How long do you have to fast before you can consider your stomach "empty"? As in that the pills you take will not mix with any food?
Thanks!
P.S.
My doctor is away.
2007-09-05 05:56:32 · 8 answers · asked by aarjop 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Either 2 hours before a meal, or 4 hours after a meal.
2007-09-05 07:03:19 · answer #1 · answered by DNA G 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Medicines that are to be taken "on empty stomach" can be taken 1 hour before meals or at least 2 hours after meals.
Emptying of the stomach varies depending on the kind of food you have taken. Some foods are digested quickly within few minutes, but some other foods take 4 hours or longer to digest.
Medicines to be taken " on empty stomach" are generally affected by gastric acids and digestive enzymes which secretions are on its peak during meals. After 2 hours or so, the medicine you will take will be pretty safe to be passed down to the duodenum without being affected by the gastric secretions. Foods (such as milk.etc.) that can possibly have interaction with your medicine by affecting its absorption (speeding or delaying)will be already passed out of the stomach within that hours period.
2007-09-05 09:49:22 · answer #2 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes the average person 4-6 hours to empty their stomach. When we typically run clinical trials and we want our subjects in a fasted state we don't allow them to have food 4 hours prior to dosing.
2007-09-05 07:14:47 · answer #3 · answered by mjb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If i were you, you can either not take any today and start fresh tomorrow morning, or call and talk to the advise nurse at your doctors office, or local hospital. If you can not get an answer from one of them then I would wait until tomorrow and start fresh. If you are not supposed to take food with the medicine, the best thing is to take them first thing in the morning when you wake up, then there is no confusion.
2007-09-05 06:25:32 · answer #4 · answered by naancy b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
2 hrs before or 4 hrs after a meal...also so you know even if your doctor is away the office will always have a nurse or another physician avalible to answer your questions and you can always call the pharmacy.
2007-09-05 08:00:19 · answer #5 · answered by nurserenae 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2 hours
2007-09-05 06:03:54 · answer #6 · answered by CW1967 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
thats not good you can get really sick
2007-09-05 06:04:22 · answer #7 · answered by ivory 2004 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
two months
2007-09-05 05:58:58 · answer #8 · answered by rrossorr 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