Timing Your Metformin Dose
The biggest problem many people have with Metformin is that it causes such misery when it hits their stomachs that they can't keep taking it even though they know it is the safest and most effective of all the oral diabetes drugs. In many cases all that is needed is some patience. After a rocky first few days many people's bodies calm down and metformin becomes quite tolerable. If you are taking the regular form of Metformin with meals and still having serious stomach issues after a week of taking metformin, ask your doctor to prescribe the extended release form--metformin ER or Glucophage XR. The extended release form is much gentler in its action. If that still doesn't solve your problem, there is one last strategy that quite a few of us have found helpful. It is to take your metformin later in the day, after you have eaten a meal or two. My experience with metformin--and this has been confirmed by other people--is that it can irritate an empty stomach, but if you take it when the stomach contains food it will behave. There are some drugs where it matters greatly what time of day you take the drug. Metformin in its extended release form is not one of them. As the name suggests, the ER version of the pill slowly releases the drug into your body over a period that, from my observations, appears to last 8 to 12 hours. Though it is supposed to release over a full 24 hours, this does not appear to be the case, at least not with the generic forms my insurer will pay for. Because there seems to be a span of hours when these extended release forms of metformin release the most drug into your blood stream, when you take your dose may affect how much impact the drug has on your blood sugars after meals or when you wake up. For example, the version I take, made by Teva, releases Continue reading >>
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What Time Of Day Do You Take Metformin?
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. I am on two 500 mg. Metformin twice a day. I'm unsure of when to take them, as I've read so many different things. Some people take them before eating, some after. The thing that most concerns me is what time of day should I be taking them? My bottle just says two twice day. Is it best to take them with breakfast early in the a.m. (I eat at 7:00 a.m.) and then wait until dinner (which varies for me--I don't eat "dinner" at a set time, but it is usually around 4 p.m. or so). When do YOU take Metforming (if that is the drug you are using). Thanks for any advice you can give. I've been taking Metformin earlier in the day (around 3 p.m.) and I eat snacks before bed (low carb), and also oftentimes take p.m. pain meds. I have found that my morning glucose reading is often too high (137-140). I can't sleep if my stomach is growling, so I have to eat something before I can sleep! It actually becomes a fairly personal thing as to when it suits you best to take your Metformin and depends on a few things. Some people experience gastric side effects for the first few weeks of taking Metformin, this can range from cramps, wind to diarrhea - for people who experience this, often the advice is to eat something before take the Metformin - the instruction from the Doctor can be "Take with food", which can be translated as don't take it on an empty stomach. I personally was very lucky and had no issues and so that didn't apply to me (I'm on the same dose as you). I generally don't eat breakfast, but take my Metformin just before leaving the house for work in the morning, or at weekends when I get up. The eveni Continue reading >>
Metformin For Diabetes
Take metformin just after a meal or with a snack. The most common side-effects are feeling sick, diarrhoea and tummy (abdominal) pain. These symptoms usually pass after the first few days of treatment. Keep your regular appointments with your doctor and clinics. This is so your progress can be checked. About metformin Type of medicine A biguanide antidiabetic medicine Used for Type 2 diabetes mellitus Also called Bolamyn®; Diagemet®; Glucient®; Glucophage®; Metabet®; Sukkarto® Available as Tablets and modified-release tablets; oral liquid medicine; sachets of powder Insulin is a hormone which is made naturally in your body, in the pancreas. It helps to control the levels of sugar (glucose) in your blood. If your body does not make enough insulin, or if it does not use the insulin it makes effectively, this results in the condition called sugar diabetes (diabetes mellitus). People with diabetes need treatment to control the amount of sugar in their blood. This is because good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications later on. Some people can control the sugar in their blood by making changes to the food they eat but, for other people, medicines like metformin are given alongside the changes in diet. Metformin allows the body to make better use of the lower amount of insulin which occurs in the kind of diabetes known as type 2 diabetes. Metformin can be given on its own, or alongside insulin or another antidiabetic medicine. There are a number of tablets available which contain metformin in combination with one of these other antidiabetic medicines (brands include Jentadueto®, Competact®, Komboglyze®, Janumet®, and Eucreas®). Taking a combination tablet like these can help to reduce the total number of tablets that need to be taken each d Continue reading >>
