URGENT Metformin question.?

Question

I was prescribed Metformin for my hypoglycemia because they said I am "insulin resistant". I took 250 mgs at 5:00 pm yesterday and then ate dinner like instructed. I am now living like a humming bird where I have to have sugar every two hours because I am crashing.

I have been up all night because when I get low, I get an adrenaline surge. I have eaten a small PB sandwich every three hours and my stomach is full. I can't eat much more but I still keep crashing.

How long does it take to get out of your system?

Any suggestions?

Metformin is also prescribed for insulin resistant people. It increases your sensitivity to insulin and is supposed to trigger your body to stop making so much. It does seem counterintuitive but in most people it does work. I am just not one of those people apparently.

I am definitely hyPOglycemic. My blood sugars keep dropping and I am on a very specific diet to try and control it. My body produces too much insulin in response to food. If I don't eat at all, I will not drop but ANY food causes me to produce too much insulin and crash. I test my blood sugar several times a day to maintain my levels. This morning I woke up during one of the episodes and was at 40. Normal is 70-110.

I have been tested numerous times and my proinsulin levels are very high along with C-peptides. I don't quite understand it but every doctor says the same thing. Insulin resistant.

Answer 1

Every person's body is different. I would guess it should be clearing your system starting at 12 hours and continuing to decline in your bloodstream hourly after that. I would check my blood sugars frequently and eat if needed. Also, I would NOT take another tab. You need to talk with you doctor and he needs to find a substitute medication for you.

Answer 2

Metformin is an oral medication that LOWERS blood glucose (sugar) and is used for treating type 2 DIABETES. Are you sure you don't mean that you have hyperglycemia rather than hypoglycemia? Hypergycemia is high blood sugar or diabetes.
If you are taking metformin and you already have low blood sugar, I would imagine you would be crashing all the time.

In either case, you need to see a doctor, and I'm not sure you should see the same one.

Also, I am hypoglycemic and there is no good medication really, you just have to be careful of slow sugars like carbohydrates (cookies and cake). The best treatment for a crash is fast sugars, like several Life Savers, four teaspoons of sugar, or a can of regular soda or juice.

Your condition, whether hyper or hypo is life threatening. If your blood sugar is dropping that low that much, you could end up in a coma.
I would call you doctor now. There may be someone on call other than your doctor, but at least you can get some answers as to why you were prescribed the metformin, why is it at this dose, and why is it effecting you this way, and last but not least, what should you do now?

Answer 3

It takes Metformin about a month to work effectively. It is a systemic drug meaning it has to build up.

It is normally Rx'd for HYPER. It helps the muscles accept the insulin actions and shuts down the liver from dumping stored glucose on the system.

I would never want to see my sister on Met!! She crashes royally anyway she is so HYPO!

You need to go back to that doctor and get a better explaination, and probably find a new doctor.

You should not have been HYPO on the same day as taking this.

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH is not a good glucose raiser!!! I use regular cokes!!! 4 ounces for 15 points at 15 minutes!!! Peanut butter will only neutralize the glucose in the bread!!!

go have a couple of tablespoons of honey!!!

Answer 4

Sounds like you need a new doctor. Metformin is for hyPERglycemia.

If you truly are insulin resistant, then your problem is hyperglycemia. The Metformin merely "helps" your insulin work better getting the glucose into the cells instead of allowing it to build up in the blood where it can do serious damage.

You need to learn as much as you can as quickly as you can. First off, my recommendation is to find out if you're hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic. Then find out what to do about it. I can tell you that a healthy diet and daily exercise will help (tremendously) with stablizing blood glucose regardless of whether you're hyper or hypo.

Answer 5

Metformin should not cause your blood sugar to crash. However exercise in combination could possibly be a problem. Or if you are on any other medications double check with your doctor about any interactions. I was prescribed zoloft and the doctor forgot to tell me about the possibility of my insulin and metformin and the zoloft could cause me to crash. I hope this helps a little.

Answer 6

I had those same symptoms when I started about two years ago. I really had to give up carbs almost completely. It was a trial by fire for me. I had an addiction to sugar even though I really did not think of it before starting on the metformin and trying to give excess carbs the boot.
Go see your doctor before throwing your meds out. He might tell you that this energy is because your body is working better now. Heck, I turned into the cleaning woman from hell because I had all this antsy energy and wanted to do anything but run food through my gullet to satisfy a craving.

Answer 7

I also have HYPOglycemia and my Husband is diabetic, life is so much fun.

So I graze almost all day long. Protein will digest slower and help keep your sugar level longer. I crave carbohydrates almost all of the time. If I go 4 hours or more without eating I get cold, sweat, and light headed. The next stage is passing out.

Of course he cannot eat a lot of carbs because they make sugar.

He is free of his meds in 12 hours. Good Luck.