Elmiron - Your schedule to take it

[classics]

I was wondering how everyone else takes their elimiron on an empty stomach. You are supposed to take it at least one hour before eating and two to three hours after a meal. So far I've planned it out this way:

Take Elimiron first thing the morning, after going to the bathroom, before my shower. Then I get dressed, dry my hair, put on make-up. Go downstairs and read Dear Abby, work the Jumble puzzle and read the headlines and weather while drinking water. Then I eat breakfast.

Eat lunch, done by 12:30.
2:30 take Elimiron with large glass of water.

4:00 have a snack

5:30 start dinner - 6:30 eat dinner - finish around 7:00 pm

Take Elimron 9:00 or later at bedtime.

Does anyone take food with Elimiron? Does it still work well for you?

[Dixiefireball]

when i took elimron there was no way i could take it on an empty stomach i tried and tried! i talked to my doctor about this problem and he said " I would not never try to take any type of medicine on an empty stomach nor would i tell my pat. too."
he also said " As long as it is getting into your system that is all that matters." so if you find yourself not taking it as well on an empty stomach try it with food. when taking it on an empty stomach it would not stay down for nothing!! I even tried to take the medicine out of the pill thingie it was in but that still didn't help it had to be taking with food for my weirdo body lol.
Good Luck I pray that it works quickly for you.
sending you hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[rjyoon]

Studies have shown that Elmiron is absorbed better when there's no food competing with it in the stomach. I think the PDR has more information on this. I have a medication alert watch that I set to go off two hours after I eat so I can take it then. Sometimes I take it during the night when I get up to go to the bathroom. Then I don't have to wait around in the morning to be able to eat breakfast. The way I look at it, if I'm going to spend that much money & bother on a medication, I want to give it the best possible chance to help me.

[pumpkinnv]

I take my elmiron with & without food with no problem. It works really well for me either way. It depends on what's going on with my husband & kids & our schedules as to when I take it sometimes. Good Luck! connie

[donutgirl]

I just went to an IC specialist last week (Dr. Evans in Greensboro, NC...has written some articles, etc. and is on the ICA Board of Directors). At any rate....he told me to take the Elmiron first thing in the AM, the earlier the better, and the last thing at night before I went to bed. He said he wanted nothing in my stomach competing with it. Of course, if you react to taking it on an empty stomach, I would ask your dr.

[vm]

I've not heard of studies having been done to see if it makes a difference if Elmiron is taken with food or not. I have only heard that the patients in the original study that is posted on the package insert took it on an empty stomach ---- so that is how the manufacturer recommends taking it.

I used to make sure my stomach was empty. Now it may be about half the time when I take it, but I still feel really good most of the time bladderw-wise. I have been taking it that way for well over a year, I believe. No difference in my symptoms from when I always made sure my stomach was empty.

I also started taking one capsule in the morning and then 2 at night. That afternoon dose was a pain to fit in.

That said, if I was starting it all over again for some reason and was really symptomatic again I'd take it exactly as directed. I didn't want to screw up my chances at all in the beginning. :)

[lalarainbow]

I take mine first thing in the morning.. walk or exercise or do something that needs doing and then eat breakfast when an hour has passed..
Eat lunch 12 ish and take second one around 3
Eat supper 5 -6ish and take the last one at 9..If I want a bedtime snack I wait an hour... If supper is late then sometimes it gets taken at bedtime..
My Uro told me it works much better on empty stomach..I have had to break the rule a few times but I don't worry about it!!
It is helping me!! Alot of meds make me sick so I am blessed to be able to take Elmiron with no side affects..
~~Pam~~