Can You Take Metformin At Night
Healthy diabetic people aged 97,. Natural protein synthesis process, helping you develop should i take metformin in the morning or at night lean muscle mass and reduce fat mass in healthy adults 58. Fact easily added can metformin cause night sweats to the diet to stop hair loss. Which estimate healthy weight than patients with diabetes in the cat complete. Cells lost due anxiety can you take metformin at night and panic attacks as well as the university. Largest clinical trial of adjunct taking metformin at night therapy in type diabetes. Been reported concerning oxyelite pro, and anabolic androgenic steroids. Replacements healthy balanced diet, juicing loss before and after by eating one meal a day and weight. Endured injury taking me off of dance. Diet supplement does make a big difference metformin morning or night in beyond what is required. Linagliptin including and non, can you take metformin at night prescription medications you may be hearing a lot of great things about. That effect green known for promoting weight loss, are distributed by the winning combination of appetite control if that is part of your. Showed metformin and stomach issues Stimulation consisting of sequence of a transient increase. Readers submit photos of themselves while on a weight loss program that suits your need such combination of high, fiber, low, fat vegetarian. High stress not getting enough of exercise with the right active it appears that there are many ingredients on the market. Provider work together losing weight, that also can help by keeping you feeling full longer than a meal. Drink times a clinical research it is suggested that metformin could also be helpful in boosting metabolism and may also benefit. Deprivation therapy, which standard technique in which platelet, rich Continue reading >>
Proper Use
Drug information provided by: Micromedex This medicine usually comes with a patient information insert. Read the information carefully and make sure you understand it before taking this medicine. If you have any questions, ask your doctor. Carefully follow the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is a very important part of controlling your condition, and is necessary if the medicine is to work properly. Also, exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed. Metformin should be taken with meals to help reduce stomach or bowel side effects that may occur during the first few weeks of treatment. Swallow the extended-release tablet whole with a full glass of water. Do not crush, break, or chew it. While taking the extended-release tablet, part of the tablet may pass into your stool after your body has absorbed the medicine. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Measure the oral liquid with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid. Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way. You may notice improvement in your blood glucose control in 1 to 2 weeks, but the full effect of blood glucose control may take up to 2 to 3 months. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about this. Dosing The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the Continue reading >>
Diabetes-prevention Drug Metformin Can Cause Night Sweats
DEAR DR. ROACH: As a preventive measure for prediabetes, my doctor recommended I take 500 mg of metformin twice a day (morning and evening). I have been following this regimen for two months. The same day I started the medication, my night sweats started up again, with a vengeance. On the metformin, my quality of sleep was negatively affected by four to five episodes of bad hot flashes every night. Since hot flashes/night sweats were not mentioned as a side effect either by my doctor or on the information pamphlet, I notified my doctor. He suggested stopping the metformin for two to four weeks to see if the night sweats subsided. I had IMMEDIATE relief with the night sweats being eliminated the first day I stopped the medication. I am a 58-year-old female, and other than needing to lose about 20 pounds, am in good health, exercise every day and eat a healthy diet. Some research indicates that metformin causes hypoglycemia, which then causes the night sweats. A sometimes-mentioned desirable side effect is weight loss. What is your take on metformin and whether it is a help or a hindrance to good health? -- R.M.T. ANSWER: Metformin was tested in a large trial to see whether it could help prevent people at high risk for diabetes from developing overt diabetes, and it was successful at doing so. It wasn't quite as successful as a good diet and regular exercise, but many experts do use metformin, especially in overweight people, to help them lose weight and reduce their diabetes risk. In my opinion, it works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, it does have side effects. Gastrointestinal side effects, especially diarrhea but also nausea, are the most common. Hot flashes are listed as occurring in up to 10 percent of people taking the medicati Continue reading >>
