Chronic diarrhea associated with metformin has been described as watery, often explosive, and frequently causing fecal incontinence. These features are similar to those of diabetic diarrhea, except that the drug-induced disorder may be much more likely in the patient with type 2 diabetes.
How does Metformin cause Diarrhoea? The most common side effects of metformin are gastrointestinal side effects. This is because one of the ways that metformin works is directly on the gut leading to symptoms of nausea and diarrhoea, especially in the first few of weeks taking it.
Taking your metformin with meals has been shown to reduce the risk of diarrhea. Focus on a higher protein meal or snack when taking it. Never take metformin on an empty stomach. Metformin is usually better tolerated in the evening, so taking it with dinner is best.
Diarrhea is the most common side effect of metformin, but it typically gets better in a few weeks.
As much as possible, avoid white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy, soda, desserts, and snacks like chips or crackers. Eating foods that can spike your blood sugar will not necessarily make the metformin not work, however, it will increase the burden it has to work against.
No interactions were found between Anti-Diarrheal and metformin.
Researchers have found that taking probiotics with metformin eases bloating, diarrhoea and other distressful symptoms. Probiotics relieves bloating, diarrhoea, and other distressing stomach symptoms that people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes experience while taking metformin, a new study has found.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
People with diabetes may experience frequent diarrhea — loose, watery stools that happen at least three times a day. You may have fecal incontinence as well, especially at night. Diarrhea can also be due to metformin, a diabetes medication.
No interactions were found between Imodium and metformin.
metformin side effects are typically mild and can include nausea, upset stomach, or diarrhea. Foods that may trigger or increase those symptoms are best not to eat—like high-fat, sugary, or fried foods. These often contain trans fat, are served in larger portions at restaurants, and have tons of added sodium.
Take your metformin with a meal
You're less likely to experience problems if there's food in your stomach. If you only take metformin once a day, take it with your biggest meal of the day. If you take it twice a day, try to take it at opposite ends of the day.
Metformin has a number of actions within the gut. It increases intestinal glucose uptake and lactate production, increases GLP-1 concentrations and the bile acid pool within the intestine, and alters the microbiome.
Pendulum Glucose Control is only medical probiotic available that has demonstrated clinical efficacy for the dietary management of Type 2 diabetes in people taking metformin.
Metformin may have an adverse effect on renal function in patients with type 2 DM and moderate CKD.
More serious side effects are rare. They include severe allergic reactions and a condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream. The risk for this is higher among people with significant kidney disease, so doctors tend to avoid prescribing metformin for them.
Idiopathic diarrhea is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. It occurs frequently, but not exclusively, in patients with poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes who also have evidence of diabetic peripheral and autonomic neuropathy.
Metformin boosts insulin sensitivity and reduces sugar in the intestines, which means less sugar in the blood. One of the side effects of metformin is vitamin B12 deficiency, which can manifest as severe fatigue.
How long to take it for. Treatment for diabetes is usually for life. But if your kidneys are not working properly, your doctor will tell you to stop taking metformin and switch you to a different medicine. Do not stop taking metformin without talking to your doctor.
What is Diabetic Gastroparesis? Gastroparesis is a chronic condition where the stomach has trouble clearing things out of it because of damage to the stomach muscles. In diabetic gastroparesis, nerve damage caused by high blood sugar can make stomach muscles too slow or not work at all.
If your diabetes remains hard to manage even after you begin taking metformin, or you cannot tolerate metformin or do not want to take it, that's when a GLP-1RA or SGLT2i might come in. Studies have shown that both medications are safe and effective at lowering blood glucose when compared to a placebo.
Treatments and Management of Diarrhea
Your healthcare provider should be able to prescribe a treatment plan to control the symptoms of your diabetic diarrhea. This might include: Antidiarrheal medications, like Imodium (loperamide), to slow down the movement of stool.