Re: question about Metformin
Another question about Metformin. I take 3 x 500mg per day.
One doctor says space them evenly, which for me would be one at 08:00, one at 16:00 and the last at bed-time - 23:30 to midnight. I did this for a bit, with no apparent adverse effects and no wild swings in glucose readings. In fact they were very tight, never above 8 and usually around the 5 to 5.5 mark. This on strict low carb and no alcohol, and testing before every meal, 2 hours later, and on getting up and at bed time.
Another doctor (and the packet) says take with food. But I eat, usually, at about 09:30, 13:00 and 19:30, which concentrates them all in 12 hours and leaves 12 hours without anything. This doctor, our diabetes specialist, says they have to be taken with food to work. I'm doing that now, and my readings are overall slightly higher - as much as 8.2 pre-meal, and around 5.7 to 6.3 two hours after. My diet is exactly the same as previously.
Do they really truly have to be taken at meal-times? or can I space them?
Or is it something to do with the fact that I'd previously been using a Bayer Contour monitor, and now I have the Freestyle Freedom Lite as supplied by the practice? I know this converts the capillary reading to a plasma equivalent. Is the Bayer whole blood, and could this account for the difference?
Any comments would be much appreciated
Cheers
V
PS nearly midnight. I've just upset my monitor/meter theory - I've just tested using the same puncture wound. Bayer (whole blood?) 6.3, Freestyle (plasma) 5.8. I'd expect monitors to vary, but this much?? I'm taking my confusion to bed! :?
I bet my fasting, am, will be around 7. Watch this space.