I've been taking all 4 metformin SR + 45mg actos (I always forget the non-trade name, it's the one that causes 2x the number of bone fractures...) with my lunch, my thinking being as it lasts 12hrs all the metformin would be covering both my lunch and dinner whereas if I took 2 at lunch and 2 at dinner only two would be acting at lunch time, from reading this would it be better to take 2 at lunch and 2 at dinner?
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HBA1c shocking news
- Thread starter asante_za
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Dennis
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Hi HLW,
You haven't mentioned breakfast, but I assume you normally have something to eat, in which case that won't be covered at all. As well as the glucose that ends up in your blood from the food you eat, your body also gets glucose that is produced by your liver. This can be produced in small amounts throughout the day, but by far the largest amount is produced during the night. This is the body's natural reaction to not getting any food for several hours - it assumes that it is being starved so produces the extra glucose to keep your energy levels up. This tends to peak from around 3am, so if you have all your metformin at, say, 1pm then during the night when your insulin needs some help it doesn't get any.
The other effect the metformin has is that it discourages the liver from over-producing glucose. If you have no metformin active at the time when most hepatic glucose gets produced then you are not getting the benefits from the metformin.
PS Actos is pioglitazone.
You haven't mentioned breakfast, but I assume you normally have something to eat, in which case that won't be covered at all. As well as the glucose that ends up in your blood from the food you eat, your body also gets glucose that is produced by your liver. This can be produced in small amounts throughout the day, but by far the largest amount is produced during the night. This is the body's natural reaction to not getting any food for several hours - it assumes that it is being starved so produces the extra glucose to keep your energy levels up. This tends to peak from around 3am, so if you have all your metformin at, say, 1pm then during the night when your insulin needs some help it doesn't get any.
The other effect the metformin has is that it discourages the liver from over-producing glucose. If you have no metformin active at the time when most hepatic glucose gets produced then you are not getting the benefits from the metformin.
PS Actos is pioglitazone.
Oh dear. I will change from tomorrow then!
re breakfast, if I don't have lectures I will get up midday or later and will only eat two meals. Which is probably not good, but I have trouble getting to sleep (nasty cheap uncomftable matress + noise at university), so don't usually get many hours of sleep if I have to get up early, so unless I sleep in that late whenever I can I get very tired.
When I do get up earlier and so have time for breakfast, I assume 2 metformin at breakfast and 2 + the pioglitazone with my evening meal would be best? Or 1 at breakfast 1 at lunch and 2 + the pioglitazone with my evening meal? Just looked at the packet, on the prescription sticker it says 'take 2, 2 times a day'. Oh dear. That won't be helping things.
re breakfast, if I don't have lectures I will get up midday or later and will only eat two meals. Which is probably not good, but I have trouble getting to sleep (nasty cheap uncomftable matress + noise at university), so don't usually get many hours of sleep if I have to get up early, so unless I sleep in that late whenever I can I get very tired.
When I do get up earlier and so have time for breakfast, I assume 2 metformin at breakfast and 2 + the pioglitazone with my evening meal would be best? Or 1 at breakfast 1 at lunch and 2 + the pioglitazone with my evening meal? Just looked at the packet, on the prescription sticker it says 'take 2, 2 times a day'. Oh dear. That won't be helping things.
Dennis
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,506
- Location
- West Sussex
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
- Dislikes
- People who join web forums to be agressive and cause trouble
Hi HLW,
If you don't normally have breakfast then I would say split them across the 2 main meals that you do have, lunch and evening meal. The Actos lasts for between 3 and 7 hours so I would have that with whichever meal has the higher carb level, because that's the meal where your insulin could do with the most help.
If you don't normally have breakfast then I would say split them across the 2 main meals that you do have, lunch and evening meal. The Actos lasts for between 3 and 7 hours so I would have that with whichever meal has the higher carb level, because that's the meal where your insulin could do with the most help.
