Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2013, at 11:01:14
In reply to My diet, my Metformin, posted by Phil on July 14, 2013, at 8:34:29
Me too. :(
At least I know my IBS has gotten exponentially worse, which happened around the same time I started taking it.
I can share what's helped me, though since I doubt I'll leave the house today because of the problem, you can judge it for what it's worth.
Vegetables are big triggers for me, fruits only to a lesser degree. I make sure to keep Beano on hand.
Dicyclomine can help calm the excitability of the intestinal system. I strongly recommend it, though it doesn't always work. GasX works wonders as well. It seems as if gas is what causes the nausea, and after the gas comes the diarrhea. I'm still dealing with the latter when the former came on Friday. I prophylactically take a gasX after eating anything that might conceivably have vegetables in it. I must have ingested concealed vegetables on Friday.
When I'm having trouble, I have to avoid carbonated beverages. Or perhaps it's caffeine. Perhaps both.
In other words, I don't know what you've read about the problem, but I've found the things that are best for me are things my guts just can't handle.
If you're having a flareup stick to bread and potatoes (and if you aren't lactose intolerant, things like pudding) and avoid caffeine and carbonated beverages and see if it helps. It seems to me that "irritable" bowel syndrome is well named. You need to avoid irritating your poor bowels.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Metformin has a role in this, but since I'm insulin resistant I have no choice but to take it.
For what it's worth, my gastroenterologist suggests taking this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007IQMVG/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
But she suggested a lot of things, many of which are completely contrary to what I've found to be true. She was telling me to avoid gluten and eat lots of veggies. I'd *never* leave the house with that sort of advice.
I rather find that this is sort of like mental health side effects. Doctors who aren't on metformin tend to dismiss the link - perhaps because it isn't a universal reaction.
poster:Dinah
thread:1047156
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130706/msgs/1047221.html