Metformin has been prescribed to over 120 million people worldwide.
In todays video, we will talk about how to start taking metformin and all the steps we
can do to reduce its side effects.
So stay tuned until the end!
So a little background on Metformin, its a medication which is prescribed for 2 major
reasons Type 2 Diabetes and off label use for polycystic ovarian syndrome otherwise
known as pcos.
Its also sometimes used for counteracting weight gain caused from some medications treated
to help with mood.
But For T2D, Metformin lowers your sugar levels in 3 major ways.
Number 1: It reduces the amount of sugar your liver makes, Number 2: It reduces the amount
of sugar your body absorbs, and Number 3: It increases the effects of insulin in your
body to help transport sugar from your bloodstream to where it needs to go, such as (your fat
cells, muscles, tissues, and liver, so on so forth).
Because of these 3 ways, the ADA recommends starting metformin when first becoming diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes if diet and exercise, and lifestyle changes alone is not enough
to reduce those high blood sugars.
Secondly, It also helps with infertility caused by PCOS because often times women with PCOS
have low ovulation rates and irregular menstrual cycles, making it difficult to conceive.
Metformin can stimulate ovulation and regulate menstruation, increasing your chances of pregnancy.
It can also treat diabetes that develops during pregnancy, called (gestational diabetes) and
delay or prevent full-blown diabetes from developing in women who are overweight.
But these benefits do have side effects which make it one of the most hardest medications
to stay consistent with.
Which is why I wanted to make this video, in hopes to at least help somebody on metformin
therapy.
So: Most of the side effects people experience when first starting are stomach problems,
the main one is the diarrhea, then its the nausea, stomach pain, heartburn, and gas.
Most of the time these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple
of weeks.
But If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.Thats
why the biggest take away with this video to reduce the chances of these side effects
is to: Take it With Food and to let your doctor know if its okay to slowly increase the dose
of your instant release metformin to the optimal amount over several weeks instead of getting
hit with the full dose all at once, this is what pharmacists call drug titration.
This is going to differ for every one so dont base how you take it off this, this is just
for demonstration purposes, and your doctor will recommend how you should gradually increase
it, but usually, usually if you start at the typical starting dose of metformin IR at 500
mg twice a day with lunch and dinner, and your not having any side effects, your doctor
will increase it by another 500 mg to be taken at breakfast the following week, and so on
and so forth until you hit the final target dose your doctor wants you on.
Usually your doctor wont have you taking over 2,550 mg.
Remember, when you do take it with food, avoid eating it with sugary or processed foods to
minimize these side effects.
And always take it how your doctor intends for you to take it.
If these dont help, ask your doctor if its okay to try the extended release form of metformin.
Some people find that the extended-release version of metformin to be gentler on the
digestive system and its better tolerated because its spread out over several hours
acting as a slow releaser of the drug.
Just keep in mind though that the extended release tabs should not be crushed or cut
and the dosages might differ too.
Another big thing, Often times Ill get asked, is when would I notice improvement?
So You may notice improvement in your blood sugar control in 1 to 2 weeks, but the full
effect of blood sugar control may take up to 2 to 3 months.
This also depends person to person too.
Other important tips to keep in mind is to avoid heavy drinking (which is anything over
1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men) as this can cause too much lactic
acid buildup which is a serious and rare side effect, alcohol can also increase your blood
sugars so keep that in mind too.
Weight loss can occur as well.
Your doctor may also want to monitor and check your A1c levels every 3 months or every 2
years, your kidney function, a complete blood count, as well as your vitamin b12 levels.
Also, some formulations of metformin may smell awful and some leave a lingering metallic
taste in your mouth too, totally normal, but its not something that a little bit of mouthwash
cant solve.
So quick recap , almost everyone with type 2 diabetes, as well as many with prediabetes
are taking metformin to control their blood sugar.
In fact, it’s one of the most prescribed medications in the U.S. because It’s cheap,
and it works to not only lower your blood sugar levels but it can also lower your risk
of heart attacks, possibly cancer and death as well.
I hope this video was useful to you guys, if you have any questions let me know in the
comments below, theres a lot of important information in this video, so please do give
it a like, as it helps to let others see this video too, subscribe if you havent already
to join the aspires family.
And as always, see you on the next one.