Wow, I can't believe how many diabetic patients I am hearing about who's doctors have actually read the ACCORD study and are beating them over the heads with it.
Makes you wonder about how selective they are in what they read and believe, doesn't it?
Here's some great reading on what was wrong with those studies.
http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/search?q=accord

Metformin has a long proven safe track record, and really is the only oral diabetes drug I feel safe taking. I'm glad you're going to give it a try.
I did have gastrointestinal distress with the regular met and asked my doctor for the extended release. The extended release has never caused me any trouble, even taken on an empty stomach.
Good luck to you. Maybe this time next year, we'll both be off drugs and controlled by LC diet alone.

BTW, I started with an A1c of 11 and was on glipizide, Actos, metformin and Lantus.
Now it's 5.4 on metformin only. Thank you low carb.