Millions of people in the UK have diabetes, a condition which affects their blood sugar levels. There are a record levels of people living with the condition with latest figures showing it affects more than 5.8 million.
Diabetes UK says there are almost 4.6 million people in the UK diagnosed with the condition. Yet it is thought there are almost 1.3 million other people who could be living with type 2 diabetes but who are so far undiagnosed. The charity says the number of people with the condition is rising. It’s data, which is from 2023-24, shows the number has risen by 185,034 a year earlier.
Diabetes is a condition that causes your blood glucose – also known as blood sugar – level to get too high. There are three common types.
These are Type 1 diabetes, which cannot be prevented and is often diagnosed as a child, Type 2, which can sometimes be prevented by diet changes and gestational diabetes which develops when pregnant.
Those with Type 1 diabetes will need to take the medication insulin for the rest of their life. However many of those with Type 2 or gestational diabetes can tackle the condition with lifestyle changes. This can be changing to a healthier diet, doing more exercise and losing weight.
They also sometimes need medicines to tackle the issue. One of the most common of these for treating diabetes is metformin with more than 26 million prescriptions dispensed last year in England alone.
However according to the NHS there are some important symptoms to watch for if you are taking the medication. Posting on the NHS website it states there are six common side effects. These are:
- feeling sick
- being sick
- diarrhoea
- stomach ache
- loss of appetite
- metallic taste in the mouth
There is also a risk of B12 deficiency and people taking the medication can sometimes have low blood sugar but this is only usually if taking it alongside other diabetes medicines, such as insulin or gliclazide.
But it warns there are some other side effects that are more serious. On two occasions this means contacting your GP « straight away » and one means dialling 999 « now ».
Serious side effects
The NHS says: « Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people. However you should call your doctor or dial 111 straight away if:
- you get a general feeling of being unwell with severe tiredness, fast or shallow breathing, being cold and a slow heartbeat
- the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – this can be a sign of liver problems. »
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it’s possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to metformin. The NHS says: « You should call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
« You or the person who’s unwell may also have a rash that’s swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling. These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. »
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