Metformin side effects and C-section
Hello, looking for some insight from anyone who managed/is managing their GD with Metformin. I'm in the UK and it's standard here to try it before moving to insulin. Did you/will you take it right up until birth? If you've already delivered and come off it, how long before you felt the side effects subside?
I'm 38+4 and have been on 1000mg since week 32 to manage my morning fasting readings. It's worked really well and I haven't had any readings out of range for a few weeks now. I am really struggling with the side effects though, mainly sudden and intense GI issues. I've tried probiotics, taking the tablets with food, extended release...the works. The gut issues persist and if anything are just getting worse day by day. I'm clearly just one of the unlucky ones whose side effects never settled.
I have my C-section booked in for this coming Friday (39+2) for reasons unrelated to GD. My diabetes nurse specialist is confident that I won't need to keep taking it once the baby is here which is great news but I'm really starting to worry about having major surgery and then pp recovery while still managing these unpredictable (and sometimes upsetting) symptoms. I'd like to either stop taking it a bit early or even just drop down to 500mg. I'm probably kidding myself that a few days will make a difference but I think even pretending will help manage my anxiety at this stage!
I've got a final scan tomorrow along with a meeting with both my consultant obstetrician and diabetes nurse. I intend to ask if this will be possible but I suspect the answer will be no. I was just wondering if anyone else had done something similar. I'm also curious to know how long it took for people to get back to normal after coming off it.
Any advice or insight would be great! Thank you.
P.S. This is no dig at insulin, btw! I would absolutely have taken it if it wasn't for the fact I'd have had to leave my wonderful local maternity unit to go to a larger hospital a 3hr round trip away. Thankfully Metformin worked well it's just not been much fun these last couple of weeks.