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August 10, 2001

Pills for Diabetes

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Question from South Korea:

I have recently been told that I have diabetes, I am taking an oral hypoglycemic agent, and I have had diarrhea for about a week. When it seems to stop or slow down, my stomach gets very upset, and I start to vomit until the diarrhea starts again. I’ve been to a physician, but he wasn’t real sure how to handle this. Could this be caused by my medicine?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

It depends on what medication you’re talking about. Metformin (Glucophage) does do so, frequently, and it’s dose-dependent (if you had started on a large dose initially, a week ago, this would fit. Others are much less likely.

However, repeated vomiting for any patient (especially with diabetes!) is an urgent situation as dehydration and DKA [diabetic ketoacidosis] or HHNS (hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic syndrome) may occur, or the cause of the diarrhea and vomiting might be a potentially life-threatening illness separate from diabetes. So if the symptoms have been continuing over a week or more, it’s time to get further evaluation.

WWQ