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Want to Buy Metformin Online? Let’s Talk About What This Drug Actually Does

Emerging Writers' Festival  
26/05/2020

Millie Baylis is a writer and arts worker, living on Wurundjeri land. She writes essays, memoir and commentary, with recent work in Kill Your Darlings, Overland and The Victorian Writer. In 2019 she was a Wheeler Centre Hot Desk fellow and the managing editor of Visible Ink, and in 2020 she is a Moreland Writer in Residence and the Program Coordinator for the Emerging Writers’ Festival.

What drew you to working at EWF?

As an emerging writer myself, I’ve loved attending EWF for years. I think Amazing Babes was the first festival event I ever went to, and I remember being so moved by the incredible work shared by so many amazing women that night. I’ve always loved the welcoming, enthusiastic culture of the festival, as well as the stimulating discussions on the craft of writing and its place in this world.

I’ve worked various jobs in the arts (including at the Wheeler Centre), ushering and getting to listen in on heaps of amazing literary events. Last year, I had a ball working front-of-house for EWF – except for when, while on stage at the National Writers’ Conference trying to get Maria Tumarkin’s mic working, the fly on my pants broke open in front of everyone… but that’s what emerging is all about, right?

It’s extremely exciting to have the chance to contribute to a festival I care about so much now as the Program Coordinator.

Why is celebrating emerging voices in writing important to you?

 There are so many answers to this question! For emerging writers, I think it can be really validating to be invited to share your work and/or ideas in public. That recognition and legitimation can give one the confidence to carry on – something that can be really hard when you’re just starting out. I also believe that writing is a craft that needs practice, and EWF offers a very tangible place for writers to do that – often in front of their first audience too.

There’s so much incredible work being made beyond the more established literary outlets that deserve to be seen and read and listened to. I think it’s so important to help platform this broad range of work, as well as helping writers form connections with each other, from across the continent (and from Aotearoa too.) There’s a shitload of talent to celebrate!

What are you working on outside of EWF?

 I’m working on my own essays – largely to do with mental and physical chronic illness, drawing on memory as well as literature and research to consider the body, trauma, violence, small joys and ideas of ‘healing’.

And I’ve recently joined the team that makes Chronically Chilled, a podcast/radio show about chronic illness and disability, on 3CR.

Is there a book that you feel is the equivalent of a warm hug to you?

To be honest, I’m not often drawn to books of a feelgood nature – but perhaps I should be!

Shadowboxing, the collection of semi-autobiographical linked short stories by Tony Birch, is maybe my favourite book. Birch is so generous and skilled at portraying small, specific moments of his characters’ humanity with such tenderness – I find something profoundly reassuring and hopeful in them.

More recently, Laura McPhee-Browne’s debut novel Cherry Beach made me sob, but it also definitely held me and stroked my hair sweetly after.

If you were an under the sea creature, which would you be?

I want to say a dolphin (from a position of aspiration, rather than recognition). Unlike humans, dolphins have to breathe consciously – it’s not a reflex. There is something staggeringly beautiful about this small but essential detail; that with each breath, they choose to live.

They’re also one of the few animals that are known to have sex for pleasure (and maybe, really, that must influence the breathing thing.) 

Our program launch is all about digital nostalgia – have you got a favourite nostalgic technology throwback?

 Like so many millennials, I spent my pre-teen years – every day at the school library, and every night at home on the family computer via the dial-up modem – talking to other young emos on MSN, and then MySpace. On weekends, I’d take a bus and then a long train to the city to meet internet emos IRL on the Flinders Street Station steps. We’d share headphones to listen to songs on our mp3 players, then return home to change our MSN names to whatever lyrics most matched our mood. (*~* </3 And I’m nothing more than a line in your book </3 *~* – Appears Offline.) I miss the tackiness and earnestness of our curated Myspace profiles back then – one’s choice of Myspace layout and graphics and profile song and ‘who I’d like to meet’ section was an expressive art form! – compared to the sameness of profiles online these days. (Cher Tan, genius emerging writer, wrote a brilliant piece about this btw.)

What are you most excited about for EWF20?

I’m thrilled by how accessible the festival will be online – and how that will mean more people can take part in our huge program of performances, panels, workshops and projects. I’m looking forward to hearing the hard conversations people will have about writing during this intensely unsettling time, to have my thinking challenged, and to experience all kinds of storytelling.

