Metformin

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Canadian/Mexican Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients. It is used in type II diabetes. It can be used alone or in combination with other diabetes medicine. It may take 1 month to see the full effects.

How does it work?

• Metformin decreases sugar production in the body and makes insulin work better.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach.
• Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare provider.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• 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.

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 kidney, heart, lung, liver disease. Talk with healthcare provider.
• 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.

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.

What should I monitor?

• 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. Causes anger, shaking, rapid heartbeats, confusion, sweating.
• Watch for high blood sugar. Causes many trips to the bathroom, thirst, and weight loss.
• Check blood work. 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.

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.
• Unable to get breathing attach under control.
• Severe nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
• Signs or symptoms of infection. This includes fever, chills, pus, wound that will not heal.
• Low blood sugar or very high blood sugar.
• Any rash.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in a tight container at room temperature.

General statements

• 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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