Metformin Medical Valley
Metformin Medical Valley helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar when diet and exercise alone aren't enough, by making the body more sensitive to insulin.
How to Use
Dosage
Start by taking 500 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose after about two weeks.
Method
Take the tablet whole with a glass of water, usually once a day with your evening meal. Do not crush, break, or chew the tablet. Your doctor might tell you to take it twice a day.
The maximum daily dose is 2000 mg.
Possible Side Effects
- •Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or loss of appetite. These usually go away within two weeks.
- •Taste changes.
- •Lowered vitamin B12 levels in the blood, which can cause extreme tiredness, a sore red tongue, tingling skin, or pale/yellowish skin.
- •Lactic acidosis (a very serious condition causing vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, severe tiredness, trouble breathing, low body temperature, and slow heartbeat). Stop taking the medicine and get urgent medical help if these symptoms occur.
- •Liver problems or hepatitis (liver inflammation) that can cause yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). Contact your doctor immediately if this happens.
- •Skin reactions like redness, itching, or hives.
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to metformin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take if you have severe kidney, liver, or heart problems, a severe infection, or are very dehydrated.
- Do not take if you have very high blood sugar that is not controlled, or signs of lactic acidosis (e.g., vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, tiredness, trouble breathing) or ketoacidosis (fruity breath, stomach pain, fast breathing).
- Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol while taking this medicine, as it increases the risk of a serious side effect called lactic acidosis.
- Stop taking this medicine temporarily if you become dehydrated (e.g., from severe vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or not drinking enough) and seek medical advice.
Show 1 more warnings
- If you notice signs of lactic acidosis (vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, feeling very tired, trouble breathing, low body temperature, slow heartbeat), stop taking this medicine immediately and get urgent medical help, as it can lead to coma.
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Reduce the dose already in mild renal impairment. Do not use in severe renal impairment or tissue hypoxia. May reduce the absorption of vitamin B12. Consider risk of lactic acidosis. The drug should be paused during fever, gastroenteritis or dehydration, and before surgery or imaging with a contrast agent. (updated 20.5.2024)