This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs.
Some items may interact with your medicine. This is a simple blood test. It measures your blood sugar control over the last 2 to 3 months. You will receive this test every 3 to 6 months. Always carry a quick-source of sugar with you in case you have symptoms of low blood sugar. Examples include hard sugar candy or glucose tablets. Make sure others know that you can choke if you eat or drink when you develop serious symptoms of low blood sugar, such as seizures or unconsciousness.
They must get medical help at once. Tell your doctor or health care professional if you have high blood sugar. You might need to change the dose of your medicine. If you are sick or exercising more than usual, you might need to change the dose of your medicine. Do not skip meals. Ask your doctor or health care professional if you should avoid alcohol.
Many nonprescription cough and cold products contain sugar or alcohol. These can affect blood sugar. This medicine may cause ovulation in premenopausal women who do not have regular monthly periods. This may increase your chances of becoming pregnant. You should not take this medicine if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
Talk with your doctor or health care professional about your birth control options while taking this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals.
For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of metformin oral solution, extended-release oral suspension, and tablets in children 10 to 16 years of age. However, safety and efficacy of metformin extended-release tablets in the pediatric population have not been established. Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of metformin have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific problems are not expected to limit the usefulness of metformin in the elderly.
However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney problems, which may require caution in patients receiving metformin. This medicine is not recommended in patients 80 years of age and older who have kidney problems.
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.
When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases.
If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you.
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine.
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. This medicine usually comes with a patient information insert. Read the information carefully and make sure you understand it before taking this medicine.
If you have any questions, ask your doctor. Carefully follow the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is a very important part of controlling your condition, and is necessary if the medicine is to work properly. Also, exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed. Metformin should be taken with meals to help reduce stomach or bowel side effects that may occur during the first few weeks of treatment. Swallow the tablet or extended-release tablet whole with a full glass of water.
Do not crush, break, or chew it. While taking the extended-release tablet, part of the tablet may pass into your stool after your body has absorbed the medicine. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Measure the oral liquid with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid. Use the supplied dosing cup to measure the mixed extended-release oral suspension. The most serious of these is lactic acidosis, a condition caused by buildup of lactic acid in the blood.
This can occur if too much metformin accumulates in the blood due to chronic or acute e. Severe acute heart failure, or severe liver problems can also result in a lactate imbalance. Metformin can also increase the risk of hypoglycemia low blood sugar , particularly for those who take insulin and drugs which increase insulin secretion such as sulfonylureas , but also when combined with excessive alcohol intake.
Of course, regular checking with a blood glucose meter is also helpful in preventing low blood sugar episodes. Because long-term use of metformin can block absorption of vitamin B12, causing anemia, sometimes people need to supplement vitamin B12 through their diet as well.
There is another common side effect often experienced by people taking metformin for the first time. When I experienced faux lows, I felt similarly dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, and extremely hungry.
If you experience symptoms like these and have confirmed with a glucose meter the low you are feeling is indeed false i. Note that especially for type 2 folks out there on metformin and insulin or sulfonylureas, hypoglycemia is a real risk. When taken at the same time, some drugs may interfere with metformin.
Make sure your healthcare team is aware of any medications that you take before you start on metformin, especially certain types of diuretics and antibiotics. Remember, insulin and insulin releasing medications can increase your risk of hypoglycemia, so it is particularly important to carefully monitor your glucose levels.
You should also avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking metformin — aim for no more than one glass per day for women, and two per day for men. Alcohol can contribute to lactic acidosis. In the FDA investigated whether some forms of metformin contain high levels of a carcinogenic cancer-causing chemical called N-nitrosodimethylamine NDMA. In , the FDA recommended the recall of several versions of extended-release metformin, and more than a dozen companies have since voluntarily recalled certain lots of the medication.
While low levels of NDMA are commonly found in foods and drinking water, high levels of the substance are toxic and can cause cancer. You can check to see if your metformin has been recalled here.
For people taking extended-release metformin, the FDA recommends that you continue to take your medication until you talk to your healthcare professional. The medication is so effective as a first-line therapy the American Diabetes Association includes it in its diabetes Standards of Care.
Researchers are currently studying whether the medicine can help in the fight against cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, vision problems like macular degeneration, and even aging. It will be a while, however, before uses other than blood-glucose lowering are proven to be effective.
At the same time, metformin is also used in the treatment of gestational diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. The FDA has also not officially approved metformin as an aid in losing weight. Many people with type 2 diabetes have lost weight after taking the drug, as researchers are still torn over exactly how metformin affects the weight.
Some believe it decreases appetite, while others say it affects the way the body stores and uses fat. While robust heart outcome trials with metformin are yet to be conducted, more attention is being paid to this research area.
But what if it is found to help people managing type 1 diabetes? Metformin is not currently approved by US or European regulatory agencies for use in type 1s, but people have been known to take the medication anyway, and many doctors prescribe it if someone with type 1 diabetes is overweight. There are actually several reasons metformin is an attractive option for many type 1s.
0コメント