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Gliclazide......another question.

Nicholas Hoare

Well-Known Member
Messages
432
Location
Sheffield UK
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I have been prescribed Gliclazide 40mg half an hour before evening meal.
Is there any reason why it has to be the evening meal ? And would it make any difference if I took it half an hour before breakfast or lunch ?
Thanks for any help.

Nick


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I take my 40mg of Gliclazide at breakfast time, always have done.
 
I really can't answer that you are better talking to gp about it as they may have a reason for this


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, metformin 2000mg sr (but not taking them as they play havoc with my insides,
 
I find that taking it at breakfast time gives me steady blood sugar levels all day. The reasons I could see for taking it with your evening meal would be that it would bring down levels from a carb heavy evening meal or that you drive for a living and you would be less likely to hypo whilst driving. Do you work nights?

Gliclazide is not a med that works on what you eat, you take the tablet and it makes your pancreas produce more insulin. I'm not sure why you would need to be producing extra insulin whilst you are asleep and not eating.

I googled timing of gliclazide and it came up with this link which says take it in the morning http://www.patient.co.uk/medicine/gliclazide-diamicron-dacadis-nazdol-zicron
 
When I was on Gliclazide, I took it with my evening meal as the insulin production tended to coincide with my carb intake ie , in evening and the tail covered my overnights. if I took it earlier then my BG went low in am/lunch and went up in evening/night!
 
I had the same problem, when I took it in the morning I had the beginnings of a hypo most days, therefore I ate more carbs, put on weight, and my Hb1 went up. Dr told me to take it before evening meal which solved the problem, also stopped the weight gain. Luckily I have been taken off it now.
 
Advice varies. Gliclazide has an active time of around 10 hours max with a much earlier peak and it stimulates the islet cells to produce more insulin. On higher doses it is normally split morning and evening. 40mg is the lowest dose so having it just before the main meal of the day seems best. Your prescription seems very sensible.
 
This is not strictly true. If you are on the 40mg "ZICRON" tablets, these can be split using a pill cutter, giving a 20mg dose. Have a word with your GP/doctor on this.
 
Thanks for all your replies everyone. I will have a word with my nurse next time I see her. The 40 mg dose I have to take is a 80mg pill cut in two.
 
Just out of curiosity, is there any reason why you want to take it earlier as this may help with replies ? As ever, always discuss meds with your doc.
 
OK, fair enough. Just wondered if there was a reason behind it. When I took them my doc said it didn't matter too much when I took them as long as it was consistent. I would still discuss with your doc ti be sure.


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