I hijacked this from the chat thread, because I think its worth a discussion in general, not hidden away there. i am interested in peoples' reactions, if they have had lows, where they didn't before and are not on any other meds for diabetes.
The pharmacology sites don't say that lows are impossible, but are not a common or usual side effect, the way other meds for type 2 diabetics can be. From the pharmacology, which is interestingly, not completely understood, there does not "seem" to be any obvious way that it would "cause" hypoglycemia.
So many of us have a history of hypoglycemia before we had diabetes, or pre-diabetes. So I wouldn't tend to think that a low sugar was "caused" by my metformin, I would think I just wasn't eating properly.
But for those who were told they were having lows, and they are common on metformin, that certainly isn't backed by studies or science.
Lots of type 2 diabetics are on other meds as well. In Ruth's case, for instance, she is also on glyburide, and low sugars are a common side effect of this med. In addition, the combination of glyburide and metformin is very effective, more than the effect provided by other med, they seem to work together so well, some people can have lower doses when they are used together.
Of the people who take metformin, who has had lows?
If so, did you have hypoglycemia before? Are you on other meds?