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Should I eat breakfast if I’m going to be taking Metformin in the morning?

ResistingResistanceUK

Well-Known Member
I fast from dinner till lunchtime, this has worked for me since I got diagnosed last year and I’ve only taken metformin at dinner. Now I’ve noticed my fasting bloods are always in the 6.8 mark. So i’ll Be taking metformin at Breakfast too. But I don’t eat breakfast. I’m scared coz every time I’ve taken it at breakfast (last year when I was still finding my feet) I had a hypo type episode. I am hoping it was coincidental as I was in a pretty horrific Rheumatoid Arthritis flare back then.

Those who take metformin in the morning do you have breakfast with it?
 

Hello, I second that you need to speak with your doctor about it. However your hypo episode might be a false hypo unless you tested your blood to confirm it was a hypo. Hypos only occur if you are on glucose reduction medication and metformin doesn’t do that. 6.8 doesn’t seem too shabby, do you keep a food diary to keep track of everything you eat? On the other hand I heard metformin is better taken with food.
 
Taking a Metformin tablet with or without food will not cause a hypo because Metformin does not directly reduce blood glucose (BG).

Metformin is a long term medication which (amongst other things) modifies the way the liver releases glucose and the way the gut takes up glucose.

As I understand it, the recommendation to take Metformin with food is to buffer the side effects such as diarrhoea if you suffer from those.

I take 2 Metformin in the morning with coffee, butter and double cream, and that suits my body.
I often take a single Metformin in the evening without food if I have had a meal around 15:00 and don't intend to eat again.

As far as I know that doesn't affect the Metformin; it certainly doesn't affect my guts.
 
Pinkorchid said:
Well metformin is only effective if you take it with or straight after food. I would speak to your nurse and see what she says
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Not strictly true, Metformin is a build up drug and doesn't have any direct/immediate effect on food, the advice to take it with or after food is only there to minimise the side effects of the metformin such tummy and toilet troubles

I always take my morning one with my first cup of coffee of the day so I don't forget it. I usually don't eat for another hour or so. I must admit though I have been on of the extremely lucky ones who has never suffered the horrid side effects that metformin can cause.
 
Breakfast is the first meal of the day ( literally breaking the fast ) so if your first meal is at dinner time take your metformin then . I certainly wouldn't take it without food its effect on the bowels can be bad enough with food so without food it would I assume be even worse .
 
I take Metformin two with breakfast and one with dinner. I was originally taking one with breakfast, lunch and dinner but was prone to forgetting the lunchtime one. My GP said that as Metformin has a cumulative effect rather than an immediate effect, when they are taken isn’t that important, except they should be with food to prevent stomach upset. In your position one with lunch and one with dinner would seem to be the solution. However you need to just run this passed your Dr or pharmacist.
Your ‘hypo’ type event was possibly just your body not being used to lower levels but you’ll never know without testing.
 
When I was taking Metformin, I took them with food as directed by the pharmacy label and my GP's instructions. This included breakfast, and as far as I am aware Metformin is not a hypo inducing drug.
 
Thank you all for your responses. I did test as I felt so rough and it was very low but I have heard that metformin doesn't cause hypos at my course I went to but my brain latched on to that being the culprit. I don't have gastro issues with metformin. You are all right though about running it past my nurse. I'll contact her. I had a double mastectomy last month and I spied my HB1AC in the pre assessment book thingy and it had gone up from 42 to 46 - That did panic me as I don't know what else to do so I'm due a visit to the nurse anyway! Thank you!
 
I take it with my breakfast cereal and another at tea time no probs so far
 
Thank you. I rarely eat savoury food as I don’t really like/enjoy it. I just eat chocolate nd anything sweet.
 
B9irene said:
I take it with my breakfast cereal and another at tea time no probs so far
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Eating cereal for breakfast is not going to help - cereal, like all grains are about 2/3rds starch - it would be a better start to the day to have something like bacon and eggs, or try scrambled eggs with cheese and a tomato. I found that I then did not need to eat again until the evening, and it stopped my BG continuing to rise throughout the morning.
 
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