Metformin : Before Using - Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Apo-Metformin, Gen-Metformin, Glycon, Novo-Metformin, Nu-Metformin

Metformin - Systemic

Brand Names

Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Apo-Metformin, Gen-Metformin, Glycon, Novo-Metformin, Nu-Metformin Metformin *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects *** Additional Information

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For metformin, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to metformin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

Metformin has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems. However, metformin is not using during pregnancy. Instead, your family doctor may want to control your blood sugar by diet or by a combination of diet and insulin. It is especially important for your health and your baby's health that your blood sugar be closely controlled. Close control of your blood sugar can reduce the risk of your baby gaining too much weight, having birth defects, or having high or low blood sugar. Be sure to tell your family doctor if you plan to become pregnant or if you think you are pregnant.

Breast-feeding problem

It is not known whether metformin passes into human breast milk. Although most medication pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be using safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this drug and who wish to breast-feed must discuss this with their family doctor.

Use for Children

Metformin tablets have been tested in child older than 10 years old and, in effective doses, have not been shown to cause various side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Studies with metformin extended-release tablets have been done only in adult diseaseds and there is no special info comparing use of this drug in child with use in other age groups.

Adolescents Metformin tablets have been tested in teenagers older than 17 years and, in effective doses, have not been shown to cause various side effects or problems than in adults.

Studies with metformin extended-release tablets have not been done in diseaseds younger than 17 years old.

Elderly care

Use in older adults is similar to use in adults of younger age. However, if you have blood vessel disorders or kidney problems, your health care professional may adjust your dose or tell you to stop taking this drug, if necessary.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary Do not take any other drug unless prescribed or approved by your family doctor . When you are taking metformin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Alcohol Small amounts of alcohol taken with meals do not usually cause a problem; however, either larger amounts of alcohol taken for a long time or a large amount of alcohol taken in one sitting without food can increase the effect of metformin. This can keep the blood sugar low for a longer period of time than normal

Amiloride - Midamor
Calcium channel blocking agents - amlodipine " Norvasc ", bepridil " Bepadin ", diltiazem " Cardizem ", felodipine " Plendil ", flunarizine " Sibelium ", isradipine " DynaCirc ", nicardipine " Cardene ", nifedipine " Procardia ", nimodipine " Nimotop ", verapamil " Calan "
Cimetidine - Tagamet
Digoxin - heart drug
Furosemide - Lasix
Morphine - M S Contin
Procainamide - Pronestyl
Quinidine - Quinidex
Quinine - malaria drug
Ranitidine - Zantac
Triamterene - Dyrenium
Trimethoprim - Proloprim
Vancomycin - Vancocin Use with metformin may cause high blood levels of metformin, which may increase the risk of low blood sugar or side effects

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of metformin. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Acid in the blood - ketoacidosis or lactic acidosis
Burns - severe
Dehydration
Diarrhea - severe
Female hormone changes for some women - during puberty, pregnancy, or menstruation
Fever, high
Infection - severe
Injury - severe
Ketones in the urine
Mental stress - severe
Overactive adrenal gland - not properly controlled
Problems with intestines - severe
Slow stomach emptying
Surgery - major
Vomiting
Any other condition that causes problems with eating or absorbing food
Any other condition in which blood sugar changes rapidly Metformin in many cases will be replaced with insulin by your family doctor, possibly only for a short time. Use of insulin is best to help control diabetes mellitus in diseaseds with these conditions that without warning cause quick changes in the blood sugar.

Heart or blood vessel disorders
Kidney disease or kidney problems
Liver disease - or history of Lactic acidosis can occur in these conditions and chance of it occurring are even greater with use of metformin

Kidney, heart, or other problems that require medical tests or examinations that use certain medication called contrast agents, with x-rays Metformin must be stopped before medical exams or diagnostic tests that might cause less urine output than usual. Passing unusually low amounts of urine may increase the risk of a build-up of metformin and unwanted effects. Metformin may be restarted 48 hours after the exams or tests if kidney function is tested and found to be normal

Overactive thyroid - not properly controlled
Underactive thyroid - not properly controlled Until the thyroid condition is controlled, it may change the amount or type of antidiabetic drug you need

Underactive adrenal gland - not properly controlled
Underactive pituitary gland - not properly controlled
Undernourished condition
Weakened physical condition
Any other condition that causes low blood sugar Patients who have any of these conditions may be more likely to develop low blood sugar, which can effect the dose of metformin you need and increase the need for blood sugar testing