Stopping Metformin: When and How You Can Stop Taking Metformin

In case you’ve been taking metformin for a while and haven’t seen outcomes, or in case you’re experiencing dangerous uncomfortable side effects, you could marvel when and cease taking it. 

Nonetheless, stopping a prescription medicine when you’ve been on it for some time may be extra difficult than you would possibly assume. 

This text will clarify all the pieces it’s essential to find out about when and cease taking metformin if it’s now not working or in case you are experiencing uncomfortable side effects. 

Why would you wish to cease taking metformin? 

Metformin is extraordinarily well-liked, usually protected, reasonably priced, and extensively accessible in the USA. Individuals who take metformin for improved blood sugar ranges (and modest weight administration) usually discover it efficient, with short-term and minimal uncomfortable side effects.

Metformin is mostly utilized by folks with kind 2 diabetes and prediabetes (a situation through which blood glucose ranges are excessive, however not within the vary for a diabetes analysis), and it’s generally prescribed “off-label” for these experiencing insulin resistance (a situation through which the physique doesn’t use insulin effectively) or for weight administration. 

Nonetheless, there are some the explanation why people who find themselves on metformin might want to cease taking it. 

Metformin isn’t working 

Not everybody who takes metformin will get to get pleasure from improved blood sugar and HbA1c (A1c) ranges (a measure of glucose ranges over the earlier 2 to three months), not to mention the load loss that’s typically promised with the drug. 

In case you’ve been taking metformin for a number of months however will not be seeing enhancements in your well being and high quality of life, you could be reassessing why you’re spending cash on the drug to start with.

It is a widespread motive why folks cease taking metformin and is totally affordable. 

Metformin doesn’t and won’t work for everybody who takes it. 

You’re experiencing dangerous uncomfortable side effects 

Unwanted effects of metformin embrace the next:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Gasoline
• Decreased urge for food
• Vomiting 
• Stomachache 
• Weight reduction 
• Metallic style in your mouth
• Heartburn
• Constipation 
• Low blood sugar (in case you take insulin) 

These uncomfortable side effects are usually minimal and go away inside a number of weeks of beginning metformin. 

You’ll be able to be taught extra in our information Metformin Aspect Results: What You Must Know.

Nonetheless, for some folks, the uncomfortable side effects are so extreme and final so lengthy (or grow to be everlasting) that it fully disrupts their lives, rendering them unable to work or keep a social life or shut relationships.

In case you’re experiencing uncomfortable side effects resembling power diarrhea, debilitating low blood sugars, or extreme bloating, gasoline, vomiting, or nausea for quite a lot of weeks after beginning the medicine, it might be time to speak to your physician about weaning your self off metformin and discovering an alternate drug. 

Metformin isn’t becoming into your life-style 

In case you’ve been struggling to recollect to take your metformin tablet day by day or generally twice day by day, are inconsistent together with your dose, or discover it a trouble, it might be time to seek out an alternate medicine that doesn’t should be taken so typically. 

Speak together with your physician about discovering an alternate, resembling a GLP-1 agonist like Trulicity (dulaglutide) or Ozempic (semaglutide). Each are injections that should be taken solely as soon as weekly. 

Your medical insurance now not covers it 

Whereas metformin is fairly priced with medical insurance and is extensively coated, in case your medical insurance modifications otherwise you grow to be uninsured, you could not wish to pay the worth of it over-the-counter, which might grow to be costly in the USA. 

Ensure that all of your medicines are coated on any new medical insurance plan you join, and in the event that they’re not and the over-the-counter value is prohibitive, discuss together with your physician about discovering extra reasonably priced options. 

Your well being and blood sugar administration has improved and also you now not want it 

Taking metformin, along with consuming a balanced food plan and exercising usually, could be a nice jump-start to a more healthy life-style, higher blood sugar ranges, and decrease weight. 

So are you able to cease taking metformin when your blood sugar is again to regular? 

After some time, some folks might discover that they gained’t require medicine any longer to handle their diabetes (a state often known as diabetes remission), and docs might wean them off metformin. 

