It's best to take metformin tablets with, or just after, your evening meal to reduce the chance of getting side effects. Swallow your metformin tablets whole with a drink of water. Do not chew them. If you're taking metformin sachets, pour the powder into a glass and add water (about 150ml).
The administration of metformin, as glucophage retard, at bedtime instead of supper time may improve diabetes control by reducing morning hyperglycemia.
Metformin alone: At first, 500 milligrams (mg) two times a day taken with the morning and evening meals, or 850 mg a day taken with the morning meal. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed until your blood sugar is controlled.
Official answer. Metformin (brand name: Glucophage) will be in your system for 96.8 hours which is approximately 4 days. Metformin has an elimination half-life of approximately 17.6 hours.
As much as possible, avoid white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy, soda, desserts, and snacks like chips or crackers. Eating foods that can spike your blood sugar will not necessarily make the metformin not work, however, it will increase the burden it has to work against.
How to take it. It's best to take metformin tablets with, or just after, your evening meal to reduce the chance of getting side effects. Swallow your metformin tablets whole with a drink of water.
Metformin is an oral medication used to treat type 2 diabetes that is generally well tolerated. GI upset, especially diarrhea, is the most common side effect. This typically decreases over time. Although rare, lactic acidosis, hypoglycemia, and vitamin B12 deficiency can occur.
Taking metformin can cause vitamin B12 deficiency if you take it for a long time. This can make you feel very tired, breathless and faint, so your doctor may check the vitamin B12 level in your blood. If your vitamin B12 levels become too low, vitamin B12 supplements will help.
Be wary of taking metformin on an empty stomach
Taking all of your medications first thing in the morning may be the easiest way to remember to take them daily, but if you take metformin on an empty stomach (or only with coffee), it may cause nausea that can last all day.
It should be taken no earlier than 30 minutes before meals. If a meal is skipped, skip the dose for that meal. Do not take more often than directed.
Metformin must be consumed with meals to assist lower stomach or bowel side effects that might happen during the initial few weeks of treatment. The tablet or extended-release tablet must be taken whole with a full glass of water.
Why is metformin called the miracle drug? Metformin has been referred to as a miracle drug due to its relatively low cost, minimal risks, and ability to ward off diabetes and potentially some effects of ageing.
Metformin may have an adverse effect on renal function in patients with type 2 DM and moderate CKD.
Physiologically, metformin acts directly or indirectly on the liver to lower glucose production, and acts on the gut to increase glucose utilisation, increase GLP-1 and alter the microbiome.
If you eat a lot of sugar while taking Metformin, your body will have to work harder to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range, and the Metformin will not be as effective for weight loss. However, if it happens infrequently, you should not suffer too many negative side effects. The key is moderation.
More serious side effects are rare. They include severe allergic reactions and a condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream. The risk for this is higher among people with significant kidney disease, so doctors tend to avoid prescribing metformin for them.
If your diabetes remains hard to manage even after you begin taking metformin, or you cannot tolerate metformin or do not want to take it, that's when a GLP-1RA or SGLT2i might come in. Studies have shown that both medications are safe and effective at lowering blood glucose when compared to a placebo.
Metformin has two advantages over other diabetes drugs: There's less risk of your blood sugar level falling too low. It doesn't cause weight gain.
How long does it take to work? Metformin does not instantly reduce blood sugar levels. The effects are usually noticeable within 48 hours of taking the medication, and the most significant effects take 4–5 days to occur. However, the timing depends on the person's dosage.