So I'm back on Atkins (the only way I've ever been able to lose weight) and I'm in my first weeks of Induction and I've recently been put on Metformin at night to help with my insulin resistance. So my doc told me to eat peanut butter crackers with it at night so my sugar would stay steady and not bottom out over night... so obviously, peanut butter crackers are not my friend. So anyone got any idea what I can take with it that will keep my sugar steady overnight but not spike my sugar up so high it knocks me out of induction?

A protein snack such as smoked turkey roll-ups or a fat snack such as 1 oz of Kerry Gold Butter divided on 2 GG Scandanavian crispbreads.

(That's what I would go....but that's just me)

Progress not perfection.

Lisa

I just take the metformin after I finish dinner. No problems.

Lee

What time would that be? I have the same issue with Metformin. You've asked me in a different thread if I was on slow release metformin. Unfortunately, it's not available in Europe :-(

Is it better to take the 2nd dose of Met around 8/9pm rather than 5/6pm?

Why is it necessary to take it with food? What if you take it on an empty stomach?

To keep it on topic (~parkswife): I would not recommend cheese/crackers (Atkins induction rules would be breached). How about a few thin pieces of bacon? Or a hard-boiled egg? Or s/f jello with coconut oil?

I eat dinner between 8 and 9, and I take the whole dose at the same time - as recommended. From what I understand, the effects are best when you take it at the last meal/snack pre night time fast.

Where in Europe do you live? I live in the UK and its readily available here - as far as I'm aware, its available widely elsewhere in Europe. My brand is glucophage SR.

Taking it with food helps with adverse side effects. If you take on an empty stomach, you're more likely to get diarrhea.

Lee

Also, just to point out that metformin does not increase insulin, it sensitises the body to insulin over time - therefore should not cause a 'bottoming out' of blood sugars overnight. Unfortunately, many doctors don't understand the actions of the drugs they provide, and get confused between insulin sensitising drugs and insulin boosting drugs.

Lee

This is what I was thinking. I've always taught my patients (I'm an RN) that glucophage does not cause hypoglycemia. You do need to take it with food, but that's more for the gi effects (stomach discomfort, possibly diarrhea), not for the blood sugar effects. Most of my patients take it twice daily, so with breakfast and dinner, or if daily they just pick which meal to take it with.

You don't have to worry about your sugar "bottoming out" on Metformin. The reason it is suggested to be taken with food is that it can cause some serious nausea when taken on an empty stomach. I took it for about six months but the um, other gastric side effects started to interfere with my classes/work so I had to come off of it. I always had a boiled egg or a lunch meat/cheese roll up before bed.