About Metformin
Metformin is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes and sometimes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Type 2 diabetes is an illness where the body doesn't make enough insulin, or the insulin that it makes doesn't work properly. This can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). PCOS is a condition that affects how the ovaries work. Metformin lowers your blood sugar levels by improving the way your body handles insulin. It's usually prescribed for diabetes when diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control your blood sugar levels. For women with PCOS, metformin stimulates ovulation even if they don't have diabetes. It does this by lowering insulin and blood sugar levels. Metformin is available on prescription as tablets and as a liquid that you drink. Key facts Metformin works by reducing the amount of sugar your liver releases into your blood. It also makes your body respond better to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that controls the level of sugar in your blood. It's best to take metformin with a meal to reduce the side effects. The most common side effects are feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache and going off your food. Metformin does not cause weight gain (unlike some other diabetes medicines). Metformin may also be called by the brand names Bolamyn, Diagemet, Glucient, Glucophage, and Metabet. Who can and can't take metformin Metformin can be taken by adults. It can also be taken by children from 10 years of age on the advice of a doctor. Metformin isn't suitable for some people. Tell your doctor before starting the medicine if you: have had an allergic reaction to metformin or other medicines in the past have uncontrolled diabetes have liver or kidney problems have a severe infection are being treated for heart failure or you have recentl Continue reading >>
Glumetza
How does this medication work? What will it do for me? Metformin belongs to the class of medications called oral hypoglycemics, which are medications that lower blood sugar. It is used to control blood glucose (blood sugar) for people with type 2 diabetes. It is used when diet, exercise, and weight reduction have not been found to lower blood glucose well enough on their own. Metformin works by reducing the amount of glucose made by the liver and by making it easier for glucose to enter into the tissues of the body. Metformin has been found to be especially useful in delaying problems associated with diabetes for overweight people with diabetes. This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here. Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are taking this medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it. What form(s) does this medication come in? 500 mg Each white, film-coated, oval-shaped tablet, debossed with "M 500", contains metformin HCl 500 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, titanium dioxide, and polyethylene oxide. 1000 mg E Continue reading >>
Glucovance
NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. What is in this leaflet It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Glucovance against the benefits expected for you. If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. What Glucovance is used for Glucovance is used to control blood glucose levels (the amount of sugar in the blood) in adults with type II diabetes mellitus. This type of diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or maturity onset diabetes. when diet, exercise and treatment with either metformin or a sulfonylurea medicine are not enough to control your blood glucose in people whose blood sugar levels are already well controlled by the combination of metformin and a sulfonylurea medicine. Glucovance is to replace these two medicines. Glucovance contains two active ingredients, metformin hydrochloride and glibenclamide. Metformin belongs to a group of medicines called biguanides. Metformin lowers blood glucose by helping your body make better use of insulin. Glibenclamide belongs to a group of medicines called sulfonylureas. Glibenclamide lowers blood glucose by increasing the amount of insulin produced by your pancreas. If your blood glucose is not properly controlled, you may experience hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose). If not treated quickly, these may progress to: Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) usually occurs more slowly than hypoglycaemia. Signs of hyperglycaemia may include: Long-term hyperglycaemia can lead to serious problems such as hea Continue reading >>
Metformin 101: Blood Sugar Levels, Weight, Side Effects
As a type 2 diabetic, you've probably heard of Metformin, or you might even be taking it yourself. Metformin (brand name “Glucophage” aka “glucose-eater”) is the most commonly prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes worldwide…and for good reason. It is one of the safest, most effective, least costly medication available with minimal, if any, side effects. There are always lots of questions around Metformin – how does metformin lower blood sugar, does metformin promote weight loss or weight gain, will it give me side effects – and lots more. Today we'll hopefully answer some of those questions. How Metformin Works Metformin belongs to a class of medications known as “Biguanides,” which lower blood glucose by decreasing the amount of sugar put out by the liver. The liver normally produces glucose throughout the day in conjunction with the pancreas’ production of insulin to maintain stable blood sugar. In many people with diabetes, both mechanisms are altered in that the pancreas puts out less insulin while the liver is unable to shut down production of excess glucose. This means your body is putting out as much as 3 times as much sugar than that of nondiabetic individuals, resulting in high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Metformin effectively shuts down this excess production resulting in less insulin required. As a result, less sugar is available for absorption by the muscles and conversion to fat. Additionally, a lower need for insulin slows the progression of insulin resistance and keeps cells sensitive to endogenous insulin (that made by the body). Since metformin doesn’t cause the body to generate more insulin, it does not cause hypoglycemia unless combined with a sulfonylurea or insulin injection. Metformin is one of the few oral diabe Continue reading >>
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Metformin 850mg Tablets
