[Tracker]

My doc just prescribed 3x500mg ER metformin and on the bottle it says take all three with dinner. Just wondering whether it's ok to take 1 with every meal?

 

[itissteve]

I would guess your doctor has reasons for taking all three at once, probably to maximize its effect overnight. ER should be easier on your stomach so maybe taking the three at one time won't be a big gastric problem (at least once your body gets used to the change). If after a week or so you're still having issues, you might ask your doctor if you can split up the dose but I don't see online that splitting a 1500mg dose is at all common. I have seen metformin ER suspensions (liquids), however, so maybe another format/medium will work better for some people than others if the metformin isn't treating them all that well.

 

[mbuster]

Here's what Drugs.com says:

...
Comments:
-Metformin, if not contraindicated, should be considered first line-therapy for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
-Immediate-release: Take in divided doses 2 to 3 times a day with meals; titrate slowly to minimis gastrointestinal side effects. In general, significant responses are not observed with doses less than 1500 mg/day and doses above 2000 mg are generally associated with little additional efficacy and poorer tolerability.
-Extended-release (ER): Take with the evening meal; if glycemic control is not achieved with ER 2000 mg once a day, may consider splitting daily dose to ER 1000 mg twice a day; if glycemic control is still not achieve, consider switch to immediate-release product.
.....

There is more info at the link.

 

[Tracker]

Thanks--yes, I googled, too, and there seems to be general agreement to take all three at night.

 

[etherea]

If it's ER I'm not sure if it matters when you take it. At least it seems as if it would "build up" in your system.
My doc prescribed the same as you are taking, but divided them up, two in the morning and one at night. If I forget to take morning pills I take all three at night and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[Tracker]

If it's ER I'm not sure if it matters when you take it. At least it seems as if it would "build up" in your system.
My doc prescribed the same as you are taking, but divided them up, two in the morning and one at night. If I forget to take morning pills I take all three at night and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[foodahollic]

My first experience with taking Metformin was really painful.. I could not eat at all. After the first sip of water with Metformin. If I drank a little water, I spit up foam. Not really painful, just constant. And there is a second Med the doctor can prescribe to help some with taking Metformin for awhile.

Advice from my brother, years later, is to take Metformin with the first bite of food.

That is Not, take a bite of food and then take Metformin.
That is Not, swallow Metformin and take a bit of food.

It is like, I got some sugar free pudding. My first bite of a meal is a spoonful of pudding, with the tablet(s) in it. No gas or other problems at all.

Yes Sugar Free Pudding is still too many of the wrong carbs, but the acclimatization to Metformin does not go on forever.

Makes no sense why that should work better than the first two mentioned instances, but it did for me.

Now I can take Metformin on an empty stomach with no problems. Just, gotta eat in fifteen minutes.

That is my experience.

 

[Nemo]

I take two 500 mg pills in the morning at 7 a.m. (when I take all my other pills such as vitamin C, vitamin D, Zinc, B complex and a blood pressure pill.)
I take two 500 mg pills in the evening at 6 p.m. along with my insulin dose every night. Whether I have eaten or not I take them at the same time everyday. That's just my routine. I don't have any problems. Other than I think it causes gas 🤔 🥳

 

[itissteve]

@Tracker , how's that three-pill dose working for you?