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Woops, medication on empty stomach

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Teasel

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so I've clearly completely forgotten my medication is supposed to be taken on an empty stomach.

I rake it in the evenings / at night so most of the time it shouldn't be an issue but does anyone know what effect taking it on a non empty stomach would have?

I'm guessing it might not work?
Thanks if anyone knows.
 
I think, yes, most likely it’s to do with effectiveness. Empty stomach may mean your stomach/intestines can’t absorb some medications and therefore they won’t be as effective.
 
Hopefully symptoms will settle then if you can organise things to take them on an empty stomach. I guess first thing may be the easiest? Unless you need to take them in the evening. In which case, I think the usual guidance for empty stomach is two hours before or after eating.
 
Ditto Barefoot :D... but also? Check with your pharmacist, who can look up your exact meds. Because most commonly it’s about effectiveness ((absorbtion rates, bonding to certain common food components -calcium renders a lot of meds partly to wholly inert, bonding to the active ingredient, and calcium is in virtually everything prepackaged (calcium proprionate is the most common preservative used, as well as an “enriched” vitamin).)).

.... but for others it’s simply a way to avoid 1:6 common side effects; nausea, vomiting, acid reflux/heartburn, diarrhea, gas/bloating, or constipation. Those are quirky side effects because MOST of the time, that’s why meds are recommended WITH food, as taking it on an empty stomach commonly causes nausea, et al. But other meds work in reverse, for most people, and an empty stomach neatly side steps a common problem.

If it’s just avoiding GI issues you don’t have? Shrug. No worries.

If it’s absorption rates &/or bonding with common chemicals? There are also time frames that become important. One antibiotic I take I can’t have calcium within 8 hours on either side ( :inpain: so obnoxious! Aaaargh.), another 30 minutes (short half life and absorbs fast). As well as good to know! things... like not taking your vitamins at the same time, or putting milk in your tea, or drinking vitamin-water, or chewing certain gums... IF it’s a calcium binding med. Meanwhile a citrus binding med means ABC, phos binding med DEF, ( etc. ;) )
 
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Yeah, gotta take em in the evening. Might try n take em before dinner.

Not that I have a regular dinnertime or anything :rolleyes:

Glad I've realised anyhow.
 
Yeah, these things do take some planning if we don’t have regular patterns. Annoying!

I’m the sad cow who always reads the instruction leaflet in medicines. Does it say in there why the empty stomach instruction? Like @Friday I did think stomach upset/nausea could be the reason. But then thought that’s perhaps more often the reason why they say to have with food not on empty stomach? Not sure though.

Sorry - think I’ve just repeated some of Friday’s post. Sorry - bit of brain fog at the mo!
 
Hey no worries. I always read the leaflet too, just got rubbish memory. I shall reread and ask the pharmacist. Knowing if it affects the effectiveness vs just avoids annoying side effects will be good to know :)
 
I'm not really sure if I have or not. I get nauseous pretty often with migraines. And my memory is pretty atrocious.
 
In addition to what Friday wrote, it can sometimes have to do with the acidity the med needs to breakdown...

empty stomach = breakdown in the stomach which is an acidic environment

with food = breakdown in the small intestine which is less acidic
 
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