Taking Metformin?

[Rich66]

Anyone taking Metformin? Having side effects? How do you manage Metformin around iodine contrast scans? Supposedly a problem.

[ammebarb]

Hi Rich. I began to take Metformin last February...a rather small dose that has significantly lowered my blood sugar. As for side effects....let's just say that when I think I need to use the bathroom, I can't dawdle! I have to have a contrast CT every six months as follow-up for early stage endometrial cancer and yes, managing the Metformin around them is a little tricky. I have a lab for kidney function a week prior to the scan, stop taking the Metformin a day before the CT, have another lab drawn the day after the scan and then resume taking the Metformin once I hear that kidney function is ok.

Barb A.

[Rich66]

Thanks. Sounds like minor side effects for taking something to synergize w/chemo and knock down cancer stem cells. What chemo are you taking?

[hutchibk]

Rich - do you mean Metformin as a diabetes patient or Metformin strictly as a compliment to chemo? do we know anything at all about what the side effects could be to someone who doesn't have diabetes?

[ammebarb]

Hi again Rich. I'm not on any chemo agent...my endometrial cancer was caught early and no further treatment was necessary. Didn't realize you were talking about taking it as part of a chemo regimen. My meformin is for pre diabetes.

Barb

[Rich66]

Just trying to understand people's experiences with this drug in "normal" diabetic usage in cancer patient setting. With that, and with any information on possible issues with non-diabetic use, would like to have some sense of risk/benefit. Apparently, it has been used off label for weight loss and body building. Certainly not advocating anything other than maybe a collective nudge to get oncs to look into this. Of course, a non-drug approach like a ketogenic diet might achieve the same benefit.

[hutchibk]

I can certainly try and ask my new endocrinologist (never had to have one of those docs before, until my pituitary gland got it's feelings hurt by a little tumor - that now has been effectively ZAPPED off the planet -) what she thinks about it and also ask my onc... he actually found the info interesting when I shared it with him several months ago. But, don't know what would happen to a non-diabetes patient. There's got to be a down side. Seems there always is.

[Unregistered]

Metformin acts as a antidiabetic drug by decreasing the output of glucose from the liver into the blood and by acting as an insulin sensitizer making the insulin act more effectively in the body. It does not directly lower blood sugar as the sulfonylurea medications such as Amaryl. These drugs work by increasing the insulin secretion in the body.

In other words you can take Metformin without fear of drastically lowering your blood sugar. A sulfonylurea drug such as amaryl could caue severe hypoglycemia.

The main side effects of Metformin are nausea and stomach upset. If you kidney function is below normal there is a danger of severe lactic acidosis. You also have to be careful of the contrast media used in lab tests as these can increase the posibility of lactic acidosis.

Paul