Nervous About Metformin

ruth0071 · 07-21-2008, 02:38 PM

I just got my very first Rx prescription of Metformin after begging my doctor to give it a chance. I've heard alot of good success stories and was feeling left behind. I'm unsure if Metformin will or will not work for me, but I'm willing to give it a fair chance. Now I'm nervous about the side effects and how it will effect me...knowing that everyone is different...

For all the veterans out there...I have a few questions that I'd like to get more info. about...

1. When is the best time to start taking Metformin?
2. Can you take Metformin and Provera at the same time?
3. What's the best way to work dosages up to 1500mg?
4. What are the most common s/e?
5. How do you elevate the s/e...do they ever go away?

Thanks in advance!

erinid · 07-21-2008, 04:21 PM

I worked up by taking 500mg for about a week, then adding in another 500mg dose in the evening... then about 2-3 weeks later I added in the final dose- at the same time as the evening dose.... So I take 1 pill in the am and 2 in the pm, which generally helps with my s/e. HOWEVER if I eat something I know I shouldn't I will be up in the bathroom all night long. Yuck.

Izzybeff · 07-21-2008, 04:46 PM

First of all, yes you can take Metformin and Provera at the same time.. I currently am..

Secondly, what I did with my metformin was to take 1 500 mg pill once a day for two weeks.. Then i did the same with 2 pills for two weeks and then finally I went to three. If going up a pill seems to much, then go back down a pill for another week..

Honestly it will take your body awhile to get used to it. I've been on it for 6 months and just now my body is finally starting to adjust to it so that i'm not in the bathroom all the time.. But like what was already said, if I eat something really suggary, carby or lettuce, i'm right in the bathroom half the night.

Also, I take the ER version so i take all three pills after dinner at night, that seems to work the best for me. It's really hit and miss for you. You just have to figure out what is right for you.

I'll be honest, it will most likely suck for the first few weeks..

Eva37 · 07-21-2008, 05:15 PM

i took 500 for one week, after my evening meal. then after a week, i upped my dose to 500 after lunch, 500 after dinner.

i find that as long as i avoid greasy, fatty, sugar foods as much as poss - and always eat with the met i am ok with it.
eva

ruth0071 · 07-21-2008, 05:56 PM

Thanks all you wonderful ladies. I should start my first dosage of 500mg tonight. Wondering if it would be easier to take 250mg for one week, then 500mg for one week, then 750mg for one week, then 1000mg...and so on...has anyone ever tried that?

Hairlesscow · 07-22-2008, 12:19 AM

I started out with 500 mg for one week and just bumped it up to 1000mg for the next week and then will go to 1500 after another week. I definetly have some foods that after I eat them I know I will in the bathroom a few times. It is not fun to go that much, but I guess it shows that the Metformin is working. I think starting on 250mg and going up by 250 each time would be to slow....are you talking about cutting the tablets in half? My script bottle tells me not to crush or break the tablet for any reason. Might want to check with pharmacy or Doctor before doing that.

ruth0071 · 07-22-2008, 10:34 AM

Hairlesscow~I never thought about problems about breaking the tablets in half. In fact, I cut a weeks worth of tablets in half to start at the smaller dosage and work my way up. I probably will end up calling the pharmacist and asking about that one. Thanks for the heads up!

CarmenSandiego · 07-22-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruth0071

Hairlesscow~I never thought about problems about breaking the tablets in half. In fact, I cut a weeks worth of tablets in half to start at the smaller dosage and work my way up. I probably will end up calling the pharmacist and asking about that one. Thanks for the heads up!

I think that's usually just an issue with the Extended Released tablets (which contain a capsule inside the chalky outlayer) - so breaking that would cause a lot of the Met to be absorbed all at once.

----
My doc started me out on 1000mg (500 am and then 500 pm) and as soon as I added another 500mg in the pm, I felt nauseous ALL day and threw up several times. Got back down to 1000mg and I'm experiencing no s/e...dreading adding that extra 500mg again, but I may wait a while.

I eat it buffered with a meal - eat something then take the pill then eat something else. I did however take it on an empty stomach the other night and felt fine that night and the next morning -> won't tempt fate again though! LOL

ruth0071 · 07-22-2008, 11:45 AM

Carmen~Thanks so much for the heads up! I am going to take my first 250mg (half of 500mg tablet) today with lunch since it's my most predictable meal. What do you recommend for a low carb diet...what can and can't you eat?