I have been researching the various health conditions I have and a drug commonly used in the U. S. to treat type 2 diabetes, Metformin, seems to be a potentially useful drug in the treatment of cirrhosis, portal hypertension and NAFLD (despite earlier reports contraindicating its widespread use). It appears that it may help prevent liver cancer and is useful in the treatment of obesity and PCOS.
Obviously, individuals must consult with their own doctors regarding its use, but l was wondering if anyone here had any recent experience with it.
I have metabolic syndrome and could really use some help losing weight. Despite a clean diet and daily walks, l can't seem to reduce. I had ovarian cancer, and have ovarian cysts in my one ovary that apparently they aren't keen to deal with immediately, due to my cirrhosis. I also have fatty liver, portal hypertension, portal hypertensive gastropathy and mild varices (no bleeds). I'm not quite decompensated and wonder if I can reverse the progression of disease. I was successfully treated for Hep C, which caused the cirrhosis.
My father developed type 2 diabetes, which led to kidney failure and heart disease, I am desperate to avoid his fate.
I would like to know more about this seemingly miracle drug, which to my understanding, is extremely cheap and probably therefore not widely promoted (it's available generically for around $4).
Anyone with firsthand knowledge, please share your experience. Thanks in advance.
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Bootandall
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I have been having Metformin for about 20 years. I had to have a TP due to Portal Hypertension/ thrombosis. “And That’s All I’ve Got to Say About Thaaaat” 😁😁
Hi Boot. Like Miles I had been on Metformin for many years (roughly 20) before being diagnosed with Nash and a couple of years later HCC followed by Chemotherapy, liver failure and portal vein thrombosis and then Transplant 9 months ago. Through all of this I was on Metformin so obviously no miracles were worked on me via Metformin. I am pleased to say that 6 months post transplant I was told that I was in remission for diabetes type 2
Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. Wow, nothing like hearing it straight from the horses mouth! I'm trying to come to grips that there will be no easy answers. 🙁
So happy for your successful tp, and that the diabetes went into remission!! 🙂🙂 You have really been through it ((hugs))
I was on metformin for about a decade due to pcos and I still got cirrhosis through pcos so it's definitely not a miracle drug..... It did help me lose weight lol
Thanks for your reply, not gonna lie, I am crushed. Maybe I could use it just to slim down lol. I don't think I can ever get a TP due to prior abdominal surgeries...plus I'm on charity and it was made clear that I would need to have insurance in order to get one. Grrr eff this disease!!
Have to say that I have never (in my case) seen Metformin to be beneficial in helping with slimming. I just ate super healthy, avoided all fatty things and drank plenty of water. I am convinced that drinking lots of water helps in weight loss.
It helped because pcos causes weight... I was tiny as a teen and then boom at 18 I blew up and was a size 22 for a decade and that was eating healthy... The metformin levelled my hormones out and within 6 months of being on it I lost 6 stone 😊... I just think I had a screwed up liver from birth lol... Because I never had periods ever and since transplant, well let's just say I am sick of them 😂 😂
I was more chilled before I got ill as well because I had high testosterone levels I don't like female ones 🤣🤣🤣
((Hugs)) to you too JoJo. A good friend of mine has PCOS, at one time she weighed over 300 pounds, it can be a heartbreaking 💔 illness. I had always been thin, until menopause, which was early for me. In fact, my last pregnancy I thought it was the change 😂😂. Yeah okay, no easy answers. At least not for moi, just lucky I guess!
Never is any easy answers, even a transplant doesn't solve every thing... In some ways it's caused more problems for me, I see more consultants now than I ever did 🤣🤣
I just getting tested now because they think I am peri menopausal 😂
You are correct iAlf, drinking lots of water does help with weight loss as I'm living proof it works!
PS! As you know my hen do reunion gathering last night was fun, but forgot to mention my daughter and friends shocked me when they said I looked really toned up and slim, so drinking lots of water and tonic water does definately works!😁 so keep up your healthy eating and all that gardening with lovely wifey.
Alls fine as I'm still with daughter celebrating third hen do reunion so lots of 🤣🤣!
I'm still excited about possible sky dive but tomorrow theres a small possibility of micralite flight which daughter has arranged with her friend if its dry! So here's me 😱😱now !!!
I’ve been using Metformin for a little over a year and I’ve had metabolic syndrome for years. I was started in it because I have NASH. My bloodwork is all normal. I have lost 53 lbs but that’s also due to intermittent fasting, one meal a day, and eating only real food, nothing processed. I haven’t had another Fibroscan so I don’t really know the condition of the liver. I will continue to do what I am doing and hope for the best. Metformin has helped drastically with the metabolic syndrome, which may help the liver. In my case time will tell.
Do you have cirrhosis Lara? Richard is saying, if I read it correctly, the cirrhosis would contraindicate the use of Metformin for metabolic syndrome. I also have diverticulitis, which is like blisters in the colon.
I sincerely hope that you have success kicking your fatty liver! We are all a little bit different.
