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What is Metformin?
Metformin is a diabetic medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as biguanides. Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that causes your body to absorb glucose (sugar) from the blood. Your body either consumes glucose to generate energy or saves it for later use. Diabetes occurs when your pancreas does not create enough insulin or when your body does not effectively utilise the insulin that is produced. This results in a high glucose content in the blood. Metformin aids in the normalisation of your blood glucose levels. If you are an overweight adult, using Metformin for an extended period of time can help minimise your risk of diabetic problems.
How does it work?
Metformin is a biguanide with antihyperglycemic properties that lowers postprandial and baseline plasma glucose levels. It has no effect on insulin secretion and so does not produce hypoglycemia.
Metformin acts in three ways:
- Inhibiting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis reduces hepatic glucose synthesis.
- In the muscle, it improves insulin sensitivity, peripheral glucose absorption, and utilisation.
- It slowed glucose absorption in the intestine.
Metformin promotes intracellular glycogen production by inhibiting glycogen synthase. Metformin improves the transport capacity of all known glucose membrane transporters (GLUT).
What are the benefits of taking it?
Metformin is used to treat type 2 diabetes (commonly known as "non-insulin-dependent diabetes") when diet and exercise alone have failed to regulate blood glucose levels. It is most often utilised in overweight people.
Metformin can be used to treat diabetes in adults either alone or in combination with other medications (medicines taken by mouth or insulin). Metformin can be used alone or in combination with insulin in children as young as 10 years old.
How do I use it and its dosage?
Always take Metformin exactly as your doctor has told you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have doubts.
These Glucophage tablets can replace the benefits derived from a healthy lifestyle. Continue to follow any diet advice your doctor has told you and exercise regularly:
Children from 10 years and adolescents generally start with 500 mg or 850 mg of Metformin once a day. The maximum daily dose is 2000 mg divided into 2 or 3 doses. The treatment of children between 10 and 12 years old is only recommended on the specific advice of their doctor since the clinical experience in this group of patients is limited.
Adults generally start with 500 mg or 850 mg of Metformin or three times a day. The maximum daily dose is 3000 mg divided into 3 doses. If you have reduced kidney function, your doctor may prescribe a lower dose.
If you also use insulin, your doctor will tell you how to start taking Metformin.
Monitoring:
Your doctor will perform tests to check your blood glucose and will adjust your dose of Metformin to your blood glucose level. Be sure to speak regularly with your doctor. This is particularly important for children, teens, or if you are elderly.
Your doctor will also check, at least once a year, how your kidneys work. You may need more frequent check-ups if you are elderly or if your kidneys are not working normally.
How to take Metformin 850 mg
Take the tablets with or after meals. This will prevent you from suffering adverse effects that affect your digestion.
Do not break or chew the tablets. Swallow each tablet with a glass of water.
- If you take one dose a day, take it in the morning (at breakfast).
- If you take two doses a day, take them in the morning (breakfast) and in the evening (dinner).
- If you take three doses a day, take them in the morning (breakfast), at noon (lunch), and in the evening (dinner).
Side effects & precautions
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Metformin can cause a very rare side effect (may affect up to 1 person in 10,000), but a very serious one, called lactic acidosis. If this occurs, you should stop taking Metformin and Contact a doctor or nearest hospital immediately, as lactic acidosis can lead to a coma.
The following side effects may occur.
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
- Digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain (abdominal pain), and loss of appetite. These side effects occur more frequently at the beginning of treatment with Metformin. It helps to spread the doses throughout the day and if you take the tablets during or immediately after a meal. If symptoms continue, stop taking Metformin and consult your doctor.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Very rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):
- Lactic acidosis. It is a very rare but serious complication, especially if your kidneys are not working properly. Symptoms of lactic acidosis are not specific.
- Liver function test abnormalities or hepatitis (inflammation of the liver; this can cause tiredness, loss of appetite, weight loss, with or without yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes). If this happens to you, stop taking Metformin and contact your doctor immediately.
- Skin reactions such as redness of the skin (erythema), itching, or an itchy rash (urticaria).
- Low concentration of vitamin B12 in the blood.
Why can't I get this medicine on the NHS?
Many patients have reported that it has become difficult to obtain liquid version of their medicines when they are having difficulty taking more traditional dose forms.
Instead of prescriptions for manufactured solutions or suspensions, some patients are being advised to use a crushed tablet dissolved in water to achieve a liquid version of their medicine.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always a suitable or convenient option for some patients.
Buying Metformin online.
You can buy Metformin Oral Solution online through one of the UK’s leading online pharmacies, Pharmacy Planet. It's easy and convenient. You will need to fill out a short assessment and the item will be delivered directly to your door. If you want to buy this diabetes medication online, use Pharmacy Planet
