some advice please :)

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Hi there ladies :)
My doctor put me on metformin yesterday. I just picked it up today, so I was wondering who ever takes it...do you take it in the morning or at night and what seems to work better? Also, I hear alot how it can upset your stomach....any advice? Much appreciated :)

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  • vwchel
    vwchel Posts: 13 Member
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    Hello. I've been on and off Metformin or Fortamet since late 2008. On because the doctor prescribed it, off because I couldn't deal with the symptoms. Last year I finally pushed through the symptoms and found the routine that works for me. I take 4 pills a day, 2 after lunch and 2 before bed. It took me a LONG time to work up to the prescribed 4 pills. My advice is to ease into multiple pills, it takes a while for your body to adjust. I also finally figured out that limiting carbs was the trick that worked for me. Once I started limiting my carb intake, my tummy troubles were fewer and far between.

    If the side effects are too harsh on Metformin, look into getting the extended release. The next option is Fortamet (a little more expensive). My doctor mentioned a 3rd brand (the "Cadillac") but I can't think of the name right now...it might start with a G.

    I hope that helps! Good luck! Feel free to add me if you want.
  • lucy529
    lucy529 Posts: 127 Member
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    i been using Metformin for over a year and I was one of the lucky ones that had no side effects went from 1000mg to 2000mg in a week i was taking one in the morning and one at night after my meal so that i would not have an empty stomach now am only taking a low dose i still take it in the morning but after a meal even if something small.

    how many mg are you going to be taking? good luck to ya
  • glitteringloke
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    I'm on Glumetza (brand name extended release). I take 2 500mg things after dinner. I find it makes for a less cranky colon. I found, for me, that extended release was easier on the side effects, but when i switched to the hospital pharmacy (insurance requirement), the generics they had weren't working. they started and ended the same. The brand, however, has been a completely different experience (for the better).
  • nataliescalories
    nataliescalories Posts: 292 Member
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    Everyone is right about easing into it 500mg at a time. I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years ago. I've tried to take metformin on five separate occasions...sometimes making it a year or so. Finally, in the end, it made me so sick I had to stop (vomiting and diarrhea 5-10 times a day). I teach at a university and I'd have to run out of my class to puke...then go back to lecturing. If you get really sick, you might want to look into the extended release tablets--some women have luck on those (not me, unfortunately). Definitely start with a nighttime pill. Start on a Friday night or a night when you have a couple days off. You might want to cut back on lettuce at first--it really made things worse for me. Definitely keep carbs low. My dietician recommended no more than 150g of carbs a day with Metformin--evenly divided between meals.

    Good luck! Feel free to add me as a friend if you like!
  • dbtman
    dbtman Posts: 19 Member
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    Hello. I have been on metformin for about eight and a half years now. It took the doctor a while to get my dosage right, but I think it was worth it. I did have some stomache troubles at the beginning, but I have adjusted. For me, even after being on the metformin for eight and half years, I still find some things that upset my stomach. For me, it is a lot of sugar or greasy, fat-filled foods. I think you just need to stick with and finds what works for you. I take the metformin twice a day. Once after breakfast (or lunch if I am taking my vitamin as well) and then I take another right before bed. Good luck to you and feel free to add me as as friend if you would like,