Yikes🤐 I didn't bleed, but you're right, one is acute (-itis) the other is the physical condition (pouches in the bowel). I had pain on lower left, potassium levels went out of whack, nice episode of HE (but didn't know it then) supposedly told my husband off! Where were bleeding from, it can also cause hemorrhoids. Lovely day isn't it?! 😁
Oh yes I had/have a few roids as well - hehe? No HE for me because I was post TP (well to clarify I haven’t had HE since TP - before Richard tells me I can still get HE 😁).
Lovely, I didn't know that you could still get HE, well I would guess that it's rare. Just because it could happen doesn't mean it will! I suppose it's best, informed consent, etc. With those long lists of possible side effects, it's a wonder anyone takes anything, double-edged sword. I have one large roid, it bleeds on the paper some but I don't think I can get it removed without more bleeding. Getting older is not for sissies!
No Miles, you shouldn't get HE post transplant as the transplanted liver should be working just fine.
• in reply to
Well Richard I at last remembered (with some help from a friend 😁👍) why I made that comment about HE post TP. It was because YOU said you had it post TP. Lol lol lol.
See below:-
From Post called “Hepatic Encephalopathy - Recovery Time?”
Richard64:-
“I am now 28-months post opp of my liver transplant and still have episodes, these changes I find manifest themselves in different ways.”
“Episodes” being the term I used for having bouts of HE.
I’m not going crazy - nor having episodes- my memory has served me well (this time anyway!) 😁
Miles
• in reply to
Oh and again Richard - post from today:-
“Liver Disease - Hepatic Encephalopathy”
“ Three years post liver transplant, l personally still have episodes of Encephalopathy.”
Hmm Richard - please don’t make out I am a total wham bam next time! 😁😁
Wife has bouts of diverticulitis and description seemed different. I have an uncle with ulcerative colitis and description seemed more like that, was just concerned that you might have received wrong diagnosis, but obviously not. Apologies. Alf
No, I have early stage fibrosis. I was having many symptoms before my diagnosis but I’m doing much better now. My disease is due to metabolic syndrome, not alcohol, but I haven’t drank one drop in over a year. I also had symptoms of gluten sensitivity but was never diagnosed. It doesn’t matter because I never eat gluten. I will have an occasional treat on vacation but even that is very limited. Otherwise I only eat meat and veggies. No bread, pasta, cakes, rice potatoes. Nothing. Just real food. I only drink water, coffee and tea. All unsweetened.
I don’t know if what I’m doing is enough. I try to cut back on chemicals, I use coconut oil in place of lotion and I don’t use deodorant with aluminum. But I still dye my hair and use commercial cosmetics.
I believe Metformin saved my life. I was very sick prior to my diagnosis’. As soon as I started the Metformin I lost weight. Ten lbs in one week, water weight. I was retaining crazy amounts of water. Drinking water isn’t always the way to lose weight. I continued to lose weight and my bloodwork continue to improve. On paper I’m normal. I don’t really know what’s going on inside, but I’m so much better than I was. In my case Metformin helped and the benefits so far greatly outweigh the risks
Hey Lara, sounds like you're very careful. After much armchair research, I am in agreement that much of our health starts in the gut. I believe pollution is the culprit in the global health crisis, of the water, air and land/food supply. If the foods are all monster foods or pumped full of corn syrup and chemicals, surprised any of us have a chance. Seems as if you're doing all you can. Thank you for sharing your positive experience with Metformin!
Thanks, this is all very helpful. I'm guessing I've got too many things going on for it to help me, but it does seem like Metformin is helping some people.
My own experience is that I continued to be prescribed Metformin even after cirrhosis diagnosed. No side effects for me, but I was/am on slow release . Personally I tend not to read all the side effects data as, in my case, if I did, I would then would put the blame of every slight ailment down to that medicine irrespective of how extremely remote the chances of the ailment being a side effect! Mais c’est moi. 😁😁
Hi Miles, sorry I missed your post. I will discuss this with my own doctor. My father developed type 2 diabetes at about my age, then had kidney failure requiring dialysis, and died of heart failure at 74. He was a Canadian citizen. He did not have cancer, hepatitis or cirrhosis. I don't know if he was on Metformin, these are not the types of questions l ever asked of family or friends.
It would be interesting to hear what your doctor says! But I suspect you would find one doctor says one thing and another one something different! But of course I may be completely wrong - I often am!
Hi, I am on metformin and vitoza injections, just started the injections, clean diet now, no drink, sweets, although, i am still scarred what i can and cannot do, type 2 diabetes and just been diagnose with 4.4 b cirrhosis what that is, good to know about the metformin
Metformin is no wonder drug. I’ve been on it for 12 years, hate it with a passion due to the common stomach issues, diarrhoea, cramps, nausea. I also didn’t realise the effect it was having on my mood until few weeks ago when Doctor agreed this was no way to live and changed medication. But, now having problems finding meds that help T2 but don’t harm liver. Anyone with any ideas I’d be grateful
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