Our program’s out in just a week, and I’m busting to spill its secrets but I won’t, lol. Be sure to check it out when it goes live on June 2 – and I hope to see you during the festival online!

Emerging Writers’ Festival 2020 runs from 16-23 June online.

Buy Metformin Online In Australia – What You Need To Know. Visit Our Pharmacy ↓


Metformin: The Underestimated Guardian of Metabolic Health — A Doctor’s Review for Australians Over 30

Disclaimer: This article is educational information from a medical perspective, not individual medical advice. Always consult your GP, endocrinologist or obstetrician before starting, stopping or switching any medication.

Attention: Do You Feel Like Your Metabolism Is Working Against You?

If you are over 30, you may already know the frustration: stubborn weight around the middle, energy crashes after meals, sugar cravings that won’t quit, rising blood glucose at your annual check-up, or a PCOS diagnosis that makes you feel like your body is out of control. Maybe you take an antipsychotic medication and have noticed alarming weight gain and rising cholesterol. Or perhaps you’ve been told your kidneys are “not perfect” and you worry about diabetes medications being unsafe.

What if one affordable, extensively studied medicine could help with many of these problems at once? That medicine is metformin. It is not a fad. It is the most widely prescribed first-line diabetes drug in Australia and around the world — and it has benefits that extend far beyond blood sugar.

You should want to know about metformin if you are over 30 and:

Interest: What Is Metformin and Why Do Doctors Trust It?

Metformin belongs to a class called biguanides. It has been used for more than 60 years and remains the foundation of type 2 diabetes treatment in Australia. Unlike some diabetes drugs that push the pancreas to make more insulin, metformin works mainly by reducing excess glucose production in the liver and improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This means it tackles one of the core problems of metabolic disease: insulin resistance.

Because metformin does not increase insulin levels, it has a very low risk of hypoglycaemia when used alone. It is also weight neutral or can support modest weight loss, which matters enormously to many people over 30 who have fought the scale for years.

Metformin at a glance
Feature Details
Drug class Biguanide
Main actions Reduces liver glucose output, improves insulin sensitivity, may reduce intestinal glucose absorption
Typical starting dose 500 mg once daily with the evening meal, increased gradually
Usual effective dose 1000–2000 mg daily in divided doses; maximum usually 2000–2550 mg daily
HbA1c reduction Typically around 1% to 1.5%
Hypoglycaemia risk Low when used alone
Effect on weight Weight neutral or modest weight loss
PBS availability Yes, several brands are subsidised for type 2 diabetes

Desire: Real Answers for the Problems That Worry You After 30

Metformin and antipsychotics: Can it protect against medication-related weight gain?

Many Australians take second-generation antipsychotics such as olanzapine, clozapine, risperidone or quetiapine. These drugs can be life-changing for mental health, but they often cause rapid weight gain, insulin resistance, and elevated blood sugar. This is a major pain point: you finally feel mentally stable, but your metabolic health is deteriorating.

Research shows that metformin can help reduce antipsychotic-induced weight gain and improve insulin sensitivity. In clinical studies, people taking antipsychotics alongside metformin gained significantly less weight than those taking antipsychotics alone. Metformin has also been used in children and adolescents on antipsychotics to limit metabolic side effects. If you or a loved one are on long-term antipsychotic therapy, metformin may be a valuable protective partner — not a replacement for your mental health medication, but a shield for your metabolic health.

Metformin and cholesterol: Does it improve lipid profile?

Yes, metformin can have a modest but meaningful favourable effect on cholesterol and triglycerides. It is not a statin, but it often improves the lipid profile indirectly by improving insulin resistance and reducing liver fat.

Typical lipid changes with metformin
Lipid marker Expected change
Triglycerides Often reduced by 10–20%
LDL (“bad”) cholesterol Small reduction, around 5–10%
HDL (“good”) cholesterol May increase slightly
VLDL particles Reduced

For many people over 30, this improvement is not enough alone if they have high cardiovascular risk, but it adds to the benefits of diet, exercise, and other lipid-lowering therapy. It is one more reason metformin is considered a cornerstone of metabolic health.

How long does it take for metformin to work?

Metformin begins working quickly, but the full benefits build over time. You may notice fasting blood glucose improving within the first week, especially if you start with a proper dose. However, HbA1c — the 3-month average blood sugar — takes longer to reflect change.