1. WHAT METFORMIN IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR The name of this medicine is Metformin 500mg or 850mg Tablets (called metformin in this leaflet). It belongs to a group of medicines called biguanides (a type of oral hypoglycaemic). Metformin is used for the sort of diabetes called Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In type 2 diabetes, there is too much sugar (glucose) in your blood. This is because your body does not make enough insulin or because it makes insulin that does not work properly. Insulin is a hormone that allows your body tissue to take glucose from the blood and use it for energy or for storage for future use. Metformin works by improving the sensitivity of your body to insulin. It helps your body to use glucose in the normal way again This medicine is given when diet and exercise alone has not been able to control your blood sugar levels. Metformin can be given on its own. However, sometimes it is given with other medicines for diabetes or with insulin. In patients who are overweight, long-term use of metformin also helps to lower the risk of any problems related to diabetes you are allergic (hypersensitive) to metformin or any of the other ingredients in this liquid (see section 6: Further information). An allergic reaction can include a rash, itching or shortness of breath. you have recently had a heart attack or any other heart problems you have severe circulation problems or difficulty in breathing you have had serious problems with your diabetes in the past called diabetic ketoacidosis. When you have this you lose weight quickly, feel sick (nausea) or are sick (vomiting). See also in Section 4: Possible side effects you have recently had a severe infection, injury or trauma (shock) you are going to have an X-ray where you will b Continue reading >>
Glucophage®
Why do I need Glucophage? Glucophage (metformin) is one of six types of diabetes pills currently available to treat type 2 diabetes. It helps keep your blood glucose within your target range. Remember, the cornerstone of diabetes control remains unchanged; it is important to follow a meal plan and get plenty of physical activity. Diabetes pills are simply another tool to help you manage your blood glucose. How does Glucophage work? Glucophage helps your body produce less glucose from the liver. It does not cause the body to make more insulin; therefore, it rarely causes low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) when used alone. Hypoglycemia may occur when Glucophage is taken in combination with insulin or other diabetes pills such as repaglinide (Prandin®), nateglinide (Starlix®) or sulfonylureas. Glucophage has been found to lower blood fat levels and possibly contribute to minor weight loss. Guidelines for use Take with meals one to three times a day. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider about how much to take and how often you should take each dose. Your healthcare provider may want you to combine Glucophage with another type of diabetes pill or insulin to further improve your control. Since it works differently than the other diabetes medications, it will not interfere with their action. Your healthcare provider will determine the best treatment for you. What should I do if I forget to take my dose? If you have forgotten to take your diabetes pills you may take them provided it has been less than 2 hours from your dosage time. If it is more than 2 hours, contact your healthcare provider. Do not take 2 doses at the next meal. If you miss a dose, note it in your record book. Can I take Glucophage with other medicines? Most medicines interact safely with Glucophage. Continue reading >>
Metformin (glucophage) For Weight Loss
After you eat, sugar goes from your intestines into your bloodstream, and then immediately into your liver. Then your liver releases sugar back into your bloodstream to cause your blood sugar level to rise. To keep blood sugar levels from rising too high, your pancreas release insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin makes you hungry all the time and causes your liver to convert extra calories to fat and it constricts arteries to cause heart attacks. You need insulin to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high to cause diabetes, nerve damage, heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage. Glucophage reduces sugar release from your liver to prevents blood sugar levels from rising too high, so your body doesn't need to produce as much insulin that makes you hungry and causes your liver to make fat (3,13,14). Glucophage lowers insulin levels (4), prevents many of the side effects of diabetes and can be used by people who want to lose weight. However, Glucophage is not effective when your blood is acidic from excess lactic acid and recent research shows that exercise, which raises lactic acid, does not cause blood acid levels to rise enough to reduce Glucophage's benefits (5). Glucophage, itself, does not raise blood lactate levels and is therefore considerably safer than doctors originally thought. Since Glucophage lowers insulin, diabetics should be placed on Glucophage to lower their requirements for all other medications used to treat diabetes (6). A common cause of obesity in women is called polycystic ovary syndrome, which is caused by having high blood levels of insulin. Glucophage helps these women to lose weight (7-12). See the report on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in the Women's Health section. Glucophage is a safe medication that prevents blood sugar levels fro Continue reading >>
Metformin Forever
**Metformin controls the insulin resistance of people who have type 2 diabetes so well that, if possible, all of us should be taking it. That’s what Roderic Crist, M.D., told me at the annual convention of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians in Denver this weekend. Dr. Crist specializes in family medicine in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. "Not everybody can take every drug," he added, when I followed up our conversation by calling him at his office after he returned home. "But most of the time people can take metformin if they take it carefully." Doctors increasingly prescribe it not only for type 2 diabetes but also for insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Roughly one-third of Dr. Crist’s patients have diabetes. Well over half, if not two-thirds of the people he sees are insulin resistant. "I treat insulin resistance with that drug even if they aren’t fully diabetic." he says. "If they have high triglyceride levels and low HDL levels, particularly if they are centrally obese, they should probably be on metformin. It helps slow the progression of the disease from one thing to the next." But he goes further. He prescribes metformin to almost all of his patients who have type 2 diabetes – no matter how low their A1C level is. And he tells his patients that their levels should be 5.0 or less – not the American Diabetes Association’s less stringent recommendation of 7.0 or less. "If their A1C is at 5, their diabetes is in complete remission. So I have that as a goal." And he still prescribes metformin to them after they reach that goal. "The two important issues are that it will prevent progression and it should be used in the earliest phases of insulin resistance. We vastly underutilize metformin." But he has Continue reading >>
'can I Take Metformin If I Want To Lose Weight?'
