Metformin dosage and timing

Type 2
1

Hi All,

I just started metformin yesterday at 500 mg a day. Does anyone know if it makes a difference if I take it as 250mg at breakfast and 250mg at dinner, or, does it work better if I take it all once, once a day the whole 500 mg?

And when will I start seeing results?

Should I wait to raise the dosage until a few weeks in case 500mg alone does the trick? My A1c last week was 7.0 so I dont want to over do it if I dont need more. My GP isn’t being very helpful and keeps telling me different things every time I call to ask and my endo appointment isn’t for a few weeks so I cant ask her yet.

Thanks in advance!
Lisa T.

2

My doctor has me take 1000mg in the AM and PM. I have been taking it for 15 years or so and dont recall how fast it started working but I would say you should see results by next A1C test. Your dose is low so you have plenty of room to adjust it down the road.

3

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m thinking it won’t matter if I do 250mg am and pm or once a day 500mg to start since its systemic. But what do I know as a med newbie :slight_smile:

4

I thought that metformin clears out pretty quickly out of your system, i might be wrong but google half life of metformin, i think taking twice a day is better.

5

I think one reason to do 2 doses per day is to let your body get used to it, and minimize side effects.

Is it the Extended Release (ER) version ?

It is typical to start on lower dose and gradually increase, to observe side effects, and changes in your BG readings.

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6

Thank you for your reply. I will stick to the 2 doses of 250mg for a couple of weeks and then increase it.

7

No it’s the regular metformin. I can’t do the extended because it can’t be crushed and I Must crush pills because they always get stuck in my throat.

8

Good luck. Best way to know it’s working is by testing your BGs, particularly 1-2 hours after meals. You will learn some meals you go much higher, and might consider some changes to your food choices or portion sizes.

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9

I started Metformin on May 11, 500mg twice a day (with breakfast & dinner). I think that I’m starting to see results with my fasting blood sugars the last few days … 9 or 10 days after I started. I’m over the gastric side effects unless I eat a higher carb meal and today I didn’t get any headaches so I’m majorly :blush:! My diabetes educator wants me to get into see my doctor this week to discuss either-or and increasing the Metformin dosage maybe adding a bedtime dose, adding something like Jardiniere or taking insulin at bedtime in an effort to get my fasting blood sugars down. I think that when you start medication there is likely a lot of experimentation and trial and error determining what each person responds to…

10

thanks for your reply : )

11

Thanks for your reply. I hate the thought of being a guinea pig though! :slight_smile:

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12

I asked my dr. when to take my 2 doses of Metformin each day and he said I should take one in the morning and one in the evening. What I have done for the last three years is I take one with breakfast and one around my evening meal. I suppose it makes a difference though since I have done this since diagnoses I can’t be sure.

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13

I think we are all guinea pigs. I wish my dr. had type 2 diabetes. It would help me to believe what he tells me.

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