Glucophage Generic

METFORMIN Glucophage comes as a tablet and an extended-release long-acting tablet to take by mouth. The regular tablet is usually taken with meals two or three times a day. The extended-release tablet is usually taken once daily with the evening meal. To help you remember to take metformin take it around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take metformin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Swallow metformin extended-release tablets whole do not split chew or crush them.

Your doctor may start you on a low dose of metformin and gradually increase your dose not more often than once every 1?2 weeks. You will need to monitor your blood sugar carefully so your doctor will be able to tell how well metformin is working.

Metformin controls diabetes but does not cure it. Continue to take metformin even if you feel well. Do not stop taking metformin without talking to your doctor.

Metformin is used alone or with other medications including insulin to treat type 2 noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Metformin helps to control the amount of glucose sugar in your blood. It decreases the amount of glucose you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your bodys response to insulin a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Metformin is not used to treat type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes.

Take Glucophage with a meal unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Some forms of Glucophage are taken only once daily with the evening meal. Follow your doctors instructions.

Glucophage is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet exercise and weight control. It is important to use this medicine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

Do not crush chew or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

extreme tiredness
weakness
discomfort
vomiting
upset stomach
stomach pain
decreased appetite
deep rapid breathing
shortness of breath
dizziness
light-headedness
abnormally fast or slow heartbeat
flushing of the skin
muscle pain
feeling cold

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However if it is almost time for the next dose skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Keep this medication in the container it came in tightly closed and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from light excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication

Glucophage may rarely cause a serious life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a heart attack stroke high blood pressure diabetic ketoacidosis blood sugar that is high enough to cause severe symptoms and requires emergency medical treatment or coma surgery to remove part of your small intestine anemia not enough red blood cells or heart kidney lung or liver disease.

Tell your doctor if you have recently had any of the following conditions or if you develop them during treatment: serious infection severe diarrhea vomiting or fever or if you drink much less fluid than usual for any reason. You may have to stop taking metformin until you recover.

If you are having surgery including dental surgery any x-ray procedure in which dye is injected or any major medical procedure tell the doctor that you are taking metformin.

You may need to stop taking metformin before the procedure and wait 48 hours to restart treatment. Your doctor will tell you exactly when you should stop taking metformin and when you should start taking it again.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or have taken the following medications: acyclovir Zovirax acetaminophen Tylenol aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin Amikin gentamicin Garamycin Kanamycin Kantrex Neomycin Neo-Fradin Neo-Rx netilmycin netromycin paramomycin Humatin streptomycin and tobramycin Nebcin Tobi amphotericin B Abelcet Amphocin others angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors such as benazepril Lotensin captopril Capoten enalapril Vasotec fosinopril Monopril lisinopril Prinvil Zestril moexipril Univasc perindopril Aceon quinapril Accupril ramipril Altace and trandolapril Mavik aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents NSAIDs such as ibuprofen Advil Motrin and naproxen Aleve Naprosyn cancer chemotherapy medications cyclosporine Sandimmune Neoral dapsone Avlosulfon diuretics water pills foscarnet Foscavir gold compounds such as auranofin Ridaura aurothioglucose Aurolate Solganol and gold sodium thiomalate Myochrysine hydralazine Hydra-Zide lithium Eskalith Lithobid medications to treat human immunodeficiency virus HIV or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS methicillin Staphcillin nitrates penicillin and sulfa antibiotics penicillamine Cuprimine Depen primaquine propranolol Inderal rifampin Rifadin Rimactane tacrolimus Prograf vancomycin Vancocin or if you have ever taken the Chinese weight-loss herb aristolochia.If you experience any of the following symptoms call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness weakness or discomfort upset stomach vomiting stomach pain decreased appetite deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath dizziness light-headedness fast or slow heartbeat flushing of the skin muscle pain or feeling cold.Tell your doctor if you regularly drink alcohol or sometimes drink large amounts of alcohol in a short time binge drinking. Drinking alcohol increases your risk of developing lactic acidosis. Ask your doctor how much alcohol is safe to drink while you are taking metformin.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain tests to check your bodys response to metformin. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking metformin.

Glucophage is used to control the amount of sugar in your blood. You should know the symptoms of low and high blood sugar and what to do if you have them.

If you have any of these symptoms eat or drink a food or beverage with sugar in it such as hard candy or fruit juice and call your doctor immediately symptoms of low blood sugar hypoglycemia include:

shakiness
dizziness
rapid heartbeat
sweating
confusion
blurred vision
headache
numbness or tingling of the mouth
weakness
fatigue
pale color
sudden hunger

If you have any of these symptoms call your doctor immediately symptoms of high blood sugar hyperglycemia include:

thirst
dry mouth
tiredness
flushing
dry skin
frequent urination
loss of appetite
trouble breathing

Metformin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe do not go away go away and come back or do not begin for some time after you begin taking metformin:

diarrhea
upset stomach
vomiting
bloating
stomach pain
gas
constipation
unpleasant metallic taste in mouth
heartburn
headache
sneezing
cough
runny nose
sweating
flushing of the skin
nail changes
muscle pain

Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon but if you experience any of them or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section call your doctor immediately:

chest pain
rash

Some female laboratory animals given high doses of metformin developed non-cancerous polyps abnormal growths of tissue in the uterus womb. It is not known if metformin increases the risk of polyps in humans. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.

Metformin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.