Metformin is a drug designed to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes, but it comes with an interesting side effect: weight loss. And Reddit is filled with stories from people who have lost weight on the drug. “Was trying to lose weight for a long time with no success,” one person wrote of being prescribed metformin. “I’m on 1000 mg a day and am down 10 pounds.” “I saw weight loss at first with 500 mg twice per day,” another wrote. “The difference was almost immediate.” While some people say the drug didn’t do much for them, others swear by it—even those that don’t have Type 2 diabetes, says Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., an instructor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. In fact, Cody Stanford says that she often prescribes the medication to overweight or obese people who don't have Type 2 diabetes. Here’s what you need to know about the drug. (Hit the reset button—and burn fat like crazy with The Body Clock Diet!) How It Works Metformin causes a decrease in the release of glucose from a person’s liver. This helps to lower a person’s blood sugar when it’s too high and restore the way someone uses food to make energy, according to the Mayo Clinic. "Weight loss can occur because it decreases appetite in some people who take it," says women's health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D. In order for the prescription to work effectively, the amount of metformin you take must be balanced against your diet and exercise because it helps level out your blood sugar, the clinic says. For that reason, if you change your diet or exercise, you doctor may need to change the amount of metformin you take. Check out these moves that can help you light those calories up! Can It Help You Continue reading >>
3 Things You Need To Know About Metformin
September 30, 2015 by Dr. Brooke in Be Better , Eat Better , pcos 3 Things You Need To Know About Metformin Metformin is recommended by doctors for women with PCOS that want to loose weight or otherwise manage their PCOS and insulin resistance. But there are 3 very important things that you need to know about it including the fact that it's not the only option! Let me first say, I dont hate Metformin for women with PCOS . For some women it really does help spur ovulation, control blood sugar and help with some weight management but.its not without its share of issues. And its definitely not the magic bullet for weight loss although its usually presented that way. How Metformin (or its generic form: Glucophage) Works Metformin is typically given with meals throughout the day, or more commonly now the extended release version is given once with dinner or at bedtime. While only having to pop a pill one time per day is always appealing, this once a day dosing (especially at bedtime) is where I see the most problems with my patients. It lowers both fasting and post meal glucose levels by decreasing the glucose absorption in your intestines after a meal; as well as decreasing the amount of glucose your liver makes for later use. It also does help improve insulin sensitivity by increasing glucose movement into a cell. All sounds good so far right? Not so fast, here are the most common issues I see in women using Metformin: Metformin is notorious for causing sometimes severe digestive issues including stomach pain or upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even a sense of body weakness or metallic taste in the mouth in some. And it is touted as not causing low blood sugar as many older blood sugar lowering drugs did, however I see it every day in my practice that Metformin can m Continue reading >>
Metformin And Pcos: Everything You Need To Know
Metformin is a type of medication used to treat Type 2 Diabetes. Because there is a strong link between diabetes and PCOS, metformin is now commonly proscribed to treat PCOS. But should it be? What is the real relationship between metformin and PCOS? Can Metformin used for PCOS help lessen PCOS symptoms? Metformin used for PCOS: The Science PCOS is an infertility condition that often causes acne, facial hair growth, balding, low sex drive, weight gain, difficulty with weight loss, and mental health disturbances such as depression and anxiety in approximately 15% of women. It is also associated with a myriad of health conditions, spanning from diabetes to hypothyroidism and to heart disease. PCOS is, in short, not a condition to sneeze at. PCOS is a condition of hormone imbalance. With PCOS, male sex hormones such as testosterone and DHEA-S rise relative to the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. (…Roughly speaking – it’s complicated. For a full-blown account of the science of PCOS and how it affects you, see here.) Elevated testosterone is very often the primary culprit in causing PCOS. (But not always! For one of my most thorough accounts of other things that can cause PCOS, see here.) Insulin causes testosterone levels to rise because insulin tells the ovaries to produce testosterone. Basically, elevated insulin causes elevated testosterone, which causes PCOS. This is where metformin comes into play. Metformin lowers blood sugar levels below what they would otherwise be after a meal. This is because it intervenes with the liver’s interaction with and production of glucose. Insulin is the body’s way of dealing with blood sugar. If blood sugar is lower, then insulin will be lower, and thus testosterone will be lower. Metformin decreases blood sugar, Continue reading >>
