Metformin and Muscle Pain

[Charran]

I have been experiencing some muscle pain recently and after reading abit, I'm thinking that perhaps it could be due to the Metformin that I'm taking. My doctor has told me for the next 2 weeks not to take the Metformin to see if the pain goes away. In it's place for the next while, he has suggested that I take Gliclazide. Now after reading about that one, I'm definetely a little nervous, but that's a whole different thread! :)

Dina- I found this in one of your earlier threads and wonder if you could tell me more.As for side effects, it totally messed up my digestion after just 2 months and I had horrible muslce pain due to high level of lactic acid and liver pains on a regular basis.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what if anything was done about it?

[dina1957]

Dina- I found this in one of your earlier threads and wonder if you could tell me more.


Charran,
I had really bad with metformin, most ppl compain about diarrhea, I had months long constipation, and at one point I got so bloated and my stomach made these weird noises, that I ended up in ER thinking I have intestinal blockage. But it was metformin side effects. I also had such a bad muscle pain that I felt like screaming, my muslces were on fire, like during a very very bad flu. Vicodin was the only meds that helped somewhat, but I was not going to take it so I can use metformin. it was really bad, but YMMV. After 3 attempts, I decided enough is enough, and stopped playing with this med, expecially it did nothing to lower my FBG and gave me low Bgs in the afternoon. My digestion got back to normal once I stopped and no more bad muscle pain.
HTH

[Charran]

Thanks Dina!

Did you replace the Metformin with another diabetic medication?

[dina1957]

Thanks Dina!

Did you replace the Metformin with another diabetic medication?
Nope, based on my H1C I am not "qualified" for any diabetic meds ( I never been higher than 5.8%), and my only problem is FBG. So, I control with diet and exercise. I have asked for Byetta but they only Rx if you get sulfos first, and/or insulin, and if H1C is >8%. I just play with exercise/bedtime snacks and hope that being in 5% club is OK.

[Charran]

How long did it take for the muscle pain to go away? My doctor tells me that if that truly is what is causing it, I should see a difference within a week, two for sure!

Also, what kind of exercise do you do? I've been experimenting with exercise in different degrees to see what will give me the better reading....long duration at lower intensity or shorter duration with higher intensity. Walking is my main form of exercise right now, but I am adding in some weight training, mainly for upper body, as my legs get quite a work-out walking at an incline!

[dina1957]

How long did it take for the muscle pain to go away? My doctor tells me that if that truly is what is causing it, I should see a difference within a week, two for sure!

Also, what kind of exercise do you do? I've been experimenting with exercise in different degrees to see what will give me the better reading....long duration at lower intensity or shorter duration with higher intensity. Walking is my main form of exercise right now, but I am adding in some weight training, mainly for upper body, as my legs get quite a work-out walking at an incline!
It took few days for the pain to go away, it also depends how fast your liver and kidneys get rid of this med. I would suggest drinking more water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, green tea and give your liver a break by eating less red meat and dairy, more veggies and some fruit.
I have experimented a lot too, and walking and swimming so far are the best for short term and long term BG control. But I also do weights, although not as often and not as heavy as I used to, mainly for muscle mass maintenance and bone density, I am almost 50. I do free weights only (no machines) and both, upper and lower body, but also play with kettlebells, at least, 10 minutes a day. I think longer duration medium intensity cardio works better than shorter and heavy sessions, but with weights it is the other way around. Long and hard lifting spike my Bgs as high as 180 after an hour long session, so I keep it short now, under 40 minutes, to avoid cortisol stress response and gluconeogenesis, and never 1st thing in the morning.
HTH

[Charran]

Thanks for sharing that Dina. I always think it's interesting how for one disease, so many things work for different people. I guess it's all a matter of trial and error!