Metformin question

[carty]

Just a thought
I take 1 x 1000 mg of Metformin SR 2x per day and I noticed that some people take 2x500 mg 2x per day Anyone know why ?
CAROL

 

[Catlady19]

I think it just depends on your BGs and what your doctor thinks is suitable for you personally. Does SR only come in 1000mg perhaps?

 

[bulkbiker]

because their tablets are smaller?

 

[Freema]

I wonder how the guidelines are at the GP for metformin...
we should know theses guidelines, they should not be a secret

 

[nomoredonuts]

Just a thought
I take 1 x 1000 mg of Metformin SR 2x per day and I noticed that some people take 2x500 mg 2x per day Anyone know why ?
CAROL

Just my two cents worth..
It's not recommended to split 1000mg SR tablets, to spread them over a day. (Not that you would!)

 

[Jay-Marc]

I wonder how the guidelines are at the GP for metformin...
we should know theses guidelines, they should not be a secret

British National Formulary says:

Oral antidiabetic drugs are used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. They should be prescribed only if the patient fails to respond adequately to at least 3 months' restriction of energy and carbohydrate intake and an increase in physical activity. They should be used to augment the effect of diet and exercise, and not to replace them.

Metformin is the drug of first choice in overweight patients in whom strict dieting has failed to control diabetes, if appropriate it may also be considered as an option in patients who are not overweight.

Dose: ADULT and CHILD over 10 years initially 500 mg with breakfast for at least 1 week then 500 mg with breakfast and evening meal for at least 1 week then 500 mg with breakfast, lunch and evening meal; usual max. 2 g daily in divided doses.

The above are excerpts across several pages. The SR guidance is much the same and written around 500mg rather than 1g tablets.

In practice I think it is fairly common for metformin to be given at the time of diagnosis without a diet only phase particularly where glucose levels start very high

 

[Freema]

Okay thanks , yes I was started right away NOT even mentioned it could be managed by diet alone But started with the actually day number of more than 17 mmol

 

[toulousenessie]

I lived over seas for 12 years. I started on 2 1000mg twice a day morning and night. This after 2 years was increased to 3 tablets daily. Use to have to have 3 monthly checks and blood was tested daily. All results were good for the 10 years. Morning blood levels avg 6.7 and after food 8.5. On returning to uk doctors advised max dose was 2 tablets a day so reduced my dose and since being back levels are all over the place now been put on forexiga as well. Now morning levels are around 7.9 and after food can go up to 12. My hbc was around 6.8 once back in uk this went up to 11.4 did get it back to 7.2 but now back to 8.5

 

[asparagusp]

Yes diet and exercise wasn't mentioned to me either 15 years ago when I was first prescribed Metformin.

 

[chalup]

I lived over seas for 12 years. I started on 2 1000mg twice a day morning and night. This after 2 years was increased to 3 tablets daily. Use to have to have 3 monthly checks and blood was tested daily. All results were good for the 10 years. Morning blood levels avg 6.7 and after food 8.5. On returning to uk doctors advised max dose was 2 tablets a day so reduced my dose and since being back levels are all over the place now been put on forexiga as well. Now morning levels are around 7.9 and after food can go up to 12. My hbc was around 6.8 once back in uk this went up to 11.4 did get it back to 7.2 but now back to 8.5

Hi there and welcome. You might want to consider some diet changes to get those numbers a bit lower. I am going to tag @daisy1 to send some information on diabetes and dietary control. There is a link at the bottom to the free low carb program.

 

[daisy1]

@carty

Hello Carol I know you have seen the basic information before (mentioned above) but the Low Carb Program is new and the link to it is in my signature. Sorry that I don't know the answer to your question.

 

[Jay-Marc]

There is a note in the BNF that the Gastro-intestinal side-effects persist particularly when very high doses such as 3 g daily are given. It is also noted that the doses in the BNF may differ from those in the product literature from manufacturers.

Incidentally the modified release version only costs £1.08 more per pack of 28 than the standard version which itself costs £1.58.