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| Pronunciation |
|
 (met
FOR
min) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Glucophage®; Glucophage®
XR |
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| Foreign Brand
Names |
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| Glucophage® Forte (Mexico); Novo-Metformin
(Canada) |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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|
Antidiabetic Agent (Biguanide) |
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| What key warnings should I know
about before taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- A small number of people may develop an acidity to their blood.
Metformin can cause this lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis is a build up of acid
in the blood. It may occur in people whose kidneys or livers do not work
normally. If lactic acidosis does occur it can cause
death.
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
|
|
- If you have an allergy to metformin or any other part of the medicine.
- If you have any of the following conditions: Kidney disease, an acidic
condition of the blood, having an x-ray with
dye.
|
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine is used to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients. It is
used in type 2 diabetes. It can be used alone or in combination with other
diabetes medicine. It may take 1 month to see the full effects.
- It can be used to treat diabetes in children 10 to 16 years of age.
The extended release form is only for patients 17 and
older.
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| How does it work? |
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- Metformin decreases sugar production in the body and makes insulin
work better.
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| How is it best taken? |
|
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- Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an
upset stomach.
- Swallow extended release (XR) form whole. Do not chew, break, or
crush.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Wear disease medical alert identification for diabetes.
- Avoid alcohol intake (includes wine, beer, and liquor). Can cause side
effects.
- Use caution if you have heart or lung disease. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- You should not take if you have kidney or liver problems, if you have
congestive heart failure, if you drink alcohol to excess, if you have lost a
large amount of fluid (are dehydrated), if you are getting x-rays with shots of
dye in your veins or arteries, if you are going for surgery, is you develop a
condition such as a heart attack, severe infection, or stroke, or if you are 80
or older and have not had your kidney function tested.
- Do not drive if blood sugar has been low. There is a greater risk of
an accident.
- Keep hard candies, liquid glucose, or milk on hand for low blood
sugars.
- If you are 80 years of age or older, you may have more side effects.
You may need a low dose.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Belly pain and cramps, gas, not hungry, metal like taste. Dosage
decrease may help with all symptoms.
- Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking
hard candy, or chewing gum may help. Decrease in dose will help.
- Diarrhea.
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| What should I monitor? |
|
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- Check blood sugar as ordered by healthcare provider. Call if glucose
is less than 80 mg/dL or greater than 250 mg/dL. Bring results to follow-up
visits.
- Watch for low blood sugar. This can cause anger, shaking, rapid
heartbeats, confusion, sweating.
- Watch for high blood sugar. Causes many trips to the bathroom, thirst,
and weight loss.
- Check blood work for diabetes, liver, and kidney function. Talk with
healthcare provider.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
- Have a yearly eye exam and visit to the foot doctor.
- Check weight.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
|
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Feeling very weak, tired or uncomfortable.
- Unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain or discomfort,
feeling cold, dizzy or lightheaded.
- Suddenly developing a slow or irregular heartbeat.
- Severe nausea, vomiting, fever, and/or diarrhea.
- Any signs or symptoms of infection. This may include a fever greater
than 99 degrees, chills, sore throat, cough, increased sputum or change in
color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, anal itching or
pain.
- Low blood sugar or very high blood sugar.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store in a tight container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
|
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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