You may have been advised to take some medicines before meals or on an empty stomach.
Then how long do I have to wait before I can eat?
If you need to take a medicine before food or on an empty stomach, this usually means at least 30 minutes before eating, or at least 1 hour after eating.
There could be a number of reasons for having to take your medicine before food or on an empty
stomach, such as:
- Some medicines need to work directly on the stomach, so won’t really work unless your stomach is empty
- Some foods can neutralize the effect of certain medicines.
- Some foods can interact with medicine, either by increasing or decreasing the amount of medicine in your blood to potentially dangerous levels, or levels that are too low to be effective.
- Taking some medicines at the same time as eating may prevent your stomach and intestines absorbing the medicine, making it less effective
Your pharmacist or doctor will be able to give you the specific reason why, just ask.
Does it matter if I don’t take my medicine before food or on an empty stomach?
Yes It does matter, but it is not likely to be a problem if you do it just once or twice, and it may be better than skipping a dose.
But some foods can interact with medicine increasing the amount of medicine in your blood to potentially dangerous levels.
