How long does Metformin take to have an impact?

[Mark T]

I've been put on a 500mg single dose of Metformin.

I was wondering how long I should expect it to take for Metforim to start affecting my blood sugar levels? days, weeks?

 

[AlisonM]

It could take a couple of weeks, or you might see a change immediately (isn't that helpful?😱). Are you doing the diet thing as well? That can make a huge difference.

 

[Mark T]

Thanks Alison.

Yes, I'm on a weight loss diet and have dropped to about 170 g of Carbohydrate daily - currently my weight is down 2.6 kg in about a month (still got a BMI of 28.2, so a bit to go).

I went on Metformin on Sunday and although todays pre-lunch reading was 8.9 (good for me) but it isn't the lowest that I've had since I started monitoring.

I'm suspecting that there should some change due to the fact that thew Wii arrived yesterday from Amazon and now I'm adding some structured exercise into my daily routine.

 

[Alan S]

I've been put on a 500mg single dose of Metformin.

I was wondering how long I should expect it to take for Metforim to start affecting my blood sugar levels? days, weeks?

I'm afraid the answer is a bit non-specific.

For most of us it took a few weeks, but for some of us it was quicker. Additonally, most people don't see much effect on BGs until the dose reaches at least 1500mg daily, but some see results at lower levels. I doubt you will see any affect at all at 500mg.

Your doctor has wisely started you at the lowest dose. If you don't get any of the dreaded gastro-intestinal side effects (most people don't) then you can expect that to be ramped up over a few weeks to the doc's desired dosage.

If you do get side effects don't delay telling the doc. You will probably be told to grin and bear it, but if they get serious be aware that a rare group are allergic to the med - so don't soldier on if it gets bad.

I think I missed out on the side effects because I had already significantly cut my carbs and resulting blood glucose levels before I started on metformin, and also because I regularly ate plain live yoghurt at the time. But that's just my personal opinion.

 

[SweetGuy]

When I first started with them they were quite effective and worked pretty quickly. But they became less so as time went on and I had increase the dose of metformin and start taking other pills just to keep a level that is higher than what I achieved the first six months after dx.

500mg a day is the smallest dose and probably just to get you used to them. Most people on them are taking 1500 - 2000mg a day.

If you are confirmed as LADA though I think metformin may not be as effective anyway.

 

[Mark T]

Thanks for the replies.

What had me thing was when I met the consultant and he put me on Metformin he basically said that he would review it when I saw him next (which was just short of two weeks time) and that I shouldn't be shocked if he should decide to put me on insulin.

My BG readings have been edging down slightly, but that could be also due to the diet and exercise changes that I have made (such as recently cutting all bread out of my diet).

I guess I'm gong to have to be patient and wait 🙄

 

[Steff]

Hi Mark started mine in the May and started getting out of double figures within 2 weeks so was quite immediate with me.

 

[macast]

hi Mark.... I don't take tabs so can't help with the query..... but I do have a Wii.... welcome to the Wii club

 

[simonrudd]

my metformin didnt really start to have any impact until they upped the dosage to 4 tablets a day 🙂 i now take 2 in the morning and 2 at night

 

[wallycorker]

I've been put on a 500mg single dose of Metformin.

I was wondering how long I should expect it to take for Metforim to start affecting my blood sugar levels? days, weeks?

Hi Mark,

From personal experience, I wouldn't expect metformin to do too much. The most that I've ever heard that it is expected to lower blood glucose levels by about 1.5 mmol/L.

If you aren't aware already, diet is the way to go to lower your levels - mainly by reducing the starchy carbohydrate that you eat - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice pizza etc. Doing that usually leads to a big improvement and quickly too.

Good luck and best wishes - John

 

[RachelT]

Mine reduced my sugar levels from 19 ish to something around ten in a matter of days, it took maybe a week or two to get down below 7. It depends on what the insulin in your body is doing, if it's just not getting through to your muscles, metformin should do the trick, but if you need to produce more insulin you may need to take further meds or modify your diet. How much it reduces your blood sugar depends on what you eat, your insulin resistance and how much insulin you produce. Your mileage may vary, as they say.

