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Urgent(ish) Question!!

B

BlindFaith

Well-Known Member
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260
Location
South UK
I've recently had to have a CT scan with the IV contrast dye and was told to stop taking my Metformin because of the contraindications between it and the dye.

I have been given different advice on when to start taking it again, though.
One nurse said 48 hours, another said 3 days and looking it up online has given me more of the same - has anyone had this and if so, when did you start taking the Metformin again?
 
I was told to wait 3 days before I could take Metformin again, but I think it all depends on how much Metformin you take.
The dye from the CT scan would slow down excretion of Metformin, so if you take Metformin but still have this dye in your system you would end up with a build up of Metformin in your system, this can cause lactic acidosis (NOT NICE to have).

Probably best to wait 3 days to be on the safe side.

Hope all is well x
 
I would check with Metformin info. Start with reading the leaflet. Then I'd ask my pharmacist. they have much more information on drug interactions than anyone else.
Hana
 
BF - I have just asked my hubby this one for you .
He works in Nuclear Medicine (specialist)

He says at ' least 48 hours ' of time to let the contrast media dye
get out of your system totally .
Hope this can help as a bit extra info for you .

If you are still unsure - phone Xray Dept for advice - to be safest side of things :thumbup:

Anna.
 
Thanks everyone - I'll leave it until tomorrow just to be on the safe side.

You know what the really bad thing is?
If I hadn't asked the nurses on the ward I was on about taking medication after having had the scan I wouldn't have known - nobody offered the information to me at all :shock: (not even the people in the CT department!)
In fact, nobody even bothered to tell me beforehand that I wouldn't be able to take the Metformin for such a long (well, long to me anyway) period of time after the scan...apparently forewarned isn't forearmed to hospitals!

Anyway, thanks again, guys :D
 
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