 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 body's response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. 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.
Special precautions
Before taking metformin,
- Tell your doctor if you eat less or exercise more than usual. This can affect your blood sugar. Your doctor will give you instructions if this happens.
- If you are using the extended release tablets, you should know that sometimes the tablet shell may appear in your stool. If this occurs, it is not harmful and will not affect the way the medication works.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking metformin, call your doctor.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any medical condition.
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products.
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to metformin or any other medicines.
Side effects
Metformin 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, such as eat or drink a food or beverage with sugar in it, hard candy or fruit juice, and call your doctor immediately; symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) include:
- sudden hunger
- pale color
- fatigue
- weakness
- numbness or tingling of the mouth
- headache
- blurred vision
- confusion
- sweating
- rapid heartbeat
- dizziness
- shakiness
If you have any of these symptoms:
- trouble breathing
- loss of appetite
- frequent urination
- dry skin
- flushing
- tiredness
- dry mouth
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:
- muscle pain
- nail changes
- flushing of the skin
- sweating
- runny nose
- cough
- sneezing
- headache
- heartburn
- unpleasant metallic taste in mouth
- constipation
- gas
- stomach pain
- bloating
- vomiting
- upset stomach
- diarrhea
Some side effects can be serious:
Do not let anyone else take your medicines.
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