metformin and hives

Recently diagnosed with type 2, doc prescribed 500 metformin twice daily, after a week, I am broken out in hives, and still running 200 2 hours after a meal and fasting at 140 range, he doubled the morning dose and prescribed prednisone. Told me to call and report next day, of course that was new year’s eve and he leaves town for 4 days.

So I quit the metformin cold turkey for 2 days, the hives subside, so I take a trial dose of 500 and the itch is back in the hands, so now I wait a couple days before the doc is back.

Has anyone else had this problem with metformin? And will it get better? Surely there are other drugs……