Metformin Doctor

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 >>

Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Micromedex 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 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 only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way. You may notice improvement in your blood glucose control in 1 to 2 weeks, but the full effect of blood glucose control may take up to 2 to 3 months. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about this. Dosing The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the Continue reading >>

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 >>

Why Is Metformin Considered The Drug Of Choice For Type 2 Diabetes?

Gunda Siska, PharmD, has worked in various fields within the pharmaceutical industry as a licensed pharmacist for more than 20 years. She is currently a staff hospital pharmacist assisting nurses and doctors with drug prescribing, administration, and dispensing, as well as independently monitoring and dosing highly toxic and dangerous drugs. For 2 years, she was concurrently a consultant pharmacist for skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes. Dr. Siska is a member of the New Mexico Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Follow her on Twitter @GundaSiska Metformin is a medication that I believe is underappreciated by the general public. Many people ttell me that their doctor prescribed this drug for them, but they took themselves off of it, but if they knew what I know about metformin, they would have stayed on the medication. This is what I know: metformin extends life. It’s been proven in animal studies1 and in humans. A prospective observational study of nearly 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and arteriosclerosis found that metformin use was associated with 24% lower all-cause mortality compared to patients who were not taking metformin.2 It is also the number one go-to medication for type 2 diabetes for several years, despite all the new designer medications coming on the market trying to replace it. How does metformin save lives? Mainly through cardioprotection. Metformin reduces cardiovascular risk in humans.3 Most people with T2DM will most likely die from a cardiovascular event, especially if they are not on metformin.4,5,6 Metformin has so many positive effects on the body, no one really knows for sure all the ways it preserves life. It produces modest weight loss in the near term5 and blun Continue reading >>

Metformin: Is It Really The Best Treatment For Pcos?

If you suffer from diabetes, or have ever had a close friend or family member who was a diabetic, you might be familiar with the name of a drug called Metformin. It is not the only medication prescribed for diabetes, but it is one of the more common ones, and in many cases it yields results. According to the National Library of Medicine, Metformin is a drug often used to treat Type 2 diabetes. And the reason for this is clear: This medication has shown results in controlling the amount of glucose in your blood, which can be effective in managing or stabilizing a diabetic condition. The problem is that Metformin is not only prescribed for diabetes. Because of its effect on blood glucose, many doctors also give it to women suffering from PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). This condition is closely linked to Insulin Resistance, the inability of the body to properly use glucose form the blood. But this medication was not necessarily made to be given to those who suffer with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and the side effects can far outweigh the potential efficacy. Metformin: Hazardous to Your Health? While the Mayo Clinic reports that Metformin is often administered to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) patients—despite the fact that it is not approved for this use—the drug comes with a variety of potential side effects that any prospective user should know about in advance. Some of them are relatively innocuous, such as gas or stomach pain, but there is also a reported risk of liver damage and moderate to severe infections. These side effects might be easier to overlook if the drug were actually intended for use in PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Patients), but its label gives no indication that this is its intended use. But not to worry: There is a better way to combat Continue reading >>

What Is Metformin?

MORE Metformin is a prescription drug used primarily in the treatment of Type II diabetes. It can be used on its own or combined with other medications. In the United States, it is sold under the brand names Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza and Riomet. "Metformin is very often prescribed as the first step in a diabetic's regime," said Ken Sternfeld, a New York-based pharmacist. How it works "When you're diabetic you lose the ability to use the insulin you need to offset the food," Sternfeld explained. "If you eat a carb or sugar that can't be metabolized or offset by the insulin you produce, your sugar levels will be higher. Metformin and drugs in that category will help your body better metabolize that food so that insulin levels will be able to stay more in line." Metformin aims to decrease glucose production in the liver, consequently lowering the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. It also changes the way that your blood cells react to insulin. "It makes them more sensitive to insulin," said Dr. Stephen Neabore, a primary care doctor at the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C. "It makes the same amount of insulin work better. It transports the insulin to the cells in a more effective way." Metformin may have a preventive health role, as well. New research presented at the American Diabetes Association 2017 Scientific Sessions showed that long-term use of metformin is particularly useful in preventing the onset of type II diabetes in women who have suffered from gestational diabetes. Because metformin changes the way the body uses insulin, it is not used to treat Type I diabetes, a condition in which the body does not produce insulin at all. Metformin & PCOS Metformin is sometimes prescribed to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), according to Neabore. "I Continue reading >>

