Metformin side effects: Tips?? - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Message Board

FirstPregnancy · 04-18-2007, 07:53 PM

All, I just started on metformin last week ( 500mg in the morning, then 500mg at night). I had stomach cramps and diarrhea early on, but it seems to be mostly gone. I've started taking my medication with yogurt and that definitely seems to help- Does anyone else have any suggestions on how to reduce the side effects?

brooke_82 · 04-21-2007, 07:22 AM

When my doc started me on Metformin she had me take half a 500mg tablet mornings only for a week strait... then half a 500mg tablet in the morning and the other half at night for a week strait and so on and so forth. It took me 6 weeks to get up to my treatment dosage but I didnt suffer any of the side affects.

FirstPregnancy · 04-28-2007, 10:44 AM

After 2 weeks I have bumped up to 1000mg in the morning and 1000mg at night, and although the stomach cramping has gone away, now I have nausea and dehydration. The thought of eating, makes me feel like I am going to hurl and within an hour or 2 after I take my medicine it seems like no matter how much water I drink, it is not enough and I spend most of the eve drinking then having to pee. Anything that has worked for anyone else for the nausea?

lucy1978 · 05-27-2007, 10:02 AM

I have been on 1500 a day for the last 3 years and just recently increased to 850 3x a day. I helps me to take it with yogurt in the morning especially, and to always take it with food. I no longer handle milk products well and there are some foods I used to like, I cannot stand anymore, but since I will probably take this for the rest of my life I have to get used to it. Sometimes the stomach discomfort disappears almost entirely for awhile, and then suddenly re-appears. I have yet to figure out why, maybe it's something I eat...