About Metformin (Glucophage)
- 500 mg twice a day or
- 850 mg once a day
Increase dosages only as prescribed by your doctor.
Metformin is a first-line drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Following its discovery in the 1920s, Metformin has been sold under several commercial names, most notably Glucophage. It works exceptionally well for overweight diabetics.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
When the body produces insufficient insulin or does not respond appropriately may lead to type 2 diabetes. The pancreas produces and releases insulin in the bloodstream, allowing blood sugar into the cells that your body uses as energy. However, when a person has type 2 diabetes, body cells become resistant to insulin. As a result, your body makes more insulin leading to imbalance, and your blood sugar will rise, leading to type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar can cause serious health problems causing amputation or affecting your heart, vision, and kidneys.
How will Metformin help?
Metformin helps to manage your blood sugar levels. Metformin reduces insulin resistance; as a result, cells can absorb more sugar. In addition, Metformin lowers the amount of sugar absorbed through the intestines to your bloodstream. Sugar stored by our liver converts to sugar. Therefore, Metformin reduces the amount of sugar produced by the livers. It is sometimes combined with insulin or other diabetic drugs and administered to persons with type 2 diabetes.
How does Metformin work?
There are four major classes of oral anti-diabetic medications
- The secretagogues (sulfonylureas, meglitinides) – increase insulin availability.
- The biguanides (Metformin) – suppress excessive hepatic glucose release.
- The thiazolidinediones or glitazones (rosiglitazone, pioglitazone) – improve insulin sensitivity.
- The α-glucosidase inhibitors (acarbose, miglitol) delay GI glucose absorption.
Metformin is a biguanide class of oral anti-diabetic drug. It functions by assisting your body in managing the production of insulin in your body favorably by:
- reducing the quantity of sugar your liver generates
- limiting the absorption of sugar by your intestines
The active ingredient in the medication is Metformin hydrochloride (HCl). HCl is frequently used in the manufacturing process of numerous other drugs to make them stable and water and acid soluble. The main objective of Metformin therapy is to assist you in bringing your blood sugar level down to a normal range.
How to take Metformin?
Continue exercising and adhering to the diet prescribed by your doctor for the treatment of diabetes while you take Metformin or any other diabetic medication. Your doctor will advise you on when and how much medicine to take. When using this medication, always abide by your doctor’s instructions. It is less likely that you will experience symptoms like nausea and vomiting if you take this medication with food.
Note: Do not alter the medication your doctor has prescribed if you find something different from the ones listed here. It would help if you strictly took this medication as your doctor advised. Never start or stop taking any medication without first talking to your doctor.
Metformin dosage
Typically, doctors will recommend
- 500 mg twice a day or
- 850 mg once a day
Increase dosages only as prescribed by your doctor. For example, the doctor may increase dose increments of 500mg weekly or 850 mg every two weeks. A typical maintenance dose is 2000 mg daily in divided doses. The maximum recommended dose is 2550 mg daily.
What if you missed dose of Metformin?
If you forget to take your tablet, take your next dose at the scheduled time. Do not take a second dose to make up for a missing dose. Instead, ask your doctor for guidance if you need help with what to do if you miss a dosage.
What if you Overdose?
Symptoms that are already present may worsen after an overdose, as noted in the “Side effects” and “Warnings and Precautions” sections. Visit your doctor immediately, call poison control, or go to the emergency room of the closest hospital if you believe you have taken too many tablets or a higher amount than was advised.
What are the other benefits of Metformin?
According to the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, Metformin is one of the healthcare system’s most valuable and secure medications. With a low risk of generating low blood sugar levels, Metformin is a well-tolerated and relatively cost-effective drug. In addition to being an authorized drug for treating diabetes, it has also been shown to have some cardiovascular protective capabilities. Furthermore, Metformin is effective for weight loss in some individuals and can reduce the effects of metabolic syndrome.
Warnings and Precautions of Metformin
Avoid taking this medicine if you:
- Metabolic acidosis (it relates to the buildup of acid in the body due to kidney disease or kidney failure) has a liver or kidney issue.
- Consume a lot of alcohol.
- Are going to have an x-ray procedure with an injection of dyes.
- Have high levels of stress and severe infections and are experiencing some trauma before surgery or during the recovery phase.
- Suffer from severe dehydration – Dehydration is water deficiency in the body. Symptoms can include fainting, feeling dizzy or light-headed, low blood pressure, very dry or sticky mouth, feeling very thirsty, feeling weak or tired, passing very little or no urine, and a fast heartbeat.
- Are hypersensitive or allergic to Metformin or any other ingredient in the formulation or component of the container.
- Are currently breastfeeding.
- are currently pregnant or are planning on becoming pregnant.
- Suffer from cardiovascular collapse, which is an abrupt failure of blood circulation.
- Have cardiorespiratory insufficiency, which is difficulty with breathing caused by a weakened heart.
- Metformin has the potential to lead to lactic acidosis occasionally.
- Lactic acidosis – Lactic acidosis is dangerous and sometimes fatal. Lactic acidosis symptoms include feeling sick, myalgias (muscle soreness), somnolence (drowsiness), respiratory difficulties, and abdominal pain.
Risk factors of Lactic acidosis – kidney impairment, concurrent drug usage, age greater than 65, imagery investigations including the use of a contrast dye, surgery, and other operations, hypoxic situations, and excessive alcohol consumption
Metformin side effects
Common side effects of Metformin are:
- diarrhea
- nausea
- abdominal pain
- upset stomach
- abdominal
- bloating
- gas
- loss of appetite
Uncommon side effects of Metformin may include:
- Suddenly developing irregular or a slow heartbeat
- Feeling uncomfortable, very weak, or tired
- Unexpected or unusual stomach discomfort
- Trouble breathing
- Feeling dizzy or light-headed
- Feeling cold
- Unusual muscle pain
Discuss with your doctor any adverse side effect that bothers you or does not go away. For medical advice about side effects, contact.
Remember that regular physical exercise is crucial to treating diabetes or managing prediabetes, along with your diet planning, weight management, and medications. Because your cells become more responsive to insulin while you are active, your blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, can be lowered more successfully. Take your medications regularly and follow up with your healthcare specialist.
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