"skipping once won't really do much as the half-life is around 8 hours"
Actually, if you are taking metformin every 12 hours (some take it every 8 hours), skipping one dose will lower your level of metformin by about 35% so that is a significant drop. The elimination half-life of metformin is approximately 17 hours after reaching steady state. Skipping 2 doses would bring your blood level to less than 50% of steady state level.
The 8 hour half-life you quoted is from data representing a single dose of the 850mg tablet taken. The elimination half-life is the true representation of what actually occurs in the body. Elimination half-life is measured once a patient reaches steady state concentrations.
Not trying to be smug but wanted to clarify the pharmacokinetics of the drug.
Last edited by sillywabbit; 09-12-07 at 09:30 AM.