Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of
your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
I have been on 500 mg of metformin
per day for three years, and my sugar is controlled, but the medication
damaged my kidneys. While the kidney shape and size and arteries are all
right, my kidney function is 26%. It used to be 40%, and in two years,
I lost 14% function in my kidneys. I will not get that function back, and
I am afraid that I might have to go on
dialysis in the not so distant future. My doctor cannot explain why
I lost that much kidney function. However, since I am not taking the
metformin anymore, my ankles are not swelling. Any thoughts?
Answer
Metformin does not cause kidney damage, The concern is that if you
have pre-existing kidney disease for some other reason that results
in elevation of the
creatinine
level in the blood, that it's considered inappropriate to use this
medication.
If your doctor is unable to explain the disorder, you should be evaluated
by a specialist called a "nephrologist." It's possible that you will need
additional testing, including perhaps a kidney biopsy, if the nephrologist
is unsure what happened. Sometimes however, the diagnosis is
ESRD (end-stage renal disease), and exactly what
caused it is impossible to tell.