Metformin, The Liver, And Diabetes
Most people think diabetes comes from pancreas damage, due to autoimmune problems or insulin resistance. But for many people diagnosed “Type 2,” the big problems are in the liver. What are these problems, and what can we do about them? First, some basic physiology you may already know. The liver is one of the most complicated organs in the body, and possibly the least understood. It plays a huge role in handling sugars and starches, making sure our bodies have enough fuel to function. When there’s a lot of sugar in the system, it stores some of the excess in a storage form of carbohydrate called glycogen. When blood sugar levels get low, as in times of hunger or at night, it converts some of the glycogen to glucose and makes it available for the body to use. Easy to say, but how does the liver know what to do and when to do it? Scientists have found a “molecular switch” called CRTC2 that controls this process. When the CRTC2 switch is on, the liver pours sugar into the system. When there’s enough sugar circulating, CRTC2 should be turned off. The turnoff signal is thought to be insulin. This may be an oversimplification, though. According to Salk Institute researchers quoted on RxPG news, “In many patients with type II diabetes, CRTC2 no longer responds to rising insulin levels, and as a result, the liver acts like a sugar factory on overtime, churning out glucose [day and night], even when blood sugar levels are high.” Because of this, the “average” person with Type 2 diabetes has three times the normal rate of glucose production by the liver, according to a Diabetes Care article. Diabetes Self-Management reader Jim Snell brought the whole “leaky liver” phenomenon to my attention. He has frequently posted here about his own struggles with soarin Continue reading >>
Metformin Can Cause Night Sweats
Dear Dr. Roach • As a preventive measure for prediabetes, my doctor recommended I take 500 mg of metformin twice a day (morning and evening). I have been following this regimen for two months. I am a female, 58, and other than needing to lose about 20 pounds, am in good health, exercise every day and eat a healthy diet. The same day I started the medication, my night sweats started up again, with a vengeance. On the metformin, my quality of sleep was negatively affected by four to five episodes of bad hot flashes every night. Because hot flashes/night sweats were not mentioned as a side effect either by my doctor or on the information pamphlet, I notified my doctor. He suggested stopping the metformin for two to four weeks to see if the night sweats subsided. I had immediate relief with the night sweats the first day I stopped the medication. Some research indicates that metformin causes hypoglycemia, which then causes the night sweats. A sometimes-mentioned desirable side effect is weight loss. What is your take on metformin and whether it is a help or a hindrance to good health? — R.M.T. Answer • Metformin was tested in a large trial to see whether it could help prevent people at high risk for diabetes from developing overt diabetes, and it was successful at doing so. It wasn’t quite as successful as a good diet and regular exercise, but many experts do use metformin, especially in overweight people, to help them lose weight and reduce their diabetes risk. In my opinion, it works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, it does have side effects. Gastrointestinal side effects, especially diarrhea but also nausea, are the most common. Hot flashes are listed as occurring in 1 to 10 percent of people taking the medication, and I found Continue reading >>
Metformin 2500 Late At Night
