Interesting post by hanadr today (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9530#p89648) about varying the amount of Metformin between 2x500 and 3x500 per day depending on what she's eaten.
Is this a normal thing? Do other people do this too, and does it "work"?
Some months ago I asked my doctor this very question and she looked at me like I'd made an indecent suggestion.
Hi Dobbs
I got permission from my Gp to drop the midday Metformin if Iwasn't eating carbs with my lunch. I think he agrees mainly because he knows I'll do what I think is right. Ihave his permission to have a 4th 500mg tablet if I think I need it. If you look at my recent post, you'll see I'm trying a couple of days without Metformin at the moment. I haven't discussed that with him. It didn't seem worth an appointment in piggy flu epidemic times. I know what I'm doing. I've been studying and been diagnosed since 2003
hi Sue,
I wish I could discuss ANYTHING in detail with my GP. Last visit to my GP in Surrey lasted exactly 75 seconds (I kid you not), albeit with a referral to a diabetes specialist at the end of it. I dunno, maybe you have to be more persistent or unusually talkative (and I'm no shrinking violet). The really useful things I've learned about diabetes have ALL come from this site and Jenny Ruhl's!
If I'd gone on what she said (a) I wouldn't be using a meter (b) I wouldn't be low-carbing and (c) I wouldn't dream of varying my Metformin! And this is a nice, apparently intelligent young woman. Ho hum.
As with all professions/jobs, some GPs are better than others.
Don't forget that they are GENERAL Practicioners and some are better than others at Continuing Professional Development. The ones that keep up with developments in many different fields are generally clued-up, but if not, they you are accessing out-of-date info/attitudes, etc.
Being a "glass half full" type of person, I'd say that you got a result in being referred to a specialist!
my g.p is great too, she lets me decide, . I had a gastric band fited 2 and a half years ago ,all we terrible wrong,but as soon as I had the band fitted all my meds were stopped.and gradually I have put myself back on them ,I had the band removed after 3months when i nearly died,
my g.p. is very supportive
I have just posted on the thread 'Does Metformin Help'. Can I plead with you to read it, as I have found this, to the great cost of my health, to be a :evil: drug.
I understand that many of you are happy on it, but please be aware of what it can do in higher doses and what Metformin MR or SR can do?
Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
I take 2 x 500mg metformin every morning with breakfast and 2 x 500mg metformin with my evening meal along with multi insulin injections.
Now I went away fishing over the weekend from Friday till yesterday (Sunday) and when I went to take my pre diner insulin I discovered that I had only brought 2 x meformin tablets with me :shock:
So I left my evening dose and took 1 tablet Saturday morning and the other Sunday morning. For the last week I have taken the same amount of insulin as my meals have contained a similar amount of carbs.
My readings for Friday pre-diner and evening, Saturdays all day readings and Sundays readings showed no discernible differences. Now it may be just me or possibly metformin works so slowly that it makes no difference to short term fluctuations, missed doses etc. I don't understand how it made no difference to me when others say they vary the dose to suit the meal/carbs as I would insulin, seems odd to me :?
Hi
First post for me although I have followed many forums taking advice and support.
I am currently on 2 am 2 pm Metformin after breakfast and evening meal. I have varied the dose on a number of occasions by forgetting the pm dose! I do monitor bloods albeit inconsistently. When I have missed there has been no noticable change in BS. I think as previously mentioned Metformin maintains background levels and a short term change does not significantly affect things.
I would be interested to learn different and that it could be varied to food type and quantity as a short term control?