medformin user Says:
Metformin Smell (Page 4) (Top voted first)
Updated
cherry Says:
why does it smell like fish?
117 Replies (6 Pages)
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29
Expired medformin is being sold with fish smell. It does not work I was experiencing high sugar levels w/ hypertension and shortness of breath
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Kaye Says:
I had been on Metformin 500mg TEVA since 2004. I never had any trouble until I got a refill at Wal Mart(I had had other refills at WalMart for Metformin) but this was for a 90 day supply and I noticed right away the differance. I started having GERD symptoms at night along with bouts of diarrhea. The final straw was about 2 weeks after taking this new brand (SANDOZ), I had a sudden bout of vomiting, diarrhea,and rectal bleed with stomach cramps. I went to my primary and from this encounter had to undergo a colonoscopy and 2 types of endoscopy. I changed type of manufactured drug (no easy task due to insurance) and am on a similar drug to the one I had taken in the past. Conclusion: Doctor needs to note on RX in ( ) the type or manufacturer for any kind of overide from the pharmacist. Insurance people complain and pharmacy complains due to cost but I am human and I demanded my rightful right to a compatible drug.
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Janutty Says:
I have been taking both the fishy smelling ones and the non-fishy ones for years; I don't notice the difference, except that the fishy ones taste bad. I don't see any difference in effects.
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Mary H Says:
I too was switched to another generic manufacturer of Metformin by the pharmacy (Jewel / Osco). I have been on the 1000 mg twice a day. A little fishy smelling, but I reallly didn't notice at first, since I also take fish oil supplements. I have had stomach and stool problems ever since. Also, my blood sugar levels were higher.At first I thought it was the flu, but after over a month, I decided to stop taking the metformin for a couple of days. My stomach problems eased and my stool began to be more normal. Restarted the metformin and problems returned. The old manufacturer was a Canadian firm (Apotex) and I had no problems. The new one is Solco, appears to be a firm from India. i tried today to get the pharmacy to get me the old manufacturer. No dice. I will do some research to see what other manufacturers are available. Thanks to the information on this forum, looks like I should stay away from teva. Any others I should avoid?
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Raine Says:
just diagnosed a week ago. I feel a little better,however, I have an enormous amount of flatulance. My husband thought the babys diaper was hidden the room, my son almost suffocated and fell of the chair after I came from using the restroom. I had to spray,light incense, and burn candles simultaniously. My pills have an M and 234. They don't smell bad, I think it is just a new foreign object and my body is trying to reject it. Drink plenty of water, it helps.
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Spott Says:
You're right, Joe Blow, it does smell horrible like a woman's yeast infection. I have often compared it to an old woman's diaper who lives in a nursing home and doesn't get changed regularly. I also get mine from Walgreen's and they never used to smell this bad, but the past year they've been packed with a horrible stench that is like fish soaking in ammonia. And maybe it is what's making us sick. My recent colonoscopy didn't show anything weird, and my issued parallel the Metformin stench. Maybe it will be one of those many drugs we see the TV lawyers advertising class action suits and side effects contributed to many other drugs. Hm.
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Steve Young Says:
Stay away from manufacturer Teva. Their tabs marked 48 or 93 smells very bad fish odor and caused serious nausea and vomiting to me. Stay away from this manufacturer Teva
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Juanita Says:
I have been taking Metformin for years. This month I made a purchase and I was scared to take it because of the smell. Tylenol recently removed medicines from the shelves due to a smell. Please don't keep advising us to take medicine that smells like that when it has not been smelling like that. I drove all around in the heat yesterday trying to find a pharmacy that used a different manufacturer. CVS said they would order me some meds, of course it costs more. I'm willing to pay....My my Big Business think that the Consumer is a complete idot...not quite..... I'm ticked...in Georgia....
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Spott Says:
Metformin is still made from horse pee!!!! Coated or not, it's in there. Is that really the type of drug you want to be taking for the rest of your life? If so, then knock yourself out!!
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pam Says:
To Scott & anyone else worried about the horse urine....many drugs are derived from some pretty disgusting stuff...metformin is jsut the tip of the iceberg.
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8 Says:
dear pam please tell me about other drugs derived from any disgusting stuff...
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Spott Says:
Premarin is derived from the urine of pregnant mares - they make them stand in a cramped stall on a wire floor for many months and collect the urine from below the floor - sick!
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Jimbo Says:
I started Metformin one year ago, which I purchased from CVS. And it has always smelled fishy. It got my diebetes under control and I keeped loosing weight. But a few months ago my doctor cut the dose from 1000mgs to 500mgs and within two months I gained 25 pounds and I am constantly hungry.
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pam Says:
To 8 : To answer your question, we have long known penicillin is derived from mold toxin, not to mention some of the disgusting things that many vaccines come from. Here is a link for some others I ran across when I first started researching the metformin issue. BTW, my fbs has consistly remained under 100 since 6/15/10, when I switched back to the stinky variety. Also, I posted before about my pcp telling me that manufacturers are allowed a 20% variance in the amount of active ingredient they can use in a generic drug. I still maintain that those who use the special coating to mask the odor, exercise that right by adding the allowable 20% less active ingredient to offset the cost. Can I prove it? No, but you must admit it makes sense....good business sense. Bad for those of us trying to control our blood glucose and our budgets! Fortuately, I do not suffer from many of the side effects others do, or my body has adjusted to them. I don't have body odor, but do suffer from occasional stomach upset/intestinal cramps at times but it is tolerable and only once or twice a month at most. I'd rather deal with that than the effects of an out of control blood sugar level and the weight gain. My A1C has gone from 7.5 to 6.2 since last checked in May. Since I have made no other changes in diet/exercise, I am convinced it is due to changing brands of metformin from Sandoz to Aurobindo (500 mg. x 3/day).
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pam Says:
Sorry, forgot to include the link. This is my 3rd attempt to post it, so I hope it works this time:
http://www.asylum.com/2010/04/14/heparin-premarin-ziconotide-crazy-things-prescription-drugs/
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Mike Says:
OK, so far we've had folks say the like it and those that say they don't. My problem is, I've been taking it for a long time, and this last prescription (form Walgreens) has the odor, and for the first time I'm in the bathroom trying to vomit every morning after taking it. That's never happened before, and it's not 'placebo' because I didn't notice the smell until recently. It seems to get stronger with age.
Seems to me vomiting is a sign my body is saying, that was a bad idea.
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Pam Says:
Mike-is this a new refill? I would go back to the Pharmacy & ask if this is the same manufacturer/lot#& tell them you are having this issue. There could be a particular problem w/that batch. I think that this 20% variable of active ingredient is a problem. That's just too high and for folks who have a sensitive tolerance this could seemingly be just enough to cause discomfort. By all means
....alert your doc & pharmacist! Good luck.
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weezy Says:
I have been on metformin for 3 years.I get mine frrom Wal-Mart.Ihave never had any reactios from it
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weezy Says:
i would also like to add they have never had an odor or bad taste.
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diesel bill Says:
i get metformin tablets from the veterans clinic. it has no odor (probably from a different maker). but it sure causes my urine to have a baD BAD BAD odor. a metallic taste in my mouth. and bad breath.
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