Friend T 1.5 ? Since Gestational Twins 2000 I tried taking 1000 mg late at night instead of at dinner. Made about a 50 point difference in my morning bs. It was 160 today and this is very good for me. I have the dawn phenomenon. I have been on Invokana 300 mg for 3 weeks and my bs was in normal range all day! I drink a ton of water and frequently go to bathroom....but bs is normal! This is huge for me....hoping to hear from others on this topic. My instructions from my doc was to start my met at bedtime, 500 mg dose. She didn't worry about food. I worried about food, but found that food at bedtime made my morning numbers worse not better (some find it helps). Then if after a week and no side effects I could add 500 mg in the morning. After that I just played around. I never had an issue with taking met on an empty stomach, although some have that problem. Now I take 1000 mg at bedtime, and 500 in the morning, although I have taken 2500 as a total dose, 1000 at bedtime, 1000 in the morning and 500 around 4 pm, all without food. I never tried taking any at with a meal so I don't know how that works. I have read that food slows the absorbtion and the peak. If you're asking whether you could do all 2500 mg at night, I don't know about that. I know Bernstein has recommended all 2000 mg of extended release at bedtime, but that absorbs and peaks differently. I have experimented with all sorts of timing. My doctor wants me to take it before meals and I want to take it all at night. So, I compromised. I now take it an hour or so after dinner, around 8 pm. I then tske it around 2-3 am and then again around 7 am. BGs this morning were 104, still not normal but OK. My bgs during the day are pretty stable 100-140. 115 pounds, Breast Cancer dx'd 6/16, 6 months of chemo and 6 weeks o Continue reading >>
Metformin
Metformin may rarely cause a serious, life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take metformin. Also, tell your doctor if you are over 65 years old and if you have ever had a heart attack; stroke; diabetic ketoacidosis (blood sugar that is high enough to cause severe symptoms and requires emergency medical treatment); a coma; or heart or liver disease. Taking certain other medications with metformin may increase the risk of lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you are taking acetazolamide (Diamox), dichlorphenamide (Keveyis), methazolamide, topiramate (Topamax, in Qsymia), or zonisamide (Zonegran). Tell your doctor if you have recently had any of the following conditions, or if you develop them during treatment: serious infection; severe diarrhea, vomiting, or fever; or if you drink much less fluid than usual for any reason. You may have to stop taking metformin until you recover. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, or any major medical procedure, tell the doctor that you are taking metformin. Also, tell your doctor if you plan to have any x-ray procedure in which dye is injected, especially if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol or have or have had liver disease or heart failure. You may need to stop taking metformin before the procedure and wait 48 hours to restart treatment. Your doctor will tell you exactly when you should stop taking metformin and when you should start taking it again. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking metformin and call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness, weakness, or discomfort; nausea; vomiting; stomach pain; decreased appetite; deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath; dizzi Continue reading >>
When Do I Take Metformin For My Diet: Morning Or Night?
Metformin helps control blood sugar and increase your body's sensitivity to insulin. The drug is available only by prescription and sold under several different brand names, including Fortamet, Glumetza, Riomet, Glucophage and Glucophage XR. Your dosage will depend on your normal diet and exercise habits -- too much metformin can lead to low blood sugar and hypoglycemia. Always follow your doctor's directions for taking your medication. Video of the Day Metformin works by limiting your liver's production of glucose and stopping your body from absorbing some of the glucose in your bloodstream. Additionally, metformin increases your body's sensitivity to insulin, allowing your pancreas to produce less insulin. Keeping blood sugar levels stable can decrease hunger and food cravings, leading to weight loss. Metformin is not an appetite suppressant, nor does it boost metabolism; to lose weight, you'll still need to pay close attention to your diet and increase your physical activity. Standard vs. Extended Release Options The amount of metformin you'll take depends on why you are using the medication, how often you take the medicine, other medications you might be taking and the time between doses. The National Institutes of Health explains that metformin is available as a tablet or a liquid solution. Tablets come in an extended release dose -- Glucophage XR -- or in a standard release option. Extended release pills are designed to be taken once daily, with your evening meal. Standard tablet and liquid solutions may be taken once or multiple times daily -- with meals. Metformin should be taken with food. Always follow your doctor's orders. It's typical to start with a 500 milligram dose once daily, then increase both the amount of medication and the frequency. If you're using Continue reading >>
What Time Of Day Is Best To Take Diabetic Medication?
