side effects of metformin

Hi Nat, I hope you have told your doctor about this side effect.  This is not a common reaction and might be serious, so I would inform him/her as soon as possible.

 Hello,

I was placed on Metformin about 4 years ago and I have developed a rash under the breast and also on my legs where the elastic from my undergarments seem to irratate it the rash that much more.  I never thought about the fact that it could be an allergic reaction to Metformin.  I know that it can't be detergent, etc. since I have not changed any of those items in years.  Perhaps it took awhile for the Metformin to build up in my body.  Thanks for the helpful information!  I will be calling my PGP during the next class break at school.

Many, Many Thanks and God Bless!

Special DTK

 

Hi,

     I'm new here and just reading everything about Type 2 diabetes.  I also have those itchy rash spots.  And they do get much worse in the sun.  I never thought about the possibility of it being caused by Metformin.  Been taking 500mg for several years and recently went up to 1000.  I'm going to talk to the Dr about this.  Thanks. 

just the standard diarroeah from time to time. have diabetic sores that are been treated with aqueous cream (olive oil extract). metformin 1000mg x 3.
take care everyone, jamie

Welcome to the Forum, dwn1935.  Please talk to your doctor about this.  It may or may not be related to the diabetes meds.  Your doctor needs to know about what's happening.

I haven't run into this rash problem but I'm on half a pill a day. So only 250 mg because my body doesn't like Metformin AT ALL. I get a lot of pain in my arms and legs at a higher dose.

That rash can also be an allergic reaction to latex which should be checked into because of the procedures in doctors' offices and hospitals that use latex gloves, etc. Washing the clothing and bleaching it to get rid of fungus or viruses also creates a reaction with the latex and causes it to irritate even more. When you begin having signs of the rash where latex touches, buy new underwear that has cloth binding over the latex area. This will keep the latex off your skin. And you should note a latex sensitivity on your medical charts along with your other allergic reactions to be safe.

i have a rash on my stomach that i get when its hot. i know it is the metformin but mines not to bad it comes and goes depending on the heat

I did get a dry rash when I first started Metformin. My doctor recommended watching it, as it wasn't a published side effect of Metformin. It went away after a couple of weeks in my case, and has never come back.

GADUTCHESS said...

it isn't scabies. I also recently had mine increased to 1000mg twice a day, and developed a rash that worsened in the sun. It is a side effect from the higher dose.

I am also on metformin, along with glipizide and byette. Although me a1c and blood sugar in general are doing great, I also have a rash.

Mine started before the change to glipizide and the addition of byetta. However, mine seems to be quite different from what I'm reading here. My first issue began more than a year ago with very itchy scrotum. The itching was intense, especially when I stood up and got fresh air to that region. Because I drive a cab in Florida, I just attributed it to everyday jock itch and treated with otc meds, and the itching subsided...some.

I also thought it could have been from laundry detergents etc, but the itchy was localized.

A few months later I started itching in various locations. Just a minor itch here and there, didn't think much about it until one day I was having lunch with some friends and they started asking if I was Ok. Evidently I was constantly scratching various spots. Just minor scratching, but pretty much non stop.

Then I started developing rashes. Primarily on my left hand and arm,, areas that get more sun because I'm a smoker and that arm is out of the window often. The dermatologist checked me out (thankfully as the found and removed a couple non related pre cancer spots) and told me to wear sunblock, that it was most likely a sun reaction because of some medicine.

I treated with antihistamines, anti itch creams and antibiotic creams... the rashes went away. Then a month or so later I developed a small bump in the palm of my hand. Within a week I had sores on the palm and fingers (mostly in areas not prone to sun exposure) a wide spread rash on my calve and a few other locations. ...staph infection!

Several shots and pills later it cleared up. ...mostly. ...but now it's coming back. The dermatologists are perplexed, its not mrsa, most all of the rashes are in area that are not typically covered with clothes only a small portion of the area are constantly exposed to the sun... and the scrotal itching is back. I keep insisting is got to be a reaction to one of the meds I'm on, even though the rash isn't widespread. The weird part is its primarily on the left side. No pain, just rashes and itching.