metFORMIN with UC

As discussed in this thread https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=1647667 I've contracted prednisone induce diabetes.

My PCP has prescribed 500 mg/day of medFORMIN to be increased to 500 mg twice per day after a week. All the pharmacists I talked to warned my that it can cause intestinal problems and diarrhea. When I looked it up on the internet all the drug interaction sites said the same thing.

I cast my fate to the wind and took my first dose with lunch today, and at 4:00 PM I feel very much better! I haven't tested my blood glucose yet, but just by how I feel, it's down dramatically.

So the question is: how is this stuff going to affect my UC? Anybody have any experience with taking medFORMIN with UC? Can I expect the stuff to kick up another flare?

*Severe feeling of leathery and malaise which increased gradually over the course of a couple of months, but also increased daily as the day progressed. Towards the end, I'd be crashed by noon or early afternoon.
*Severe muscle weakness and fatigue at the slightest effort. I work on the second floor, and I had to stop and rest at least once while climbing the steps, then when I finally reached my desk I'd have to sit and rest for about five minutes before continuing.
*Rapid and sustained weight loss, 30 pounds (215 to 185) in two or three months.
*Swollen feet
*Blurred vision
*Tingling hands and fingers
*Always thirsty, couldn't drink enough water
*Frequent urination, I had a one hour bladder. Which was inconvenient because last week I was sitting in a class that had a 90 minute break schedule.
*Urine smelled funny (fruity?)

Now, I recognize them as all being symptoms of diabetes, but until my PCP suggested it as a possible diagnosis, I had no idea what those were. When I looked it up in Wikipedia, and went through the symptoms list it was like; yup, got that, got that, got that.

My fasting blood glucose test on Thursday morning was 332 (two consecutive tests over 125 is the criteria for diagnosing diabetes). Thursday at 11:00 AM (after having eaten), I picked up my glucose meter, and the during the training they gave me it was 402. As I said in the OP, I took one medFORMIN with lunch and immediately began feeling better. By the time I got home at 4:30 I did not have to go down for a nap, and indeed stayed out until midnight last night. I don't remember tha last time I did that. My blood glucose before dinner last night was down to 190, and was 192 before breakfast this morning. High, but tolerable.

I'm just happy to know what my problem is and that there is something I can do about it.

Post Edited (wodin) : 11/21/2009 11:26:13 AM (GMT-7)

Last summer my primary started me on Metformin because my fasting blood sugar was 120.  He thought the Prednisone I had been on for 6 months had caused type 2 diabetes.  He said this could be a temporary side effect to the Prednisone.  In August I had a very bad flare - became dehydrated and had to be hospitalized.  They increased my Prednisone back up to 40 mg/day.  At that time they discontinued the Metformin and switched me to Glyburide.   That was done because the Metformin could have irritated my colon.  So far my blood sugar has been around 100.   I'm still taking the Glyburide.   I won't take any more Metformin.

Your blood sugar levels are clearly much higher than mine were and you had serious symptoms of diabetes so I don't know if my situation will be helpful to you or not.  I hope so and I hope you continue to keep that blood sugar under better control.