After 60 Years, Diabetes Drug Found to Unexpectedly Impact the Brain(www.sciencealert.com)
16 pointsby ivewonyoung5 months ago4 comments
  • BizarroLand5 months ago
    There are downsides and side-effects to metformin. I started taking it for life-extension and maybe weight loss support, not for diabetes.

    A few months in I started getting pain from my buttocks to my calves whenever I sit for more than 15 minutes. I was concerned that this was some new misery life had thrown at me, but when I looked up the symptoms I found that this is an uncommon side effect of metformin for some people.

    This sensation greatly decreased after ceasing metformin, but has not completely subsided 2 months later.

    I'm fortunate to have a standing desk at work, but the only way to temporarily mitigate this issue is to go for a long walk or otherwise exercise.

    I'm not against it. It helps many people with lots of things, just putting this information out for people who might experience the same issue. Hopefully with this new understanding they will come up with alternatives with lesser issues or that work for people with my response to the medicine.

  • orionblastar5 months ago
    I take Metformin, which balances out my psych drug weight gain by burning fat. I stick to diet and exercise, which are also factors.
    • aitchnyu5 months ago
      Will this help psych drug weight gain patients in general? Thinking of a fictional character who wasted years because nobody accepted her getting obese.
      • orionblastar5 months ago
        It depends on their metabolism. I'm not a doctor, I'm a patient. Consult a Doctor for real information. I'm just giving my opinion. Society tends to fat shame, and many can't help it because the psych drug causes glucose buildup in the blood that leads to weight gain. Metformin lowers glucose in the liver. If you are diabetic like me, you need to read your glucose meter and adjust what you eat and drink.
  • andsoitis5 months ago
    Can highly recommend Metformin. I get mine from AgelessRX https://agelessrx.com/metformin/
  • reify5 months ago
    The wonderful pharma industry.

    They prescribe you a drug that does not cure mental illness, that you have to take your entire life, On top of that they make you obese, so you have to take another drug to help you lose weight.

    Then the patient has to go through a long and arduous behavioural program to change their life style and eating habits, caused by the drugs in the first place,

    The wonderful pharma industry.

    High risk of weight gain anti-depressant drugs:

    Amitriptyline, citalopram, clomipramine, fluvoxamine, mirtazapine, nortriptyline, paroxetine, phenelzine.

    I have seen this over many years in secure psychiatric wards, with those who take antipsychotics.

    Drugs do not "cure" mental illnesses. There is no chemical imbalance.

    The drugs are either; chemical coshes or highly advertised and ineffective placebo.

    • ivell5 months ago
      I don't think there is any malicious intend when pharma produces those drugs.

      The drugs are also effective in controlling some symptoms and enable people to go on with their life.

      We had many centuries without those drugs, I don't think our ancestors had any better quality of life without those meds.

      Psychiatric illness is complex and multiple techniques need to be employed to get some control over it.

      If we are looking for a silver bullet, I agree there is none.

      • lm284695 months ago
        They do pay a shit load of money to advertise them and push doctors to prescribe them so I'd say the malicious intent can definitely be at least argued about
        • ivell5 months ago
          Not too much different from how cola companies push their products. Though I agree that we should hold pharmaceutical companies to higher standards even in marketing and sales domains.