new metformin perscription

[becky2364]

Hello, I just found out that I have type 2 diabetes. My dr. put me on metformin. Taken twice daily. Any one on this medication, could you tell me when to take it. morning and night, or with meals. I am very confused about the whole process.

[princesslinda]

Welcome Becky. I moved your post to its own thread so that others can see it more easily. You'll find a lot of us are on metformin. It's a great medicine, it works by helping your body better use the insulin you're making. It works best with diet and regular exercise.

I take a dose with breakfast and then a dose before I go to bed.

Metformin may cause you to have a little gas or stomach issues at first. It's best to take it with food until you find out how you will respond to it. It can take metformin a few weeks to reach optimal levels in your body, so you may not see great results immediately.

Hope you have a meter and are testing often. Testing 2 hrs after your first bite will allow you to see how different foods affect your blood sugar and to make smarter food choices. Your goal is 140 or less at the 2 hr reading.

There's a great book for new T2's, "The First Year, Type 2 Diabetes," by Gretchen Becker. It is full of useful information.

[Granny Shanny]

Welcome to the forum, Becky.

I take regular met (not the extended release version), and I take it when I awake in the morning, again with supper, and again about 9 p.m. My doc has allowed me to juggle the timing & right now this schedule seems to be helping my dawn phenomenon (high morning fasting readings).

If you find it upsets your stomach, take it with food. If you find it upsets your digestion all the way through, ask your doc if you might go on the extended release version, which seems to cause less gas/cramping/diarrhea.

[cyberus]

Hello, I just found out that I have type 2 diabetes. My dr. put me on metformin. Taken twice daily. Any one on this medication, could you tell me when to take it. morning and night, or with meals. I am very confused about the whole process.

Metformin is *the* type 2 starter drug ... I'd hazard a guess that there are very few type 2s that haven't taken it.

As to when to take it, start out with what the bottle says .. if it says take 2 that usually means all at once ... if it bothers your stomach try spreading it out over the day. If you are taking the regular version rather than the timed release you can break the tabs in half and spread it out even more.

Something you should know right up front, besides the cramps, diarrhea, gas etc ... is that metformin is NOT a quick fix drug, it takes *weeks* before you get the full effect, could be as many as 6-7 if you have issues with dosages and so on so EXPECT weirdness with your meter numbers and don't expect the numbers to sudden drop or anything. While there are rare instances of DKA (read the insert!) i is a very safe drug.
Metformin is NOT like insulin, it doesn't counteract what you eat, you can't take more of it to make up for that donut you picked up at the gas station on the way to work.
While there are many low carb advocates, (like me) you will have to eat and test your way to the knowledge of what you are going to have to change in your diet to get this beast under control, however even the non-low carb crowd seems to agree that until your system at metformin learn to get along with each other lowering your carbs in the meal(s) that you take the metformin with seem to reduce some of the side effects.

Oh, and one last thing, be very very wary of ANY claims from anyone claiming to "reverse" or "cure" diabetes through supplements, diets, or whatever .. trust me, if there was a cure the people here would be on it like a duck on a junebug. You can use diet and so on to get this beast under control but each of us is different, you are going to have to work on what works for YOU

[kgm0612]

Hi Becky & Welcome!

I take my Metformin just prior to eating breakfast and dinner, and I take it on an empty stomach because I find that's what works best for me.

Karen