just taken my FIRST Metformin 500mg!

[mcdonagh47]

It?s interesting what you write about the minimum effective dose ? I?m still on 1000mg/day. When I was discussing with my DSN about my HbA1c and I said I had improved it with diet and exercise she was very quick to say ?don?t forget the medication, that?s played an important part?.

However, I?ve improved by 4.1% (9.9% down to 5.8%) and I believe that is beyond the capabilities of metformin even at its highest dose! So if I?m not taking the effective dose then my original statement must have been actually fairly accurate.

(there are lots of other reasons why metformin isn?t a bad thing to be on if you can tolerate it, so I?m not looking to come off it right now)

Hi Mark

The figures I quoted are of course average/general. An individual such as yourself might repond better or worse to Metformin than the average. I think you must be right overall - your Lifestyle changes have done most of the work but metformin and lifestyle changes must surely complement and enhance each other ?

This is what rxlist has to say ...
"In general, clinically significant responses are not seen at doses below 1500 mg per day. However, a lower recommended starting dose and gradually increased dosage is advised to minimize gastrointestinal symptoms."

It also defines the max dose as 2500
http://www.rxlist.com/glucophage-drug/indications-dosage.htm

I remember researching the effective doses of metfomin about eight years ago. But I can't find the refs to that. The research findings were saying that HbA1c was improved by something like 0.2 on 500 mg , by 0.6 on 1000 and by 1.2 on 1500 in general for the average T2. There were further gains at 2000 but only a further small gain in HbA1c at 2500.
It is on those kind of findings that the NICE Guidelines on Metformin are based.

 

[pippaandben]

I started on one 500mg Metformin and moved to two a day after 3 months. After another 3 months am now on 2x1000 mg a day which I take before breakfast and before my evening meal. Flatulence has been my only problem!! For past 2 months have been on Diamicron starting at one 30g daily and now up to 3 a day.
I have also now been on statins for a month (Simvastatin 40mg) and have had no problems at all. I am also on 100mg thyroxin and have been for about 5 years.
Perhaps I am just one of the lucky ones - just feel I am becoming a pill popping junkie but hell - it's keepng me alive. And in myself I now feel absolutely fine.
Good luck on your journey and always come here to ask any questions.

 

[Jumbly]

Just picked up my first prescription from the doctor today - Metformin, Ramipril and Simvastatin - I'll be too full to eat after that lot!

Pills for diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure (188/130)... So, it looks like we're in the same boat.