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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Diabetes / January 2006Fortamet Question
Hi all, My doctor gave me samples of Fortamet and a prescription, which I need to get started with (mostly because I'm on prednisone but regardless, he says it's time to treat the blood sugars). Anyway, I know I am supposed to take it with my evening meal, but I'm wondering how close the evening meal it needs to be taken. This is kind of a lame question, but I know with the prednisone and methotrexate I'm on, I need to take them with food to help prevent stomach problems. Since the Fortamet can also cause stomach problems, I'm assuming it's a similar issue...if I eat dinner out, should I take the Fortamet with me and take it while I'm eating dinner, or is it something that can wait until I get home? I didn't think to ask at my doctor's office, unfortunately. I'm also hoping the side effects will be minimal since it's just 500 mg right now...does anyone have any experience with Fortamet? Thanks, Darcy > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > minimal since it's just 500 mg right now...does anyone have any experience > with Fortamet? I'm not familiar with Fortamet. What's the other ingredient in Fortamet other than metformin? Priscilla It's actually just an extended-release form of metformin (once every 24 hours)...like Glucophage XR I think. He was going to prescribe Glucophage first until he went to write the prescription and found Fortamet samples in his closet so he gave me that instead. As it turns out, my insurance covers the Fortamet (more expensive of course) whereas Glucophage XR is considered a step therapy and I would have to "fail" with the lower tier treatments first, so it turned out to be the wise choice that he didn't even know about! Darcy > I'm not familiar with Fortamet. What's the other ingredient in Fortamet > other than metformin? > > Priscilla > It's actually just an extended-release form of metformin (once every 24 > hours)...like Glucophage XR I think. He was going to prescribe Glucophage [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > first, so it turned out to be the wise choice that he didn't even know > about! Ah! OK. I take extended release metformin, and I take one half of my daily dose (2 x 500 mg) with my breakfast and the other half (2 x 500 mg) some time after dinner. It may be right after or as much as 2 hours after. Despite some problems sorting out symptoms and side-effects for a while, it turns out I don't have GI problems with metformin. If I remember your initial question correctly, why not take all three of your "take with food" meds with or right after dinner? Priscilla Thanks so much, Priscilla! Nice to know there's a little leeway. As for the other two...the prednisone has to be taken in the morning (directions say before 9 a.m.). The methotrexate could be any meal, but my aunt takes it as well and her doctor recommended splitting the dose between breakfast and lunch to minimize GI side effects, so I opted to do the same (I take it once a week, so not a problem). So far, so good....no side effects. I also take folic acid daily because of the methotrexate, and I take that at night to avoid taking it too closely to the methotrexate on the day I take that. My life used to be so simple a few short months ago. LOL And now to add Fortamet to the mix. Of course, there's always the rheumatologist visit on Thursday so things could change yet again. <G> Darcy >> It's actually just an extended-release form of metformin (once every 24 >> hours)...like Glucophage XR I think. He was going to prescribe [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Priscilla Darcy, i dont know what Fortamet is, but i think i would take my medications with me to the restaurant so i could take them as prescribed. loretta -- In tribute to the United States of America and the State of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and terrorism. Thank you, Loretta! I am a medical transcriptionist and in all the years I've been doing it, I hadn't heard of Fortamet either! Strange... Darcy > Darcy, i dont know what Fortamet is, but i think i would take my > medications with me to the restaurant so i could take them as [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and > terrorism. > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Darcy It looks like Fortamet is just another brand of extended release metformin. It builds up in your blood stream and releases all day long, so it does not need to be taken near a meal to have an effect. Only the non-ER type does. I take m Met ER first thing in the morning, having experimented with different schedules and not seen enough difference in the effect on fasting blood sugar or meal spikes to make it worth taking any other time. When I don't take it with my other drugs, or split the dose I often forget to take it. I only have had stomach reactions during the few days after I started it and the day after I have upped the dose. --Jenny http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u Diabetes Info http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/newlydiagnosed.htm Get Your Blood Sugar Under Control |
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