Reaching diabetes remission is superb progress. However at all times discuss together with your physician earlier than weaning your self off metformin to verify that you’re certainly in remission. It’s potential that taking the medicine is the explanation your blood sugar ranges are staying in vary, and stopping will trigger them to rise once more.

When are you able to cease taking metformin? 

Metformin takes a number of weeks to grow to be totally efficient, so in case you’ve simply began taking the medicine, you’ll want to present it a while to work. 

Many individuals see decrease blood sugars inside a number of weeks of beginning metformin remedy, however for weight reduction and decrease A1c ranges, it will possibly take a number of months for outcomes to be noticeable. 

Except you’re experiencing debilitating uncomfortable side effects, it’s often greatest to present the medicine a while to take impact. 

Dangers of stopping metformin

In case you cease taking metformin instantly, your well being might undergo. It’s possible you’ll expertise uncomfortable side effects resembling larger blood sugars, an elevated A1c, and even weight achieve. 

Over time, larger blood sugar ranges can result in diabetes problems, together with: 

Earlier than stopping metformin, be sure you discuss together with your physician about your remedy choices and keep a nutritious diet and train usually to maintain blood sugars inside your goal vary. 

How are you going to cease taking metformin? 

By no means cease taking any prescribed medicine with out first speaking to your physician. It’s essential that you’ll be able to successfully handle your blood sugar ranges by way of sustainable approaches first. A physician will use sure benchmarks to see if it’s acceptable so that you can cease taking metformin. 

These embrace:

• Having a random blood sugar take a look at of 180 mg/dL or decrease
• Sustaining an A1c of seven% or decrease
• Having a fasting or pre-meal blood sugar degree of 80 to 130 mg/dL 

Moreover, it’s unlikely that your physician could have you cease taking metformin abruptly, particularly in case you’ve been on the medicine for a very long time. 

They may most certainly have you ever wean your dose over time, so your physique has time to get used to a decrease dose with out experiencing unfavorable uncomfortable side effects like excessive blood sugar or weight achieve. 

Your physician can advise you on tapering methods and the way a lot it’s best to scale back your dose every week till you take none in any respect. When you cease taking metformin, it is going to take about 4 days for the medication to fully clear out of your system.

What are the options to metformin?

There are a number of options to metformin. These embrace injections, oral medicines, and life-style modifications. 

Along with metformin, the next medicines are presently obtainable in the USA as remedies for kind 2 diabetes:

Sulfonylureas

• Glipizide (model identify Glucotrol)
• Glimepiride (Amaryl)
• Glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase)

Meglitinides

• Repaglinide (Prandin)
• Nateglinide (Starlix)

Thiazolidinediones

• Pioglitazone (Actos)
• Rosiglitazone (Avandia)

DPP-4 Inhibitors

• Sitagliptin (Januvia)
• Saxagliptin (Onglyza)
• Linagliptin (Tradjenta)
• Alogliptin (Nesina)

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist

SGLT2 Inhibitors

Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors

• Precose (generic solely)
• Miglitol (Glyset)

Insulin (each basal, or background, insulin remedy and a mix of basal and bolus, or mealtime, remedy)

Growing your bodily exercise and following a nutritious diet may also be wonderful methods, both alone or along with remedy with drugs, particularly if these life-style modifications provide help to keep your blood sugar ranges throughout the desired vary. 

Consuming fewer carbohydrates, quitting smoking, and consuming little to no alcohol can even provide help to handle your blood sugar ranges.

Closing ideas

Stopping metformin requires cautious consideration and session together with your physician. Whereas this medicine is just not efficient or tolerable for everybody, discontinuing it improperly may result in elevated blood sugar, weight achieve, and an elevated threat of diabetes problems. 

Focus on the very best strategy to securely taper off the medication together with your healthcare supplier, contemplating your particular person well being wants and any insurance coverage constraints, and discover various remedies that higher fit your life-style and well being goals.