Glucophage or metformin can cause a severe condition known as lactic acidosis. Seek immediate medical assistance when you suffer slight symptoms of glucophage or metformin like muscle weakness and pain, cold feeling or numbness in your legs or arms, breathing problems, nausea with vomiting, pain in the stomach, slow or irregular heart rate, feeling fatigue and weak and tired.
How Effective is Glucophage?
Glucophage or metformin is an oral diabetes medication that assists effectively in curbing blood sugar intensities. Glucophage is effectively utilized to advance blood sugar management in patients with type 2 diabetes.
At times glucophage or metformin is effectively utilized together with insulin or other medicines, but metformin is not used I treating type 1 diabetes.
Do not take glucophage or metformin when you have serious kidney disease or if in a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis, ask your physician to give you insulin treatment.
You will have to halt your glucophage or metformin dose if you are going for a city scan or an x-ray, or when using a dye that is shot in your veins.
What to Know Before Taking Glucophage or Metformin?
You must not take glucophage or metformin if you suffer allergic reactions to metformin, or when you have;
- Serious kidney disease
- If you have a condition of diabetic ketoacidosis ( tell your physician to treat you with insulin).
If you are going to have any form of CT scan or x-ray using a dye that is shot in your veins, you will have to halt glucophage or metformin intake temporarily.
For you to be safe with glucophage or metformin, you have to inform your doctor if you are having:
- Liver illnesses
- Kidney illnesses
- A current heart attack or if you have a record of heart illness
- If you have currently used chlorpropamide
- If you are 80+ years and haven’t recently checked your kidney function.
- If you have 80 years and above and the function of your kidney has not been diagnosed recently.
Certain patients who are using glucophage or metformin develop severe condition known as lactic acidosis. This is more probable in patients with kidney and liver illnesses, serious infection, congestive heart failure, those dehydrated, or if you consume large quantities of alcohol. Talk to your physician about the risks you may face.
It is not confirmed whether glucophage or metformin can harm unborn child. Inform your physician if you are planning to conceive or if you are already pregnant while taking Glucophage.
It is not yet established whether metformin gets into breast milk or if it can hurt a nursing child. Do not breast feed while taking glucophage or metformin.
Do not give glucophage or metformin to children below 10 years of age. People under the age of 18 years should not use extended-release Glucophage XR tablets.
What is the Recommended Dosage of Glucophage?
General Adult Dose of Glucophage or Metformin for treating Diabetes Type 2:
For Immediate-release:
Initial dose: take 500 mg orally twice daily or 850 mg orally once daily.
Dose titration: Increase the dose as tolerated in 500 mg weekly or 850 mg every 2 weeks.
Maintenance dose: take 2000 mg per day.
Maximum dose: take 2550 mg per day.
Take glucophage or metformin distributed doses 2 to 3 times daily with food. Titrate gradually to reduce gastrointestinal side effects. Generally, substantial effects are not witnessed with doses below 1500 mg in a single day.
Extended-release:
Initial dose: take glucophage or metformin orally 500 to 1000 mg once daily.
Dose titration: Increase as tolerated in 500 mg weekly increases.
Maintenance dose: 2000 mg per day.
Maximum dose: 2500 mg per day.
When glycemic control is not attained with a single day intake of extended-release product, think of going for a divided dosage. When high doses are needed you can go shift to immediate release-product.
To advance glycemic control in adults having type 2 diabetes mellitus as an aide to exercise and diet.
General Pediatric Dose of Glucophage or Metformin for Treating Diabetes Type 2:
Children 10 years and above:
Immediate-release:
Initial dose: take orally 500 mg twice daily.
Dose titration: Increase as tolerated in 500 mg weekly increases.
Maintenance dose: 2000 mg per day.
Maximum dose: 2000 mg per day.
Use glucophage or metformin in distributed doses 2 to 3 times daily with food. Alternate gradually to reduce gastrointestinal side effects. Success and safety of metformin extended-release is not proven in children under the age of 18 years.
To advance glycemic control in children having type 2 diabetes mellitus as an aide to exercise and diet.
What are the Side Effects of Glucophage?
Seek immediate medical assistance if you experience any symptoms of allergic reactions to glucophage or metformin; such as breathing difficulties, hives or swelling of your lips, throat, face and tongue
Certain patients may cultivate lactic acidosis when using glucophage or metformin. Symptoms may worsen with time and can be deadly. Seek emergency assistance if you experienced:
- Muscle weakness or pain,
- Cold feeling or numbness in legs or arms.
- Breathing problem.
- Feeling weak, dizzy, light headed or tired,
- Painful stomach, nausea, vomiting
- Irregular or slow heartbeat.
Common side effects of glucophage or metformin include:
- Stomach upset,
- Vomiting,
- Nausea and
- Diarrhea is a side effect of glucophage or metformin.
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