The UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) revealed that taking metformin reduces the risk of heart attack by 39 percent compared with other blood-glucose-lowering drugs. Switch to the extended-release (XR) version of metformin, which is tolerated better by most people.
#Side effect of metformin full#
People who experience chronic irritation on a full dose may still benefit from a partial dose of metformin, and people with chronic irritation who started on a full dose can sometimes eliminate this irritation by cutting back and slowly building back up to a full dose. After one more week, a fourth pill can be added to the morning dose, so that by the end of the month, the full daily dose of 2,000 mg is being taken. After another week, a third pill can be added to the evening dose. At that point, a second 500-mg pill can be added in the morning. When starting metformin, most people do well with starting with 500 mg at night or with dinner, and staying at this dose for a full week. The leading theory is that metformin slows the rate of bile salt reabsorption in the intestines, which in turn could disturb the activity of bacteria in the colon. Little difference is seen between doses of 1,000 mg and 2,500 mg.
Higher doses tend to cause more irritation, at least when comparing 500 milligrams (mg) to higher doses. Only 3 percent to 10 percent of people in clinical trials experience symptoms severe enough that they stop taking the drug. When starting metformin, around a third of people suffer some degree of stomach irritation, which usually resolves quickly. Learn about several metformin side effects: Stomach irritation, diarrhea But like all complex and imperfectly understood drugs, it has some side effects. Metformin’s job is to lower your blood glucose.