Last Updated on: 15th February 2023, 12:32 am
If You use Metformin with a proper diet and exercise program, it’s very useful for patients with type 2 diabetes, and possibly with other medications to control high blood sugar. Buttt it can give you some serious or dangerous Side Effects.
Hi, I am Writevisor, today we are talking about Metformin side effects and some other related problems, like high blood sugar, type 2 diabetes and so on. So let’s get started.
Remember:- Incomplete information is worse than wrong information, So read it to the end.

What is Metformin?
- Metformin is used in people with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar can help prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and problems with sexual function.
- Properly managing diabetes can also reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
- Metformin works by helping to restore the body’s proper response to the insulin it naturally produces.
- It also reduces sugar produced by the liver and absorbed by the stomach/gut.
- Metformin is used with an appropriate diet and exercise program, and possibly with other medications to control high blood sugar.
Brief Overview of Metformin
Anti-diabetic medication | It can treat type 2 diabetes. |
Brands | Glucophage, Riomet, Glumetza, Glucophage XR, and Fortamet |
Availability | Prescription needed |
Pregnancy | No known risks |
Alcohol | Interactions can occur |
Drug class | Biguanide |
Metformin Side effects
According to nhs.uk, these common side effects of metformin occur in more than one percent of people (or 1 in 100 ).
Common Side effects of metformin
Nausea

What is Nausea?
- Nausea is the feeling that you’re going to vomit.
- Nausea is most often caused by some kind of illness or condition, like pregnancy or food poisoning.
- It can also be caused by some medicines, like cancer treatments and antidepressants.
- If you have nausea, try to stay calm and drink plenty of liquids until the feeling passes.
- Discomfort may include heaviness, tightness, and persistent indigestion. Vomiting is what happens when your body empties the contents of your stomach through your mouth.
Vomiting

What is Vomiting
- Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through mouth.
- It may be a one-time event, associated with problems that cannot be resolved in the stomach.
- Repeated vomiting may be caused by an underlying medical condition.
Diarrhea

What is Diarrhea?
- Diarrhea is the frequent passage of watery or loose stools.
- Diarrhea can happen as a side effect of many different types of medication, including antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, chemotherapy drugs, and even over-the-counter medications.
- Diarrhea is usually not serious, but it can cause dehydration, which in turn can lead to electrolyte imbalance and loss of important vitamins.
- When diarrhea lasts for more than 2 days or if it is severe (i.e., 10 or more watery bowel movements per day), call your doctor or a gastroenterologist immediately.
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Stomach Or Belly Pain

What is Stomach Or Belly Pain?
- Stomach or Belly pain is discomfort or pain you feel in your Stomach or Belly Area. or abdominal pain is discomfort anywhere in the abdominal region, between the ribs and the pelvis.
- We often refer to abdominal pain as “Belly ache” or “stomach ache,” but abdominal pain can also come from other organs.
- These are organs in the digestive system, but pain can also occur in the abdominal wall, abdominal layer (skin, muscles).
- Most causes of abdominal pain are not a cause for concern and your doctor can easily diagnose and treat the problem.
- But sometimes, it can be a sign of a serious medical condition that requires medical attention.
Lack or Loss of Strength

What is Lack or Loss of Strength?.
- Weakness refers to a loss of muscle strength. That is, people cannot move muscles normally despite their best efforts.
- However, the term is often misused. Many people with normal muscle strength say they feel weak when the problem is fatigue.
- Muscle weakness is often caused by lack of exercise, aging, muscle damage, or pregnancy. It can also occur with long-term conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
- There are many other possible causes, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (MS).

GAS

What is Gas?
- Gas in the digestive system is part of the normal digestive process. Passing excess gas through belching or flatulence (flatulence) is also normal.
- Gas pain can occur if gas becomes trapped or does not pass through the digestive system well.
- Swallowing more air than normal, overeating, smoking, or chewing gum can cause excess gas in the upper intestine.
- Excess lower intestinal gas can be caused by overconsumption of certain foods, incomplete digestion of certain foods, or disruption of bacteria normally found in the colon.
Constipation

What is Constipation?
- Constipation is the infrequent, difficult, or painful passage of stool.
- Constipation is usually caused by a lack of fiber in the diet and can be cured with over-the-counter laxatives.
- Symptoms include hard stools, straining to have a bowel movement, and infrequent bowel movements (less than three times per week).
- Long-term constipation can lead to other complications, such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
Less Common Side Effects Of Metformin
Anxiety

