I went straight on 3 per day, one with each meal. I've noticed a little discomfort, but not a lot. I notice more side effects if I don't eat well. So I try to stay on the diet I'm using to loose weight.

It must be taken with food. My bottle has this label prominently on it and the pharmacist told me about it when I picked it up. He said some people experience minimal nausea and diarrhea and others have it bad. Whichever way, he said it rarely lasts more than two weeks.

You can ask your doc for an anti-nausea pill to take with it. Don't take anything like that without talking to the doc or the pharmacist first!

About the fat, I wonder if it is because metformin does something to the liver? It makes it stop producing glucose so I wonder if that process causes fatty meals to not sit right?

I've been on Met. for 2 weeks now and was miserable the first week. I moved it to the morning and have had less problems since I did that. Don't know if it was the move itself or if I just adjusted to it.

Adjusting to meformin
 

I started this three days ago myself and like you I am having the same problems. I read the pharmacist pages included with it and these are possible side effects but should subside as you become used to the medicine. This evening I am much better than I did a few days ago.

I have been on Metformin for about three years. Nausea and diarrhoea are well known side effects. Also stomach cramps and flatulence. It can make you insecure to go out at first but it subsides if you persevere. I take mine in two doses of two tablets twice per day. Always straight after eating. I found that taking them four times a day made me feel more nauseous.
Most people I have spoken to who take them report a reduced appetite for food so I think they are an appetite suppressant too.
Stick with it. Things will improve.

Well I have been on metformin a year and I hate it. I have take mine twice a day with food and when I do it makes me go straight the bathroom. It is a headache. I can say glipizide works slot better in lowering my sugar than the metformin.

Metformin causes lots of adverse effects. There's a new natural medication, Sucanon, it's tested on more than 7000 people with no adverse effects.
http://www.sucanondiabetes.com/clinical-results/

I was on Metformin also and threw up every morning until I mentioned it to my Dr. and he said it was a common side effect. He took me off of it and put me on Actos. NO MORE PUKING!!!

I stopped taking it after about a week or so. BG level has been fine ever since. Change what you eat and save your life.

Man.... Metformin can really knock you out! It is a fast (very fast) acting Med. I have found that when you ease into it, your body will adjust eventually

Metformin
 

I have been on Metformin for several years. My experience, never take it on an empty stomach or with a light meal. It will give you diarrhea for several hours afterwards.