Dr Won't Prescribe Metformin

Friend T2 since Jan 26,2009, looking for guidance I don't understand this doctor. Wasn't there some study recently that showed how metformin could help prevent diabetes in pre-diabetic people? So it seems very irresponsible for this doctor to deny you this treatment until you are "actually" diabetic per her opinion. Seems to me if your Doctor says you are "pre" Diabetic what is he/she waiting for.If you are getting readings over 140 on a consistent basis it is time to start attacking the problem.I see no reason why you should not be on 1000 mg a day (mabey 500 to start)and see what your reaction is to it.My sugar levels were never absurdly high 200 was a rare occassion for me and 140-80 norms.Metformin has changed my life so much and for the better is unbelievable.My Doctor actually just asked me if I wanted to lessen the dosage from 1500 mg a day.I walked out with a new script for 1650 a day I think he gets my point.If you monitor daily why wouldn't you want to give it a shot.What are your highest numbers? Type 2 taking Metformin XR also actos which I plan to stop.Last A1C was 6.7 2-25-09 A1c 6.1.... 8-12-09 5.9...2-2010 5.7 8-12-09 Will now take 2 1000 mg Met per day Someone, somewhere - I can't remember which side of the Atlantic this person was - said that the HbA1c was a good guide to whether a person is diabetic or not, and that levels below 7 indicated that a person wasn't diabetic. Err no. it just means you've got the thing under control. I am a diagnosed diabetic with an HbA1c of below 7. I don't know which planet this person is on, but it's not this one, but I think they were a medical professional (there's an advisory on the use of that word!) Voltaire said:- "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than open one's mouth and remove all doubt!" Continue reading >>

Nhs Direct Doctor Says... No Testing When Taking Metformin

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community NHS Direct doctor says... NO testing when taking Metformin Sorry for the length of this, it is all relevent... I felt paticularly unwell the other day, and having gone without food for over 12 hours I tested my blood. My mmol/L was 12.0, which is high (for me). I was preparing my lunch at the time and wondered if I should still eat my main meal with this high reading, or not? My thinking being - if my reading is already high then eating could raise it even more. So, before cooking, I thought I'd ring "111" and ask their opinion (as it was a Bank Holiday and my options were limited). I talked with a very nice lady on the phone. She checked with her superior and came back to me to say it was OK to still eat it. She said a doctor would call me back within the next couple of hours, but if I felt worse to ring 111 again. Sometime later, after having cooked and eaten, I got a call from another lady saying the doctor was busy but would still call me back at some point. No problem I thought. When the doctor eventually did call me he asked some routine questions but then launched into a lecture on blood testing! He insisted I SHOULD NOT BE TESTING at all, as I was on Metformin. According to him, nobody on Metformin should be testing as it interferes with doing so (?!). I tried to explain I have always tested once a day, originally on my G.P.s instruction (and whilst taking Metformin). I told him the doctor stopped issuing test strips about a year ago (), however I have been buying them to continue testing myself (normally only once a day). I also pointed out to him if I didn't test my blood HOW was I supposed to know whether my diabetes was "under control" or Continue reading >>

Metformin Tablets

Generic Name: Metformin Tablets (met FOR min) Brand Name: Glucophage Warning Rarely, metformin may cause an acid health problem in the blood (lactic acidosis). The risk of lactic acidosis is higher in people with kidney problems and in people who take certain other drugs like topiramate. The risk is also higher in people with liver problems or heart failure, in older people (65 or older), or with alcohol use. If lactic acidosis happens, it can lead to other health problems and can be deadly. Lab tests to check the kidneys may be done while taking this medicine (metformin tablets). Talk with the doctor. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of too much lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis) like fast breathing, fast or slow heartbeat, a heartbeat that does not feel normal, very bad upset stomach or throwing up, feeling very sleepy, shortness of breath, feeling very tired or weak, very bad dizziness, feeling cold, or muscle pain or cramps. Do not take this medicine if you have a very bad infection, low oxygen, or a lot of fluid loss (dehydration). Talk with your doctor before you drink alcohol. If you are having an exam or test with contrast or have had one within the past 48 hours, talk with your doctor. Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine (metformin tablets). This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists. Uses of Metformin Tablets: It is used to lower blood sugar in patients with high blood sugar (diabetes). What do I need to tell my doctor BEFORE I take Metformin Tablets? If you have an allergy to metformin or any other part of this medicine. If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; i Continue reading >>