 

[Mark T]

Well it seems the answer is about 3 days - I'm definately measuring lower and I'm pleased with todays 8.1 reading before and 2 hours after* lunch (I forgot to test at the 1 hour point).

One more question, slightly related, on the usual warnings attached with the Metformin it states that you should not drink alcohol with it.

Has anyone else had this advice? I'm guessing that a few people here do drink with Metformin and don't have any adverse effects (from the Metformin at least).

*Bacon and Veg Omlette with salad if anyone was wondering, so I wasn't expecting a huge carb loading

 

[donnarob]

What exactly does Metformin do? Is this a stupid question?

I "endured" the first month of Metformin and I will admit, it was a rough ride. I did ask my Norwegian doctor after 4 weeks if I could go on slow release and it transpires, they don't do it in Europe. The doctor told me to hang on in there and eventually, the side effects diminished.

At my review, my Hba1c was 6.5% which had come down from 10.5% and she told me that the Metformin would only have reduced a very small percentage, the rest was up to the patient's dedication to low carb diet and exercise.

This beggars the question, what is it's purpose as I am on a low dose of 2 x 500mg tabs/day.

Donna 🙂

 

[Steff]

Well it seems the answer is about 3 days - I'm definately measuring lower and I'm pleased with todays 8.1 reading before and 2 hours after* lunch (I forgot to test at the 1 hour point).

One more question, slightly related, on the usual warnings attached with the Metformin it states that you should not drink alcohol with it.

Has anyone else had this advice? I'm guessing that a few people here do drink with Metformin and don't have any adverse effects (from the Metformin at least).

*Bacon and Veg Omlette with salad if anyone was wondering, so I wasn't expecting a huge carb loading

Yes had this advice r.e the drink its just like with food, drink in moderation.x

 

[Tezzz]

I'm on Metformin...😱

They took a couple of weeks to really get to work for me.

My BG came down quite nicely and doing lots of walkies with or without borrowed dogs got my BG down even more.

I agree with wallycorker about the carbs. What he said works for me.

As I'm not on insulin, I do my best to burn off excess carbs with walkies.

If I'm alone then I've got some bangin tunes on the ipod instead...

 

[Tezzz]

I "endured" the first month of Metformin and I will admit, it was a rough ride. I did ask my Norwegian doctor after 4 weeks if I could go on slow release and it transpires, they don't do it in Europe. The doctor told me to hang on in there and eventually, the side effects diminished.

At my review, my Hba1c was 6.5% which had come down from 10.5% and she told me that the Metformin would only have reduced a very small percentage, the rest was up to the patient's dedication to low carb diet and exercise.

This beggars the question, what is it's purpose as I am on a low dose of 2 x 500mg tabs/day.

Donna 🙂

Hi Donna,

Well done with the 6.5%. Did you know that if your HbA1c is less than 6.5% you dramatically reduce the possibility of diabetic complications?

As far as I know Metformin helps reduce your resistance to insulin.

 

[Vicsetter]

Interestingly it takes about 3 days to get out of your system as well.

 

[caffeine_demon]

Yes had this advice r.e the drink its just like with food, drink in moderation.x

I asked the diabetics nurse who said occasionally is ok - have seen the following on a condition called lactic acidosis which may result if you combine large quantities of alcohol with metformin...

http://diabetes.emedtv.com/metformin/metformin-and-lactic-acidosis.html

 

[Alan S]

Interestingly it takes about 3 days to get out of your system as well.

Actually, for some of us it can take a month or more to depart.

I experimented earlier this year by dropping my metformin for a little over three months. It took more than a month - both dropping and re-starting - to notice a significant difference in blood glucose levels.

 

[RachelT]

According to wikipedia (one of my favourite sources of drug information), it takes 6 and a half hours for the ammount of drug in your blood stream to be reduced to half what it was to start with. So if you took two 500mg tablets at 9.00am, there's still be one tablet's worth (500mg) in your blood at 3.30pm. It varies a bit depending of your metabolism and kidney function.This also gets more confusing coz only about half of the dose actually works (or something like that...is that what bioavailibilty means anyone?).

That's your useless information for the day folks🙂

Serioiusly, i'd advise you not to binge drink if you're taking metformin, alcohol can do strange things to your blood sugar levels anyway. Try not to drink alone until you can establish how much it affects you.