose can reduce the thyroid-stimulating hormones in the body. Lowering of the luteinizing hormones and testosterone is also possible in men.
Side Effects of Metformin Among Women
Metformin can be used in different diseases. It can be used by women who have polycystic ovary syndrome. Since metformin can cause severe damage to developing fetus, intake of the medication should be discontinued once pregnancy is confirmed. If the women are infertile and suffering from PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome, the medication must only be given after several analysis and synthesis of the test results.
The most common side effect is weight loss which became favorable to those people who are taking the medication. The major goal of people who have type II diabetes is to lose weight that’s why the use of metformin in therapeutic level will be helpful. But it does not mean that everyone can use the medication as substitute to slimming pills. They should remember that the medication is intended to lower the blood sugar level and if the person who has no diabetes takes Glucophage, they will most likely experience hypoglycemia that may be dangerous if not treated immediately. Taking the prescribed amount of medication is very important to avoid undesired side effects like kidney and liver damage. Also, doctor’s prescription is very important.
Alcohol and Metformin
Lactic acidosis is characterized by low ph in the blood and body tissues followed by a build up of lactate. The body cells receive little oxygen similar periods of vigorous exercise. In the absence of oxygen the tissues in the muscles resort to anaerobic metabolism which causes release of lactic acid into the muscles causing stiffness. Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, shock, tachycardia, hypotension and lethargy among others.
Alcohol is a common beverage containing ethanol. Alcoholic beverages are of three type’s wines, spirit and beers. Beer is the most popular and widely consumed. Beer is made by fermentation of starches while wine is made from fermented fruits. Spirits are a product of distillation from a base. Short term effects of alcohol include intoxication and dehydration. Long term effects are addiction or alcoholism liver and brain metabolic change.
Intoxication causes slurred speech, delayed reflexes and clumsiness as the brain is affected. Alcohol causes the body to produce more insulin leading to glucose metabolism resulting to low blood sugar. This causes irritation and for diabetic person may cause death. Consumption of small amount of alcohol by older women lowers the blood glucose which slow or prevent the possible onset of diabetes.
Alcohol beverages use is generally discouraged on people on medication unless otherwise advised by the medical practitioner. Metformin also known as Glucophage and alcoholic beverages cannot be consumed at the same time. People who are diabetic are warned of the side effects of Metformine and other diabetic medications as the effects may turn to be fatal. Large amounts of alcohol combined with Metformine increases the risk of developing lactic acidosis. Fatality due to ignorance can lead to unnecessary Metformine law suit by the bereaved family. Continue reading
Metformin PCOS
When you ask “what is Metformin”, the answer is, it is a pharmaceutical medicine which was developed to treat elevated blood glucose levels of the people who have type 2 diabetes. It can be taken by the patient both as tablet and in the liquid version and also used with insulin because it makes the insulin more active and helps to work more rapidly. But today, metformin is also commonly prescribed for women with PCOS that is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
Metforming is generally known as glucophage or we can say that it is its one brand name or general medicine name. Glucophage what is actually metformin is an insulin-sensitizing medicine and a group of biguanide. Though it is commonly used to treat elevated blood glucose levels in people with Type 2 Diabetes it’s often employed as an off-label recommendation for PCOS. This means that it was originally used only for persons with Type 2 Diabetes but is now prescribed for PCOS patients because it has similar remedial actions in both groups. Continue reading