How Does Metformin Work
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Metformin
Metformin may rarely cause a serious, life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take metformin. Also, tell your doctor if you are over 65 years old and if you have ever had a heart attack; stroke; diabetic ketoacidosis (blood sugar that is high enough to cause severe symptoms and requires emergency medical treatment); a coma; or heart or liver disease. Taking certain other medications with metformin may increase the risk of lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you are taking acetazolamide (Diamox), dichlorphenamide (Keveyis), methazolamide, topiramate (Topamax, in Qsymia), or zonisamide (Zonegran). 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, or any major medical procedure, tell the doctor that you are taking metformin. Also, tell your doctor if you plan to have any x-ray procedure in which dye is injected, especially if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol or have or have had liver disease or heart failure. 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. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking metformin and call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness, weakness, or discomfort; nausea; vomiting; stomach pain; decreased appetite; deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath; dizzi Continue reading >>
Metformin, Weight Loss & Pcos – Does It Actually Work?
Did you know that one of the main reasons you can't lose weight with PCOS is because of your hormones? It's true, and that's why many women (and physicians) turn to using Metformin to try and help with weight loss. But just because it works for some people doesn't mean it will necessarily work for YOU. Find out why metformin helps with weight loss, but more important what works better and how to finally lose weight if you have PCOS. Insulin & PCOS: Why It's so Important One of the most common medications prescribed for PCOS is metformin. But, PCOS is a hormonal condition which results in weight gain, hair growth on the face, infertility, acne and estrogen/progesterone imbalances. So why is metformin, a medication used to lower blood sugar and treat insulin resistance, used to treat estrogen/progesterone imbalances in women? The logic is quite simple: Most of the symptoms of PCOS (all those listed above) stem from insulin resistanc e! In fact many physicians recommend that ALL women with PCOS should be treated for insulin resistance regardless of what their fasting insulin and fasting blood sugar levels are. This means that the root cause of PCOS (at least the majority of it) is insulin resistance, and this is why metformin is so commonly used to treat. Insulin resistance causes a block of glucose uptake in your skeletal muscles which results in a lower metabolism (and weight gain), insulin also directly acts on your ovaries and adrenals increasing androgens like testosterone and DHEA. It's also the action of insulin on your pituitary that results in increased LH production which over stimulates your ovaries resulting in the characteristic "cysts" of PCOS. High levels of DHEA and testosterone lead to acne and hair growth (hirsutism). But one simple question r Continue reading >>
If You Have Diabetes…how To Fast Safely For A Medical Test
Recently, an employee at Bottom Line Publications was scheduled for a colonoscopy, the screening test for colon cancer. The medical test turned into medical mayhem. The day before the test, the woman followed her doctor’s orders to start ingesting a “clear liquid” diet, which includes soft drinks, Jell-O and other clear beverages and foods. But when she drank the “prep”—the bowel-cleaning solution that is consumed the evening before a colonoscopy (and sometimes also the morning of)—she vomited. Over and over. As a result, her colon wasn’t sufficiently emptied to conduct the test, which had to be postponed. What went wrong? The woman has diabetes—and her glucose (blood sugar) levels had become unstable, triggering nausea and vomiting. Yet not one medical professional—not a doctor, not a nurse, not a medical technician—had warned her that people with diabetes need to take special precautions with food and diabetes medicine whenever they have any medical test that involves an extended period of little or no eating. Unfortunately, this lack of diabetes-customized instruction about medical tests is very common. What you need to know… If you’re undergoing a test that requires only overnight fasting, which includes many types of CT scans, MRIs and X-rays, make sure that the test is scheduled for early in the morning—no later than 9 am. That way, you will be able to eat after the test by 10 am or 11 am, which will help to stabilize your blood sugar as much as possible. Don’t expect your blood sugar levels to be perfect after the test. The important thing is to keep them from getting too high or too low. Conventional dietitians and doctors specify clear liquids and foods that reflect the conventional American diet, such as regular soda, sports drink Continue reading >>