What is Anxiety?
- Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and restlessness.
- It can make you sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a racing heart. This may be a normal reaction to stress.
- For example, you may feel anxious when facing difficult problems at work, before taking a test or making an important decision.
- The feeling of anxiety varies depending on the person experiencing it. Sensations can range from butterflies in the stomach to a racing heartbeat.
- You may feel out of control, as if there is a disconnect between your mind and your body.
Chest Discomfort

What is Chest Discomfort?
- A variety of mental and physical health conditions can cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest.
- People often associate a feeling of heaviness in the chest with heart problems, but discomfort can be a sign of anxiety or depression.
- A heavy feeling is one way a person describes chest pain or discomfort.
- Sometimes chest pain is just chest pain. Sometimes it’s just a pulled muscle, heartburn, or bronchitis. There are usually benign causes, but if you are concerned, you should be evaluated by a health professional.
- Chest pain can indicate a serious medical condition, heart-related or otherwise.
Blurred Vision

What is Blurred Vision?
- If your vision is blurry, what you see will not seem clear.
- You may have blurred vision in both eyes or in one eye, depending on the cause of the blurred vision.
- Sometimes everything you see will be blurry, and other times only part of your vision will be blurry.
- Most people experience blurred vision at some point in their lives. In many cases this will be temporary and will resolve on its own without any major treatment.
- However, some people need help to regain their vision.
Cold Sweats

What is Cold Sweats?
- Cold sweats occur when your body suddenly feels cold, accompanied by abnormal sweating, no matter how hot or cold your surroundings are.
- Cold sweats often appear on the palms of the hands, armpits, and soles of the feet.
- They are actually caused by our body’s “fight or flight” response, which is designed to protect us in dangerous situations.
- When we are stressed, anxious, or threatened, our breathing and heart rate naturally increase, causing our bodies to go into overdrive.
- This in turn activates our sweat glands, keeping us cool.
Confusion

What is Confusion?
- Confusion is the inability to think clearly or quickly as usual. You may feel disoriented and have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
- The confusion can come on quickly or slowly over time, depending on the cause. Many times, the confusion lasts a short time and then disappears.
- Other times, it is permanent and has no cure. It may be associated with delirium or dementia.
- If you are the one experiencing signs of confusion, it is best to call a friend or loved one for help.
- If you’re confused, you may need help doing things you were able to do on your own before.
Cool, Pale Skin

What is Cool, Pale Skin?
- Pale skin makes the skin appear paler (lighter) than normal. Another term is paleness, which can happen to people of any skin color.
- While people associate paleness with complexion, it can also cause the nail bed to become very light or whitish. Color changes can also affect the lips, gums, and tongue.
- Pale skin occurs due to underlying health issues such as anemia, vitamin deficiencies, low blood pressure, etc., and is often associated with other symptoms such as tiredness and lethargy.
- Fair skin, on the other hand, is not associated with any health problems.
Depression

What is Depression?
- Depression is a common and serious medical condition that can negatively affect how you feel, think, and behave.
- Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression can cause sadness and/or loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.
- It can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems and can reduce your ability to function at work and at home.
- There is no single cause for depression. It can happen for a number of reasons, and there are many different triggers.
- For some people, frustrating or stressful life events such as bereavement, divorce, illness, layoffs, and job or financial worries can cause depression. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
Difficult Or Labored Breathing

What is Difficult or Labored Breathing
- When you feel short of breath (labored breathing), you cannot breathe easily and may even have difficulty breathing.
- Shortness of breath can be worrisome and make you feel tired or exhausted. Sometimes it can represent a medical emergency.
- Difficulty breathing, known medically as dyspnea, is often described as severe tightness in the chest, hunger for air, shortness of breath (labored breathing), or a feeling of suffocation.
Dizziness

What is Dizziness?
- Dizziness is a term used to describe a variety of sensations, such as feeling dizzy, faint, weak, or unsteady.
- Dizziness that gives the illusion that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo.
- Dizziness is one of the most common reasons adults go to the doctor. Frequent or persistent dizziness can seriously affect your life.
- But dizziness rarely indicates a life-threatening situation.
- Treatment for dizziness depends on the cause and symptoms. Usually it works, but the problem can recur.
Rare Side Effects of Metformin
Behavior Change