Metformin Hcl

Uses Metformin is used with a proper diet and exercise program and possibly with other medications to control high blood sugar. It is used in patients with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Metformin works by helping to restore your body's proper response to the insulin you naturally produce. It also decreases the amount of sugar that your liver makes and that your stomach/intestines absorb. How to use Metformin HCL Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking metformin and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually 1-3 times a day with meals. Drink plenty of fluids while taking this medication unless otherwise directed by your doctor. The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and other medications you may be taking. Be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). To reduce your risk of side effects (such as upset stomach), your doctor may direct you to start this medication at a low dose and gradually increase your dose. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to use it at the same times each day. If you are already taking another diabetes drug (such as chlorpropamide), follow your doctor's directions carefully for stopping/continuing the old drug and starting metformin. Check your blood sugar regularly a Continue reading >>

Diabetes Medication Metformin: Why Patients Stop Taking It

Gretchen Becker, author of The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed , has been taking metformin for more than 20 years after receiving a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 1996. I never had any problems with metformin until I took a pill that I thought was the extended-release version, but it wasnt, Becker told Healthline. Beckers doctor had accidentally prescribed the regular form of metformin. I had very loose bowels for several months until I figured out what the problem was, Becker said. After getting the proper prescription, it took several months for Beckers digestive system to recover. Corinna Cornejo, who received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 2009, told Healthline that her digestive woes didnt start until shed been taking metformin for more than a year. At first, I thought it was a response to dairy, but my doctor eventually switched my prescription to the extended-release version, Cornejo recalled. That has helped, but the side effect has not gone away completely. For some people, however, metformins unpleasant side effect of loose stools provides a much-needed balance to the side effects that can result from other diabetes drugs theyre taking. GLP-1 drugs, like Victoza or Byetta, can cause constipation, explained Robinson. Taking metformin with a GLP-1 drug means they actually complement each other, balancing out those side effects. And for some, metformin simply isnt the right drug. No matter what you do, some patients just dont tolerate the side effects well, said Robinson. Although there are many diabetes drugs on the market today, doctors will likely push metformin first. There has never been as many diabetes treatment options available as there are now, explained Robinson. But doctors look at cost, and metformin is th Continue reading >>

Ignore The Clickbait: Metformin Still Prescribed For Diabetics

Dear Dr. Roach • I have read online and in our local newspaper that doctors are no longer recommending metformin as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Can you please explain why metformin is no longer being prescribed? — P.K. Answer • I, too, have seen online ads saying that doctors no longer prescribe metformin, and if you click through enough times, you find that “one weird food” cures diabetes, and that a special diet totally eliminates the need for medication for all diabetics. This is referred to as “clickbait,” and I encourage you not to pay attention to it. Metformin remains an important medication for many people with Type 2 diabetes, especially if they are overweight. For those people with diabetes who need medication despite an appropriate diet and regular exercise, metformin has been shown to be more beneficial, in terms of preventing diabetic complications and death, than most of the other medication options. It isn’t right for everyone, and people with poor kidney function may not be able to safely take it. Only your doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant knows what is best for you. Dear Dr. Roach • I started researching information about early dementia and also Alzheimer’s disease. I have perused numerous articles about cholinesterase inhibitors increasing acetylcholine levels that benefit the brain. Some medications are anticholinergic and might increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Many of these medications are everyday, over-the-counter drugs. Shouldn’t the public be made aware of these drugs and their possible effect on our brain? — P.C. Answer • One type of treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. These include donepezil (Aricept) and others. Pharmaco Continue reading >>

