Q. Last year my doctor prescribed metformin to control my appetite. I lost 20 pounds, but the drug gave me five bowel movements a day as well as gas.
My doctor suggested half a pill plus probiotics and digestive enzymes. I still have the same problems. I do not have diabetes but I am still about 20 pounds overweight. What else can I do?
A. Metformin is a diabetes drug not approved for weight control. Your physician is taking a very “creative” approach to helping you lose weight that is probably not considered “standard of care.”
Unlike other pills for type 2 diabetes, metformin doesn’t lead to weight gain. That is a real plus. Unfortunately, metformin can cause significant digestive distress.
Here are some reports from other visitors to this website:
“Metformin caused me increasingly severe diarrhea, to the point where I was having a dozen or more episodes a day, and lost 14 pounds in two weeks. I had been on Fortamet, but asked to be switched to generic metformin because of the cost. I also had daily diarrhea with Fortamet, but it was much, much worse when I took the generic form. I’m now on a slow-release form of Fortamet, but still have two or three bouts of diarrhea almost every day.”
Daily
“Metformin has taken some time to get used to. At first, with a twice daily dose, it caused sudden diarrhea that was inhibiting my daily life. I am now on once-a-day insulin and take a low dose of metformin (1/2 tablet or one whole) only at night. I skip a dose if I know I have a morning appointment because the sudden loose stools continue. I only wish that my doctor had emphasized to watch for the gastric symptoms.”
DBK
Although metformin is a perfectly reasonable drug for type 2 diabetes patients, there are some risks that might not be worthwhile for someone who does not have this metabolic condition.
You might benefit more from coaching than from medication.
Although there may be a role for medication to help control appetite, such drugs can sometimes have side effects you would prefer to avoid.
METFORMIN SIDE EFFECTS
- Heartburn
- Stomach ache
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Headache
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Rash
- Lactic acidosis (symptoms may include irregular heart rate, nausea, stomach pain, lethargy, anxiety, low blood pressure and rapid heart rate) Notify your physician immediately if you notice any of these symptoms!
There are several dietary plans that can be used to promote weight loss: cutting carbohydrates is one, eating in the Mediterranean style is another, and following the DASH diet is a third.
You can learn much more about these dietary approaches and the diabetes drug metformin in our book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy. We also have a chapter on weight loss that will help you find a diet plan that fits your life style, a dietary diary approach, and tips on exercise. You will also get the straight and skinny on diet pills. Here is a link to access this book and our other publications.