What is Behavior Change?
- Behavior changes can be temporary or permanent effects and are considered a change in an individual’s behavior compared to previous behavior.
- It is sometimes considered a mental disorder.
- After a person experiences a traumatic situation or witnesses an unpleasant event, their behavior may change.
- These behavior changes can be caused by mental health conditions such as: Anxiety: Anxiety occurs when a person feels nervous or uncomfortable about a situation.
Concentration Difficulty

What is Concentration Difficulty?
- These symptoms may be due to an underlying medical condition, such as mild cognitive impairment, or mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
- Loss of concentration can also be caused by lifestyle issues that need to be addressed, such as stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, dehydration, unhealthy diet, or sedentary behavior.
- Inattention may be the result of a long-established condition, such as attention deficit disorder, or it may be the result of an illness or other event.
Drowsiness

What is Drowsiness?
- Feeling unusually sleepy or tired during the day is often called drowsiness (sleepiness).
- Drowsiness can cause other symptoms, such as forgetfulness or falling asleep at inappropriate times.
- Drowsy people may fall asleep when they don’t feel like sleeping, or sometimes it may lead to security issues.
- The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are sleep deprivation, obstructive sleep apnea, and sedative medications.
- Other potential causes of excessive daytime sleepiness include certain medical and psychiatric conditions and sleep disorders such as narcolepsy.
Lack or Loss of Strength

What is Lack or Loss of Strength?.
- Weakness refers to a loss of muscle strength. That is, people cannot move muscles normally despite their best efforts.
- However, the term is often misused. Many people with normal muscle strength say they feel weak when the problem is fatigue.
- Muscle weakness is often caused by lack of exercise, aging, muscle damage, or pregnancy. It can also occur with long-term conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
- There are many other possible causes, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (MS).
Restless Sleep

What is Restless Sleep?
- Restless sleep (Sleep disorders) in adults can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, or depression.
- People in this age group may also have underlying sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome or insomnia. Certain medications can also cause sleep disturbances.
- There is no official clinical definition of restless sleep, but it is usually associated with trouble falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings, a racing heart, or a feeling of being half-asleep throughout the night.
Chart Of Metformin Side Effects
Sr. No. | Common | Less Common | Rare |
1 | Feeling sick (nausea) | Anxiety | Behavior Change Similar to Being Drunk |
2 | Diarrhoea | Blurred Vision | Difficulty With Concentrating |
3 | Being sick (vomiting) | Chest Discomfort | Drowsiness |
4 | Stomach ache or Belly pain | Cold Sweats | Lack or Loss of Strength |
5 | Loss of appetite | Confusion | Restless Sleep |
6 | A metallic taste in the mouth | Cool, Pale Skin | |
7 | Gas | Depression | |
8 | Constipation | Dizziness |
Q1:- What exactly does metformin do to your body?
Metformin lowers blood sugar levels by improving the way, body handles insulin. It is often used to treat diabetes when diet and exercise alone are not enough to control blood sugar levels.
Q2:- What is the most serious side effect of metformin?
Lactic acidosis:- Lactic acidosis is a rare but serious side effect that occurs when too much lactate (also called lactic acid) builds up in the blood. Lactic acid is produced by muscles and red blood cells. Normally, your lactate levels are low.
Q3:- Who should avoid taking metformin?
This medicine is not recommended for people over 80 years of age with kidney problems.
Q4:- What are the 5 side effects of metformin?
1:- Feeling sick (nausea)
2:- Diarrhoea
3:- Being sick (vomiting)
4:- Stomach ache or Belly pain
5:- Loss of appetite
Q5:- What does metformin do if not diabetic?
Metformin has been found to reduce the rate of age-related disease progression and thus prolong life, especially in the setting of cancer. Recent clinical trials in multiple disease states have shown that metformin reduces all-cause mortality in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Conclusion
- So, we just talked about metformin side effects and their brief information. If you are feeling any side effects of Metformin, contact your doctor immediately.
- I tried my best to give you this information, if you like then bookmark this website, because this website is encyclopaedia of Any Medication Side effects.
- This Will Definitely help you in future. STAY HEALTHY STAY SAFE!!
- Thank You.