What to expect and when
Timeframe Expected effect
Within 1–2 weeks Fasting glucose may begin to fall; GI side effects (bloating, nausea, diarrhoea) may appear but often settle
4–8 weeks Most people see noticeable improvement in daily glucose readings
3–6 months Maximum HbA1c reduction and metabolic benefits are usually achieved

For PCOS, menstrual regularity and ovulation often improve after 3 to 6 months of consistent use. Patience matters — but so does staying on the right dose.

How to switch from another diabetes drug to metformin?

If you are currently taking a sulfonylurea, DPP-4 inhibitor, SGLT2 inhibitor, or another glucose-lowering medicine, switching to metformin can be straightforward — but it must be done safely under medical guidance.

Switching to metformin: a doctor’s common approach
Current medication Switching strategy
DPP-4 inhibitor (e.g. sitagliptin, linagliptin) Can usually stop and start metformin the next day; monitor glucose
SGLT2 inhibitor (e.g. empagliflozin, dapagliflozin) Often stopped and metformin started; renal function should be checked
Sulfonylurea (e.g. gliclazide, glimepiride) Careful overlap may be needed to avoid hyperglycaemia, but combining can increase hypoglycaemia risk; dose of sulfonylurea is usually reduced or stopped
Insulin Metformin is added and insulin dose may be gradually reduced if glucose improves

Never stop or swap diabetes medicines on your own. A GP or endocrinologist can create a personalised plan, including blood glucose targets and how to recognise high or low sugars during the transition.

What is the evidence for metformin in pregnancy?

This is a common worry for women over 30 who have PCOS, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes. The gold standard for diabetes in pregnancy has traditionally been insulin, but metformin is now widely used and studied in pregnancy.

Large trials, including the MiG trial, have shown that metformin is effective for gestational diabetes and is associated with less maternal weight gain and fewer episodes of neonatal hypoglycaemia compared with insulin. Metformin crosses the placenta, and long-term data on children are still being collected, so the decision is individualised. In Australia, metformin use in pregnancy is often off-label but increasingly accepted, especially for women with PCOS or type 2 diabetes who are already on it.

Bottom line: If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, do not stop metformin suddenly. Discuss the risks and benefits with your obstetrician or endocrinologist. In many cases, continuing metformin improves outcomes, but insulin may still be recommended in certain situations.

Is metformin safe for chronic kidney disease stage 3?

Historically, doctors were very cautious about metformin and kidneys due to a rare but serious side effect called lactic acidosis. However, modern evidence shows that metformin can be used safely in many people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3, which is defined as an eGFR between 30 and 59 mL/min/1.73 m².

Australian guidelines generally advise:

This is liberating news for many people who were told years ago that metformin was off-limits. If you have CKD stage 3, metformin may still protect your heart and blood sugar — as long as your kidney function is stable and monitored.

Metformin and caffeine: any interaction?

There is no dangerous direct interaction between metformin and caffeine. You do not need to give up your morning coffee. However, there are two practical considerations:

For most Australians, enjoying 1–2 cups of coffee per day while taking metformin is perfectly fine.

How long to take metformin for PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome affects 1 in 10 Australian women of reproductive age, many over 30. Metformin is commonly prescribed off-label for PCOS because it improves insulin resistance, reduces androgen levels, and can help restore ovulation.

There is no single “end date” for metformin in PCOS. Many women take it long-term for metabolic protection, especially if they have insulin resistance, prediabetes, or a strong family history of type 2 diabetes. Some continue through pregnancy and beyond, while others stop after menopause if their metabolic risk is low.

Typical PCOS course:

Action: Take Control of Your Metabolic Health Today

You do not have to accept fatigue, rising glucose, stubborn PCOS symptoms, or medication-related weight gain as your new normal after 30. Metformin is not a miracle drug, but it is one of the safest, most affordable, and best-evidenced medicines available for metabolic health.

Here is how to act now:

Metformin has stood the test of time for a reason. It protects the liver, improves insulin sensitivity, supports heart health, and gives many Australians over 30 a real chance to reverse the metabolic slide. If this sounds like the missing piece in your health plan, talk to your doctor today.

Your metabolic future is not fixed — and metformin may help you rewrite it.



2020.emergingwritersfestival.org.au
2020.emergingwritersfestival.org.au
2020.emergingwritersfestival.org.au