Here’s Why Doctors Have Stopped Prescribing Metformin

We are quickly approaching the day when people diagnosed with Type II Diabetes can kiss goodbye to their expensive pills and annoying needles and test strips. This is thanks to a breakthrough from a Sri Lankan researcher, a specialist in endocrinology with 23 years’ experience, that is going to change everything we thought we knew about how to treat Type II Diabetes... No more needles! Would you be willing to try a "Delicious Dish"or even a "Miracle Smoothie" that could solve the problem of diabetes naturally? Mr. Michel Dempsey, in a brave (and lucky) attempt to save his wife from diabetes discovered a Sri Lankan tribe that has 0 cases of diabetes or pre diabetes. Against all odds he was able, with the help of a Sri Lankan researcher from the university of Peradeniya, to develop a natural treatment to reverse diabetes using the exact same ingredients the tribe has been consuming for decades. He said that he just couldn't see the mother of his 3 children unable to cast off the shackles of diabetes. He wanted to find a better future for her. Now, several years of research, study and experiments later, Chaminda, the Sri Lankan researcher, has discovered a surprisingly simple way to stop diabetes and even reverse it, giving you back the life you had before. The method involves doing away with the foods that are making the problem worse, and replacing them with ingredients and superfood that has doctors baffled. This new method was met with harsh criticism from the medical community and pharmaceutical companies, but he was never criticised by those who actually try it; most of them experienced success in just a few weeks. Michel says that this method has proven results, and these results can speak for themselves. By now you’re probably wondering why you’ve never heard Continue reading >>

Type 2 - Can I Take 2 X Metformin Without The Ok From My Doctor? | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community Type 2 Can I take 2 x Metformin without the ok from my Doctor? So I was recommended a single 500mg Metformin a day it is NOT the ER just the regular metformin from India those cheap stuff. It doesn't work all that good I want to take twice this amount can I take 1000mg at the same time? or one 500 twice a day without consulting him? 500MG seems waay too low if you ask me. He prescribed Gliclazide for me however as we all know that burns out your pancreas in like 10 years time. I read an article a scientist from New Castle University said fat people who get diabetes means fat is blocking the pancreas and liver and that losing 1gram of fat in pancreas and liver will reverse diabetes type 2. While I try to eat other types of food its just too expensive for me to afford, I have no choice but to rely on things like bread and rice as my main meal its the only real affordable thing so my decision was to eat much less of it and do more exercise But I feel like taking 1 metformin 500mg a day is a waste of time. Why would be prescribe Gliclazide to me and burn out my pancreas? I only developed diabetes last 8 months. Last year I didn't have diabetes its a recent thing for me. So my pancreas should be operating fine still minus the fat blockage? douglas99 I reversed my Type 2 Well-Known Member I am 260 pounds and 5 foot 11 inches so therefore I am 100 pounds overweight and therefore morbid Obese Maybe I could reverse the type 2 if I lose the weight? if I lost 100 pounds I wonder if my blood sugar would be reduced significantly? I can't believe this stupid inconsiderate doctor would prescribe Gliclazide to me to burn out my pancreas. If not for the internet I wou Continue reading >>

Metformin Hell | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community Discussion in ' Metformin/Biguanides ' started by Medusalight , Jul 24, 2014 . I have recently been diagnosed type two and since mid june I have had metformin and earth shatteringly bad daily diarrhea, I skipped my pills in the morning one day as I knew I had a hospital appointment which could take a few hours and guess what no problems come home took meds and stomach upset so its definately the Metformin, I told my doctor and nurse and the doctor told me to keep taking them it would calm down eventually and the nurse told me to up the bloody dose by one tablet at night which I have not done, I keep asking them for other pills but they say keep at it my stomach would settle, its been almost a month and if anything it feels worse, if I refuse pills and go to diet only will I be able to manage my diabetes that way or should I demand to speak to another doctor? Metformin has very little effect on blood sugar levels. Much more can be achieved through diet. Have you looked at / considered low carb? My husband James, dropped Metformin and went diet-only. His most recent HbA1c was middle of the normal range - way below diabetic, after being diagnosed at dangerously high levels this time last year. I suspect they only prescribe the stuff as a punishment for being too fat and costing the NHS money - but that's just me being cynical, so ignore me! There is a lot of information on this site about low carb, so do have a look round Metformin has very little effect on blood sugar levels. Much more can be achieved through diet. Have you looked at / considered low carb? My husband James, dropped Metformin and went diet-only. His most recent HbA1c was middle of the no Continue reading >>