The gastro effects can be minimized by sharply dropping your carb intake.

And for me, I took the ER, but it gave me such a boost of energy, I switched from taking it in the evening to the day. It knocked out my falling asleep after meals situation. I would think that you make be having low blood sugar side effects from it, just at a guess.

Have you checked your blood sugars when on the Metformin? Everyone's IR can behave differently. After switching my foods dramatically, I'm mostly able to not have the IR effects and have dropped the Metformin...

cpcrouch wrote: »

It definitely made me sleepier! I had to set aside an extra hour to hour and a half each night to combat it. When I added insitol I had to up my nightly sleep again.

Small doses of Inositol (500 mg) boosted my energy, too, but when I tried larger doses, it made me so sleepy!

me_ona_diet wrote: »

I have switched to a LCHF diet, and am having good results weight wise with that. May consider trying to start the metformin again - especially if low carbs will improve the gastro issues.

I can't speak for everyone's success, but going low carb (for me, between 35-50 grams daily) stopped most of the effects. I still had conflicts with dairy (none 2 hours either side of the Met) that led to the "runs" but not the rest of the misery...

milocamolly wrote: »

Are you taking B12? My dr told me to take a B12 supement with my Metformin because the Metformin depletes out B12 levels. I take my B12 separately so I make sure I get the full absorption.

Yes, Metformin, hormonal birth control or other hormonal supplementation, anti-seizure meds, anti-psychotic meds, antacids, and many others interfere. Make sure to have this checked any time the doc checks your bloodwork. I didn't know to check it and was severely deficient before I began treatment and have nerve damage that resulted. It's been less than a year since I started supplementing the B12, and I'm out of the continuing risk range, but I don't know yet if the nerve damage is repairable...

I was told recently not to take B12 without the supporting B vitamins, or it would just deplete them all. I was told to get a complex called B-150, which is like a B-Complex vitamin, but I believe it has the full complement of B Vitamins. I haven't been able to find any info to substantiate this claim.

Make sure to do bloodwork, rather than just waste your money supplementing without necessity...or overdoing something you aren't sufficient in. Make sure your pharmacist knows all your meds, even the OTC ones, to check for all possible interactions!

I can tell you that Vitamin D3 in liquid form is better for me than a burst of caffeine or an energy drink. I also use coconut oil in my morning hot beverage of choice... And yes, going low carb have helped me tons in the morning energy department (I am so naturally the opposite of a morning person. I'd rather be going to bed at 5 am than getting up then), but this WOE / WOL has changed me so much.

I did pretty good on Metformin as far as decent energy, but I'm also hypothyroid, and so I had to get my thyroid under control before I could get out of bed without struggles. Then, getting off the metformin and switching full on to LCHFMP, then Keto, I've made such strides!!!

me_ona_diet wrote: »

I'm on a thyroid medication as well, and that is what has leveled out my energy, as far as I can tell. For years I was always registering in the "low-normal" range, and I kept saying I was hypothyroid, but it took finally getting to see an endocrinologist to get prescribed some medication.

Ditto. Even then, meds brought my blood levels to normal for labs, but my symptoms didn't go away, so I had to add a supplement, too. Within a week felt obvious differences!