Newbie on Metformin modified release

Am in a similar situation to you. So shall watch thread and wait for answers.
Luckily no side effects so far.
Best of Luck.

artdecomum said:

Hi I’m newly diagnosed and put on Metformin modified release.

The GP and pharmacist label said one 500mg in morning for one week then same at lunch for a week and then third in evening.

The medicine information leaflet in box said one in evening to start and then second in evening if blood glucose needs it.

Queried it with diabetic nurse at surgery and she said same as doctor.

I’ve been taking one in evening for three weeks as it’s acting like drain cleaner! However not doing much on BG even with reduced carb diet.

My question is when should I be taking the tablets if I need to increase to two a day.

I am so fed up with conflicting advice from those who are supposed to be qualified, that I thought I would be better asking those who are the real experts. Many thanks for any advice.

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You’ll find plenty of conflicting views here too! There is a broad consensus on the benefit of reducing or even eliminating refined carbs - tho there are research studies considering whether the key is not the carb reduction in itself but the attendant other changes in diet composition. In the end we each have to become our own expert with our own set of beliefs. Given the range of conflicting emphases you will encounter here you could try what I did and deploy every tactic simultaneously: drop the carbs, drop refined foods, lose a load of weight, shrink the waist, walk for miles: throw everything at it, allow it no quarter. Eat to the meter, identify what to avoid. Above all be circumspect with single-tactic advocates. The truth is that with T2D there is not yet any stable and comprehensive theory of what is really going on, either with the disease or with its remediation. You will find your own way. I wish you good fortune in your doing so.

The most interesting research I have read recently is the “personal fat threshold” theory. Probably not that new any more, but it was new to me. This says that everyone has a point where they can no longer store fat subcutaneously ans at that point fat beings to be stored in the organs, most importantly the liver and pancreas. This is when it all goes wrong for us T2D’s. It is the only thing I’ve found that explains why I, barely overweight at all, am T2D and others maybe grossly overweight and be fine in terms of diabetes.

Nicksellick said:

The most interesting research I have read recently is the “personal fat threshold” theory. Probably not that new any more, but it was new to me. This says that everyone has a point where they can no longer store fat subcutaneously ans at that point fat beings to be stored in the organs, most importantly the liver and pancreas. This is when it all goes wrong for us T2D’s. It is the only thing I’ve found that explains why I, barely overweight at all, am T2D and others maybe grossly overweight and be fine in terms of diabetes.

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I also subscribe to the personal fat threshold hypothesis. But what I don't know is whether, despite my likewise being hardly overweight at diagnosis, the crossing of my own threshold was caused just by my non-optimal diet (eating a Yorkie Bar on the train home every night, just for starters) and sedentary lifestyle (glued to computers for 12 hours at a time for decades), or was caused/enabled also by specific gene abnormalities. From what I have read, the genetic association (T2D killed my grandmother) is pretty weak, so I am inclined to think it was just a lifestyle thing for me, combined with a low threshold. I am 74 now, but have promised myself that if can survive this until my 80th birthday then on that day I am going to eat three Yorkie Bars as gluttonously as I can), and then not do so again until my 90th. After all, we need something to look forward to besides the years ahead of cauliflower and chia seeds!

chrisjohnh said:

I also subscribe to the personal fat threshold hypothesis. But what I don't know is whether, despite my likewise being hardly overweight at diagnosis, the crossing of my own threshold was caused just by my non-optimal diet (eating a Yorkie Bar on the train home every night, just for starters) and sedentary lifestyle (glued to computers for 12 hours at a time for decades), or was caused/enabled also by specific gene abnormalities. From what I have read, the genetic association (T2D killed my grandmother) is pretty weak, so I am inclined to think it was just a lifestyle thing for me, combined with a low threshold. I am 74 now, but have promised myself that if can survive this until my 80th birthday then on that day I am going to eat three Yorkie Bars as gluttonously as I can), and then not do so again until my 90th. After all, we need something to look forward to besides the years ahead of cauliflower and chia seeds!

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I totally agree. I don’t have diabetes in my family at all. I think my fat threshold was pretty low And my lifestyle didn’t help. I didn’t realise my diet was so bad until I looked back at what I used to eat. Enjoy your Yorkers.

Nicksellick said:

I totally agree. I don’t have diabetes in my family at all. I think my fat threshold was pretty low And my lifestyle didn’t help. I didn’t realise my diet was so bad until I looked back at what I used to eat. Enjoy your Yorkers.

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Thank you!

The thing about Metformin is that it's a very safe drug with non-critical timings compared with many other drugs. If it's the standard version of Met and it's still giving bowel problems after a few weeks then ask to be changed to Met SR or MR (Slow or Modified Release) version. This version is much kinder and with even less critical timings.