No you should not ignore these side effects. here's what the Mayo clinic lists as side effects
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/metformin-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20067074

note that pain is in the list of serious side effects because it can be an early warning sign of Lactic acidosis and Lactic acidosis is life threatening

It happened to me, I stopped taking the metformin, it took about tree weeks for the pain to go away. I waited for the symptoms to go away before trying something new. I have been able to keep my blood sugars close to normal with diet alone but I find my food choices very limiting so I spoke with my Dr and started taking januvia, which is also a dpp-4 inhibitor, well the pain had started to come back and I stopped taking it immediatly. No more DPP-4 inhibitors for me but I am thinking of trying Jardiance. the side effects seem much more manageable and there seems to be some cardiac advantages. Well I'll let ya' know how it goes , keep in touch, Veronica
https://www.jardiance.com/

I'm still on metformin. My dr doesn't seem to care that I'm having side effects. My pharmacist suggested a slow release metformin. I think Drs are trying to deal with everything and they can't possibly know about everything.

I just stopped taking metformin . I have taken it for years and suffer stomach issues . I and 3 days without and WOW what a difference already more energy ...bloated stomach getting better etc.... I will never take that again

I did take tablets to start with but they were not controlling it so they put me on insulin. I dont know which I would prefer tablets or insulin, both are despressing

I had stomach problems taking metformin, being sick all the time, told my doctor and he said I was taking it wrong I need to hv it on a full stomch, that didn't help so I stopped taking it, there is no other tablet u can take is what I got told, but at least I can eat better. I am sorry yr hving problems try only taking one, see if that helps, if not maybe talk to the diabetic nurses