Hey, I'm on 3x 500mg regular metformin per day and I'm finding it really annoying to remember to take them. I've read that some people take it all at once before bed but I'm nervous about trying it myself as it's never stated whether it's regular or XR met. Basically what I'm asking is, does anybody take regular met all at once before bed?
I totally understand your apprehension! Honestly tho, you just have to find what works best for you. However, I would suggest taking it before bedtime .. especially if you're just starting out with Met and also to maybe work yourself up to the 1500 mgs. When I began a few years ago, my doc started me on 500 mgs before bedtime and slowly increased my dosage. I now take 1700 mgs a day, 850 mgs twice a day - One at bedtime and the next morning after breakfast. Also, when I first started every dose was followed by Imodium to help ease the side-effects .. which your body will also adjust too, so hang in there!
Hope that helps!
Keep us posted .. and Good Luck!
eta: I take regular Met
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. <( ~ Before /\ During ~> To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
August 6, 2005 thru May 2006 :: 90 lbs lost
*~* 15 wks/15 lbs ... 0 lbs down, 15 to go! *~* 04/22/09 - At it again!
... It's not the Will-Power ... It's the Willingness ...
I take 1000mgs a day(500 mgs twice a day). I sometimes forget pills, which drives me insane. I am also kinda nervous/scared to take it all at once before bedtime.
__________________
Me, Myself and I(23) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. BF (22)
and
PUSS(2) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I'm not sure, but I would think it wouldn't work as well to take it all at once? It seems you would take it throughout the day to help regulate your blood sugar on a consistant basis.
I just started taking Met as well, but my RE said to gradually increase my dosage to let my body adjust to it and hopefully keep most of the side effects to a minimum. Week 1 take one a day with a meal (I chose dinner). Week 2 take 2 a day (one in AM with meal, one in PM with meal). Week 3 take 3 a day (one with each meal). Hope that helps.
I was told the same thing by my doctor and pharmacist...is to gradually increase your dose. You can even start with half a pill, instead of a full one.
I don't think taking it all at once would be effective, as what Carolina5070 said, it's meant to regulate your blood sugar throughout the day.
If you start small and work your way up, you shouldn't have any problems. I started with half a pill and worked up to full pills 3 times a day. It worked well for me.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Age 27 Dx: PCOS in 1995 at age 13, Diabetes in October 2005 BFP: Nov. 17/09
Work up to 1500mg/day FOR SURE. I highly advise the immodium often as well to ease the damn side effects. I have only ever taken the XR all at once as it's release is regulated throughout 24 hours supposedly - the non XR would not have same set up, but really I couldn't remember to take them once three times a day and had tons more side effects on non XR so docs were willing to let me switch to XR.
__________________ Mags age 27 - headaches! Metformin. Acupuncture. Herbs. Factor V Leiden. MTHFR. Overweight. Simply no AF. haven't done anything to not TTC #1 since 01/06, considering to tackle more seriously 01/10.
Ok, here's my take on how Met works and which dosage schedule is best--
As Metformin breaks down in your body, it limits the amount of sugar stored as fat. This fact has lead me to believe that Metformin works best when it is taken three times a day with meals, because that way the medicine is actively working at the time your system is processing those sugars. When I was given the Metformin I was instructed to take it this way. So to me, it doesn't seem like they would have as much of an effect if you take them all before bed, when you've had dinner hours ago and your body is pretty much done breaking down your sugars for the day.
I was recently Rx'ed Metformin Extended Release, and was told I could take all three 500 mg pills in the morning. Because they release more slowly than regular Metformin, the medicine lasts throughout the day, and is ready to tackle whatever sugars your body throws at it. My new Dr. went with this route because it reduces GI side effects by breaking down more slowly, and the once a day dosage is easier to stick with.
When I had the perscription filled for the new Metformin, the pharmacist told me that I may still want to consider spreading the extended release out over the course of the day, so I have an optimal amount in my system at all times to work with whatever I'm eating. So far, I've been taking the dosage twice per day-- sometimes two in the morning and one at dinner, sometimes the opposite. If I know I'm going to have something that will easily convert to sugar that day, I try to take the two pill dose with that meal.
I think the idea is that you want the Metformin to be at peak levels in your system at the time you are introducing food to it, particularly foods that spike blood sugar and are easily converted to fat. If you take your entire dose of regular Metformin all before bed, your system has broken it down by the time you have breakfast-- so it doesn't have a chance to help you process the sugars your body converts throughout the day.
If you have a hard time remembering to take the Met three times a day, I would talk to your doctor about trying the extended release instead. If you're not sure which kind you have right now, then you probably have regular. The Extended Release version will say "Metformin ER" and also "generic for Glucophage XR" somewhere on the bottle. If it doesn't say that then you have the regular kind.
Thank you all for the responses
I actually asked my doctor to change from XR to regular because bizarrely enough, XR gives me much worse GI symptoms. I guess I'll just have to remember or just take them with each meal instead of spacing them out 8 hours
I'm going on the ER next week. I just called my pharmacist to find out how I should be taking it, and she said the ER should be taken all at once, but as for the regular Metformin, you have to spread out the doses.
__________________ Dee
Metformin XR 1000 mg. (working up to 1500 mg.) Clomid (some time this month) Prenatal Vitamins Dx PCOS October 2009 Married To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 12/5/04 Me- 33 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH- 32 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. TTC #1
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I have been taking 1500 all at once for almost three years now, I don't have a problem with it, sometimes when I have missed a couple days my stomach will bother me but other than that I just try and remember to take them. I find that it is easier on me to take them before bed.
Taking 1500mg at once 
