Metformin and liver damage

Common Questions and Answers about Metformin and liver damage

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Avatar m tn Hi there, In fatty liver there is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and damage. . Fatty liver due to alcoholism is called Alcoholic fatty liver disease and the other one is Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is due to obesity, diabetes and high triglyceride levels. Only if fatty liver disease advances a person can develop cirrhosis .The process can stop and, in some cases, reverse on its own without specific therapy. Lifestyle changes may be helpful.
253566 tn?1219679699 He has prescribed Metformin for Fatty Liver NOT for diabetes. Doing a google it seems that there is no meds for fatty liver and Metformin is for diabetes. He has me prescribed 500mg 2X/day. I am upset that he didnt run another Glucose test or any other for diabetes. Seems the worse side effects of Metformin is gastrointestinal upset & I already have really bad GERD but have success with generic prilosec. I would hate to create a worse condition with my GERD...
Avatar f tn My results are always normal and my liver is very normal and healthy too. If Metformin caused liver damage wouldn't you think it would have affected my liver by now? As far as your recent glucose levels, I feel if you lost the excess poundage and got into daily physical exercise you can get your levels back to normal. If you slack off, however, your glucose may continue to rise calling for upon the need of medication.
317787 tn?1473358451 I just have to be really careful. So far so good. I have read that the metformin can cause liver and kidney damage so was worried about it, especially since my liver is damaged. Then when I got so sick had so many side effects I got scared that I might be doing damage to my already damaged liver.
Avatar f tn The ALT/AST labs are part of a liver panel to detect liver disease or damage. There is a connection between elevated liver function tests and Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, mild chronic elevation of transaminases can be related to an underlying insulin resistance. The ALT can also be increased after a strenuous exercise, or an injection of medication into the muscle. This increase would be temporary. I would recommend that you continue to monitor your lab results.
2121656 tn?1395674749 I forgot to ask two more questions in my above post. Is swimming in a chlorine pool ok with high liver enzymes as stated above, or will the chlorine elevate them more? my husband & I just purchased a pool and PCP said it's ok to swim in Chlorine. However, I'm skeptical in doing so.
901131 tn?1293744553 no not really - however i have hep c and diabetes and have been taking metformin during two rounds of treatment - im currently doing round 2 - actually my diabetes has proven uncontrollable to date and its getting progressively worse also - im on 2 oral meds and 2 types of insulin - diabetes and fatty liver can mess treatment all up - i wish they could get it under control
Avatar f tn I take Metformin and Victoza (which I think is a miracle drug). Metformin, by the way, I just found out, has beneficial effects for the liver. It tends to retard HCV replication. Good luck to you. I remember when my diabetes was first diagnosed I could barely function and had to prop my eyes open with diet pop all the time.
714128 tn?1249136386 I decided to get a blood glucose meter saturday and all day saturday my levels were between 82-95. Sunday I started the metformin back and I have been watching my blood glucose since then and it has been lower 59-80. The strange thing is that the level 59 was about 2 hours after a meal which is also when I took the metformin. It was 80 after waking up in the morning before breakfast.
Avatar f tn I have a gastroenterologist now due to the abnormal liver tests, positive SMA, and Alpha-1, and he agrees with my primary doctor I should restart the Lipitor and just monitor my liver with frequent blood tests. My rheumatologist, however, tells me he does not think it is wise to restart the Lipitor with all my unspecified autoimmune issues and autoantibodies. I would appreciate your view on this.
Avatar f tn I am not a drinker. In January of 2010 my ALT was 24 and my AST was 26. I do weigh 300lbs and take metformin for type 2 diabetes by last A1c was 6. what would you advise?
1580703 tn?1651904887 I am not a drinker and have NAFLD and after surgery had liver damage of about 160/520 AST ALT from anesthesia and low blood pressure (I'm diabetic). I don't have a lot of money so what should I buy to repair my liver? NAC, sam-E, lecithin choline GNC with phophitadylcholine, milk thistle, vitamin C, isomer vitamin E, vitamin B complex, folic acid?
233616 tn?1312787196 m active and work all day but I may have some problems with IR someday and I think it will be due in part to the treatment drugs and degree of liver damage. I will deal with it when the time comes. Also, to suggest and low dose regiment of metformin after tx is ludicrous to me. I don't view that drug as something on could take beneficially in low doses unless they are diabetic. I've seen what it can do to someone first hand, low dose or not.
Avatar m tn I wont go into "random" testing. Alcohol is a toxin so your Liver stops all other functions (and there are dozens of them) to detoxify your Blood. Its the liver that removes Met. So detoxing the alcohol can cause the Met to build up in your system. You dont say how much Met you take. To be a problem you would have to drink for a Looooooong time as in alcoholic behavior where so the liver never has a chance to go back to its other functions.
Avatar n tn im 26 was diagnosed with diabetes in january i was 330 pounds now im down to 290 im on metformin and after taking these pills i havent felt the same my blood sugar has not gone crazy ive controlled it but recently ive gotten this pain around my pancreas and my liver i stopped taking my medication im a lil worried im really trying to loose weight so i wont have to be on insulin is this sumthing i should worry about ?
Avatar n tn T NEED MORE INSULIN AND TO PREVENT ME FROM GAINING WEIGHT. I THOUGHT THAT GLUCOPHAGE WORKS ON YOUR LIVER AND PREVENTS IT FROM RELEASING GLYCOGEN-WOULDN'T THAT BE DANGEROUS FOR ME IF I NEEDED THE GLYCOGEN DURING A POTENTIALLY BAD EPSIODE OF HYPOGLYCEMIA? I HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKING AN ACE INHIBITOR FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS (WITHOUT PROBLEMS) TO PREVENT RENAL HYPERTENSION (I HAVE HAD TYPE 1 FOR 23 YEARS) AND THE DR. TOLD ME I DIDN'T NEED IT AND TO DISCONTINUE ANY ACE INHIBITORS.
Avatar n tn Is Lantus and Metformin ok to take or is the Metformin harmful to my liver? I know several with Hep-c who take Metformin.
Avatar n tn Then 3 years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyoid and PCOS. I am on metformin and synthoid. I went to gastroentologist and he did the stool sample. Everything came back normal. My endoscope came back normal as well. He said it might be the side effect from metformin. But my other doctor disagree. He says since I am on metformin for years now, it shouldn't be the side effect from the medication.
2121656 tn?1395674749 Thank you for the quick response. I greatly appreciate it. I'm ecstatic to beable to go into our new pool, also for exercise seeing that I pulled a muscle in my groin walking the treadmill. My fear of waiting till Oct. to see a gastro is that severe damage will happen to my liver in the meantime, until I get treatment. I picked up my ultrasound report and if you could please explain what all this means? Abdominal Ultrasound-Limited: Comparsion is made to the previous study of 8/28/08 1.
Avatar f tn People can have elavated readings but have little or no damage and you can have normal readings but have damage.
15493140 tn?1689515999 In fact, metformin may be beneficial in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (1) and chronic hepatitis C (3). Metformin is only contraindicated in patients with advanced cirrhosis because it heightens the risk of developing lactic acidosis (4).
1580703 tn?1651904887 I took 72g of NAC and choline 500mg liverrite/day, milk thistle and it lowered my levels
Avatar n tn These normal ranges can differ from lab to lab so I am not certain what values your lab uses. The ALT and AST are basically liver enzymes and elevation can indicate several things including liver disease or damage. It can also elevate when you have muscle damage. However the entire picture needs to be considered before you can determine why these enzymes are elevated and how significant the results and just what they mean...