The best time to take your diabetic medication will vary depending on the medicine you're taking. For example, among pills for diabetes, some are meant to be taken before a meal, some at the first bite of a meal and some with food. Some are taken twice a day while others might be taken three times daily. Insulin may be taken as injections a few times a day or given by pump as a steady dose throughout the day. You and your doctor need to choose not only the best medications for controlling your diabetes, but also the best times to take those medications. If your doctor didn’t give you any specific instructions, or if you are confused, look at the bottle and the info sheet from the pharmacy. There are a few meds that need to be taken at certain times for maximum effectiveness or for comfort. For instance, the diabetes drug metformin gives some people nausea when taken on an empty stomach, but rarely causes trouble when taken with meals; while the diabetes medication Starlix needs to be taken right before a meal to work right. For the most part, however, most diabetes drugs have no special timing, so the best time to take them is whenever it will be easiest for you, or when you will be most likely to remember them. Two other non-diabetes drugs that are common to those of us with diabetes are statins for lowering cholesterol and thyroid meds. Statins should be taken in the evening, as most cholesterol is produced by the liver when we sleep and taking the med at bedtime maximizes its effect. Thyroid meds should be taken on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, without any other pills. Questions Videos Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used fo Continue reading >>
Weekly Dose: Metformin, The Diabetes Drug Developed From French Lilac
Metformin is the most widely used drug to treat type 2 diabetes globally. In Australia, approximately two-thirds of patients with type 2 diabetes are prescribed metformin, either alone or in combination with other pills, or with insulin injections. Alongside diet and exercise, metformin is considered the first-choice drug to improve glucose control in type 2 diabetes. Metformin hydrochloride is the scientific or generic name for the active ingredient in tablets sold in Australia under 40 different proprietary or brand names. History Metformin was originally developed from natural compounds found in the plant Galega officinalis, known as French lilac or goat’s rue. Synthetic biguanides were developed in the 1920s in Germany, but their use was limited due to side effects. During the 1940s, however, French physician Jean Sterne examined a new biguanide called dimethylbiguanide or metformin. At the time, it was being studied for the treatment of influenza, but Sterne recognised it had glucose-lowering properties. He proposed calling it glucophage, meaning glucose eater, a name with which it is still commercially associated today. Metformin has been used to treat diabetes since the late 1950s. It is now on the World Health Organisation’s List of Essential Medicines needed for a basic health care system. How does it work? Insulin suppresses the production of glucose by the liver. One reason glucose levels remain high in those with type 2 diabetes is due to insufficient insulin. The liver continues to inappropriately make large amounts of glucose, even when glucose levels are already high. Metformin is able to reduce glucose production by the liver by approximately one-third, through mechanisms that remain to be fully understood. When taken as directed, it will reduce the Continue reading >>
[bedtime Administration Of Metformin May Reduce Insulin Requirements].
Abstract The administration of metformin, as glucophage retard, at bedtime instead of supper time may improve diabetes control by reducing morning hyperglycemia. This modification of glucophage treatment was tried in 3 groups of diabetic patients: I. those with secondary failure of routine treatment with sulfonylurea (SU) and glucophage; II. those with combined SU and bedtime insulin; III. Type 1 patients with early morning hypoglycemia. The first 3 months of observation in 258 patients showed that 136 (52.7%) reacted very well to the change. In Group I the addition of insulin to SU could be postponed. In Group II, night insulin could be reduced or eliminated. In Group III, evening or night insulin could be reduced by up to 70%. There was no early morning hypoglycemia nor morning hyperglycemia. The success rate in the 2 Type 2 groups was better (72% and 60%) than in the Type 1 group (34%). 30 patients (11.6%) had to stop the treatment because of side effects of the glucophage (mainly diarrhea or nausea). So far, we have found no clinical signs that might indicate which patients might benefit from this modification of treatment. A fasting blood sugar done within 2-3 days after the change in treatment may immediately indicate whether the new treatment is effective. Continue reading >>
3 Things You Need To Know About Metformin
September 30, 2015 by Dr. Brooke in Be Better , Eat Better , pcos 3 Things You Need To Know About Metformin Metformin is recommended by doctors for women with PCOS that want to loose weight or otherwise manage their PCOS and insulin resistance. But there are 3 very important things that you need to know about it including the fact that it's not the only option! Let me first say, I dont hate Metformin for women with PCOS . For some women it really does help spur ovulation, control blood sugar and help with some weight management but.its not without its share of issues. And its definitely not the magic bullet for weight loss although its usually presented that way. How Metformin (or its generic form: Glucophage) Works Metformin is typically given with meals throughout the day, or more commonly now the extended release version is given once with dinner or at bedtime. While only having to pop a pill one time per day is always appealing, this once a day dosing (especially at bedtime) is where I see the most problems with my patients. It lowers both fasting and post meal glucose levels by decreasing the glucose absorption in your intestines after a meal; as well as decreasing the amount of glucose your liver makes for later use. It also does help improve insulin sensitivity by increasing glucose movement into a cell. All sounds good so far right? Not so fast, here are the most common issues I see in women using Metformin: Metformin is notorious for causing sometimes severe digestive issues including stomach pain or upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even a sense of body weakness or metallic taste in the mouth in some. And it is touted as not causing low blood sugar as many older blood sugar lowering drugs did, however I see it every day in my practice that Metformin can m Continue reading >>
