Metformin - when to take it?

RichardHawkings

Active Member
Messages
35
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Can any kind knowledgable soul guide me? I am still unclear about Metformin use - I know advice is to take with meals but this seems to be to minimize tummy upset. I've never had any problems since I started Feb 2016 and have been taking 1g with just water in the morning (I rarely have breakfast) and 1g with dinner at night. Lately I've been taking with lunch (around noon) and dinner around 8pm. Is this better or too close together? I've tried a lot of googling but never found an answer.
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Can any kind knowledgable soul guide me? I am still unclear about Metformin use - I know advice is to take with meals but this seems to be to minimize tummy upset. I've never had any problems since I started Feb 2016 and have been taking 1g with just water in the morning (I rarely have breakfast) and 1g with dinner at night. Lately I've been taking with lunch (around noon) and dinner around 8pm. Is this better or too close together? I've tried a lot of googling but never found an answer.

If you take the standard Metformin and you're timings suit you then it seems ok to me. Having said that for someone new to Met or on the slow release version then timings do play a greater role.
 

Rich12

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Dislikes
Snow
Can any kind knowledgable soul guide me? I am still unclear about Metformin use - I know advice is to take with meals but this seems to be to minimize tummy upset. I've never had any problems since I started Feb 2016 and have been taking 1g with just water in the morning (I rarely have breakfast) and 1g with dinner at night. Lately I've been taking with lunch (around noon) and dinner around 8pm. Is this better or too close together? I've tried a lot of googling but never found an answer.

I’m on metformin sr. And take 1000 mg at breakfast 8am, then 1000mg about 10pm with a bit of toast. My BG readings are better at these times, for me.
 

LhasaMomma

Newbie
Messages
1
As long as you are giving around six hours between doses then you should be fine. As mentioned, the reason for taking with meals is to assist with some of the unpleasant side effects like nausea. In simple terms, all drugs have a "life" within the body after which the liver has usually eliminated them (which is why you may need to take pain meds every five or six hours).

Metformin was originally researched as a weight loss drug, but while it proved commercially unsuccessful in that respect, they found that it did assist most Diabetic II sufferers in controlling glucose. The original weight research was as the result of finding that some obese individuals are missing a particular hormone receptor which passes the message that one is "full" and therefore do not need to eat. It would appear that less than 5% of the obese population are actually missing the receptor. This is why a few people on Metformin experience a drastic lack of appetite and so are able to very successfully lose weight on the drug - over 95% will not.

Personally, I was diagnosed DII over sixteen years ago but diet controlled well until four years ago. Being my elderly mother's carer, I didn't have time to deal with it. Not a good move. I subsequently started with Metformin four months ago. I take slow release 2x500mg twice at day.