Metformin - met-FOR-min is using to treat a type of diabetes mellitus - sugar diabetes called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly. Using metformin alone, with a type of oral antidiabetic drug called a sulfonylurea, or with insulin will help to lower blood sugar when it is too high and help restore the way you use food to make energy.
Many people can control type 2 diabetes with diet alone or diet and exercise. Following a specially planned diet and exercising will always be important when you have diabetes, even when you are taking medication. To work properly, the amount of metformin you take must be balanced against the amount and type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do. If you change your diet, your exercise, or both, you will want to test your blood sugar to find out if it is too low. Your health care professional will teach you what to do if this happens.
At some point, this drug may stop working as well and your blood glucose will increase. You will need to know if this happens and what to do. Instead of taking more of this drug, your family doctor may want you to change to another antidiabetic drug. If that does not lower your blood sugar, your family doctor may have you stop taking the drug and begin receiving insulin injections instead.
Metformin does not help diseaseds who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes because they can't produce insulin from their pancreas gland. Their blood glucose is best controlled by insulin injections.
Metformin is available only with your family doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:
Some commonly using brand names are:
In the USA
In Canada