Metformin is a drug that is given in type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially when slightly overweight. It lowers the blood sugar level, which is elevated in diabetes, very effectively and has been used for a long time. The dosage of the drug can be very different.
However, it is usually taken once to three times a day, always with meals. Usually a small dose is started and then increased, depending on how the patient tolerates it. Metformin is a very strong drug which can cause some side effects.
These would be mainly gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, vomiting and also constipation. Some patients also complain of severe stomach pain. There are also other side effects like reddening of the skin, changes in taste, inflammation of the liver and anemia.
There is also the possibility of a more serious side effect, lactic acidosis, which is described below. Metformin is a contraindication and is completely unsuitable for severe kidney and liver disease, alcoholism, heart failure, acidosis, diabetes mellitus type 1 and diabetic ketoacidosis. Should the patient wish to become pregnant, she should urgently consult her doctor, because in this case, instead of taking the drug, blood glucose is adjusted by means of insulin injections.
However, if necessary, it can be taken during pregnancy – but this is particularly true for women who suffer from PCO syndrome in addition to diabetes mellitus type 2. Metformin also helps to some extent with weight loss. However, it is not a real weight loss product. However, as it helps to control blood sugar levels, it reduces diabetes-related side effects, but a change in diet and weight loss is still unavoidable.
Lactate Acidosis
Lactic acidosis can be caused by the combination of metformin with excessive alcohol consumption and is certainly a serious disease. Lactic acidosis means that the blood and tissue in the body are too acidic. The pH value is clearly too low and the concentration of lactate is too high.
These two symptoms coupled together also distinguish lactic acidosis from conventional metabolic acidosis, which only manifests itself through a low pH value. In this disease the aerobic (oxygen-consuming) glucose breakdown is disturbed, so it is a cell metabolic disease. Lactic acidosis is not entirely harmless and must be treated urgently, since in severe cases it can even lead to shock and kidney failure.
Symptoms are deep and heavy breathing, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms are not very specific and clear, so it is important that a laboratory test is performed. This is the only way to know for sure whether such a lactic acidosis is present or not.
The causes are manifold and can be sepsis (blood poisoning), but also liver or kidney damage. Some drugs, such as metformin, can also cause lactic acidosis. Especially if you take metformin with a lot of alcohol, lactic acidosis is not unlikely. The disease can only be treated if the cause is eliminated. Then the metabolism usually settles down again by itself.
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