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Metformin - how to take

srobertson06

srobertson06

Well-Known Member
Messages
321
Location
Lincolnshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cycling, Exercise Classes
Hi everyone,

Hoping to gain some advice - my Metformin medication was doubled last week as blood glucose level still high, so now have 2000mg to take a day.
I started taking two in the morning after breakfast and two in the evening after my evening meal - this made me feel constantly sick (I was warned this may happen but informed it would pass within a few days).
But after two days of feeling sick for around 16 hours a day I changed to taking one after breakfast, one after lunch, one after dinner and one after an evening snack.

My question is - is it OK to take the Metformin one tablet at a time after each meal. It has stopped me feeling sick all day long which I am happier about but concerned I might be doing the wrong thing.

I would phone my doctors and hope to get through and then hope to speak to the diabetic nurse or to get a call back but it is a huge hassle and I thought that people here would be able to help me a lot quicker.

Thank you
 
srobertson06 said:
Hi everyone,

Hoping to gain some advice - my Metformin medication was doubled last week as blood glucose level still high, so now have 2000mg to take a day.
I started taking two in the morning after breakfast and two in the evening after my evening meal - this made me feel constantly sick (I was warned this may happen but informed it would pass within a few days).
But after two days of feeling sick for around 16 hours a day I changed to taking one after breakfast, one after lunch, one after dinner and one after an evening snack.

My question is - is it OK to take the Metformin one tablet at a time after each meal. It has stopped me feeling sick all day long which I am happier about but concerned I might be doing the wrong thing.

I would phone my doctors and hope to get through and then hope to speak to the diabetic nurse or to get a call back but it is a huge hassle and I thought that people here would be able to help me a lot quicker.

Thank you
Click to expand...
I take one tablet with breakfast and one with dinner, and I don't think it makes much difference, to be honest, as long as you have it with food. If you want a professional opinion, you could ask a pharmacist. Have you asked your nurse about metformin SR? That can help reduce side effects, but not always.

Are you also working on what you are eating, to get your BGs down?
 
Thank you, I could see no reason not to continue with the way I am taking but will check with a pharmacist.
Yes I am working on what I am eating to get my BGs down - gone from 16.1 to 10.5 but still cannot get it into single numbers all day, which is why the doctor increased the Metformin.
I know from this site that low carbs is a key and I have reduced my carbs a lot but still cannot get it lower. I brought my own testing kit and have learnt a great deal so far on what really shoots up my BGs - only really getting good readings when I go carb and sugar free completely but I don't feel I can do this 100% of the time.

Type 2 since March 2015
Low carb, but still learning
Moderate exercise
Metformin 2000mg/day
HbA1c: 70
 
srobertson06 said:
Thank you, I could see no reason not to continue with the way I am taking but will check with a pharmacist.
Yes I am working on what I am eating to get my BGs down - gone from 16.1 to 10.5 but still cannot get it into single numbers all day, which is why the doctor increased the Metformin.
I know from this site that low carbs is a key and I have reduced my carbs a lot but still cannot get it lower. I brought my own testing kit and have learnt a great deal so far on what really shoots up my BGs - only really getting good readings when I go carb and sugar free completely but I don't feel I can do this 100% of the time.

Type 2 since March 2015
Low carb, but still learning
Moderate exercise
Metformin 2000mg/day
HbA1c: 70
Click to expand...
Well done for getting it down as much as you have, it's not easy. I found it hard to reduce my carbs at the start. Looking back there were various reasons... what are the things that stop you from going further with low carbing?
 
Personally I take my Metformin whenever I remember, which means often not with meals and sometimes at strange times of day.

Sometimes I think I may have been given a placebo as I've had absolutely no side effects, and whenever I forget altogether it doesn't seem to have any affect on my BG.
 
britishpub said:
Personally I take my Metformin whenever I remember, which means often not with meals and sometimes at strange times of day.

Sometimes I think I may have been given a placebo as I've had absolutely no side effects, and whenever I forget altogether it doesn't seem to have any affect on my BG.
Click to expand...
I've had no side effects either. The effect it has on BG is subtle. It does a number of things in the body, including reducing the liver dump that happens before we wake up in the morning.
 
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