These drugs lower blood sugar primarily by causing more of the body's own insulin to be released. However, if you are unable to maintain your blood sugar with diet, exercise, and glucose-control medication taken orally, then your doctor may prescribe injectable insulin to control your diabetes. If side effects occur, they usually occur during the first few weeks of therapy. They are normally minor ones such as diarrhea, nausea and upset stomach. Although these side effects are likely to go away, call your doctor if you have severe discomfort or if these effects last for more than a few weeks.
Lactic acidosis is caused by a buildup of lactic acid in the blood.
Although rare, if lactic acidosis does occur, it can be fatal in up to half the cases. Your liver helps remove lactic acid from your bloodstream. Your doctor will monitor your diabetes and may perform blood tests on you from time to time to make sure your kidneys and your liver are functioning normally. However some factors can increase your risk because they can affect kidney and liver function. You are going to have certain x-ray procedures with injectable contrast agents.