Metformin Slow Release anyone? -->Question

[mg_2204]

Hello!

Trying out Metformin (glucophage) SR (slow release) to rid me of headaches and to prevent my sugars from crashing during the day.

So with that said... pharmacist told me once a day, with breakfast. But the leaflet says once a day, with the evening meal. I'm confused here. Does it really matter when I take it?

Anyone here on Metformin SR? And when do you take it?

Thank you!

[Andy_nut]

Did you ever get any feed back on this?

I have been taking 'normal' Metformin for 6 weeks but now my pharmasist has given me Glucophage SR prolonged release tablets. They say that is what is on my prescription, but this is a repeat prescription from and the last prescription was for 'normal' metformin.

The leaflet suggest taking 1 or 2 per day but my DR suggest 3 times a day. That was the dosage for the normal metformin and I am wary about the change.

Being a saturday afternoon, everyhting is closed!!! No GP, no pharmacy. I am waiting for a call back from NHS Direct to give me an idea if I should be taking 3 of these a day.

Oh happy day!

Andy

[Harold]

Found this on page five of the prescription info; (http://www.bms.com/cgi-bin/anybin.pl?sql=select%20PPI%0A%09%09%09%09%20%20%20 from%20TB_PRODUCT_PPI%20%0A%09%09%09%09%20%20%20wh ere%20PPI_SEQ%20=%2086&key=PPI)
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
There is no fixed dosage regimen for the management of hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes
with GLUCOPHAGE or GLUCOPHAGE XR or any other pharmacologic agent. Dosage
of GLUCOPHAGE or GLUCOPHAGE XR must be individualized on the basis of both effectiveness
and tolerance, while not exceeding the maximum recommended daily dose. The maximum recommended
daily dose of GLUCOPHAGE is 2550 mg in adults and 2000 mg in pediatric patients
(10-16 years of age); the maximum recommended daily dose of GLUCOPHAGE XR in adults is
2000 mg.

The usual starting dose of GLUCOPHAGE (metformin hydrochloride tablets) is 500 mg twice a day
or 850 mg once a day, given with meals. Dosage increases should be made in increments of 500 mg
weekly or 850 mg every 2 weeks, up to a total of 2000 mg per day, given in divided doses. Patients
can also be titrated from 500 mg twice a day to 850 mg twice a day after 2 weeks. For those patients
requiring additional glycemic control, GLUCOPHAGE may be given to a maximum daily dose of
2550 mg per day. Doses above 2000 mg may be better tolerated given three times a day with meals.

[Andy_nut]

I am sorted out now.

Looks like DR has prescribed me something that doesn't exist and the pharmacy have made a judgment and given me the wrong thing. Back to see the DR on monday.

Thanks
Andy

[Harold]

Why do you say "has prescribed me something that doesn't exist."

[mg_2204]

Thank you Harold for the infos! :)

Well I'm all sorted out now and doing absolutely GREAT on SR. I wish they had prescribed this from the beginning!

I was put on 500mg only and the dose just wasn't enough. No matter if I took it at supper time or at breakfast time, it didn't matter because it wasn't enough. The doc simply made a mistake and from Metformin 1000mg x day put me on Glucophage (Metformin) SR 500mg x day. I really need 1000mg a day and that is what I'm on at the moment.

No more headaches :congrats:

No more crashing sugars :congrats:

Even BG throughout the day :congrats:

[Andy_nut]

Why do you say "has prescribed me something that doesn't exist."

According to my Pharmacy (2 of them actually) and the emergency doctor, they advised me that what he had written on the script wasn't a valid description of any medication they stocked. They thought he may been been confused between two products and wrote down something that was a "hybrid" of the two. The dose he wrote down suited regular metformin, but the meds I was given should have been taken in much smaller does and less often as I have only been diagnosed 2 months and haven't had any real aftercare yet.

Backgound:
The Dr diagnosed me 31st May 2005, put me on metformin (2x 500mg) and when my first clinic appointment was scheduled for 12 weeks later Iwas running low on Metformin. I spoke to a different Dr at the surgery, as mine was very unhelpful, who suggested raising the dose to 3 x 500mg, and gave me a repeat prescription because I would need more before I went to see the clinic. When I collected the prescription it was regular metforming, but when I reutrned on saturday to collect the repeat they provided me with the SR version.

The documentation states that the initial dose should be once daily with evening meals which didn't match the dose prescribed by the Dr, also there had been no testing or information gained by the Dr to change the meds.

I am going back to see him on monday with the two different things I have been given and try to confirm which he wants me to use.

Looking the progress Marie has made I might see if the SR is suitable for me after all.

Andy