Glucophage 500 – instructions for use, tablet indications, composition, side effects, analogues and price

The 21st century has already been called the century of losing weight. The industry of sports, healthy nutrition and various dietary supplements has never reached such a level as it is now. We commend you for taking the time to organize workouts and learn about healthy eating.

But what to do if being busy doesn’t allow you to take proper care of your own weight, and constant snacking only increases the numbers on the scale? What to do if heredity or poor nutrition has given you diabetes? A drug like Glucophage can come to the rescue. We will discuss below what this pharmacological agent is.

Description

Endocrinologists initially prescribed the drug “Glucophage” for the diagnosis of “Hyperglycemia”. It was taken with food in order to normalize blood sugar levels. The ability of the tablets to break down fats allowed experts to think that the drug could also be used by people who want to lose weight.

This pharmacological drug is classified as an oral hypoglycemic agent and is well tolerated by the gastrointestinal tract.

The main active substance is metformin hydrochloride, which does not enhance insulin production and does not have a hypoglycemic effect in patients who do not have problems with diabetes.

Drug interactions

The instructions for use of Glucophage indicate its drug interactions with other medications:

• it is prohibited to combine the drug with iodine-containing radiopaque agents, so as not to cause lactic acidosis and diabetes complications;
• combination with Danazol is used with caution to avoid hyperglycemic effects;
• Chlorpromazine increases blood glucose concentrations, reducing insulin release;
• treatment with antipsychotics requires dose adjustment of Glucophage;
• glucocorticosteroids reduce glucose tolerance, increase its level in the blood, and can cause ketosis;
• When treated with diuretics, lactic acidosis may develop;
• injections of beta-agonists increase sugar concentration, ACE inhibitors and antihypertensive therapy reduce this indicator;
• when combined with sulfonylurea derivatives, Acarbose, salicylates, hypoglycemia may occur;
• Amilord, Morphine, Quinidine, Ranitidine lead to an increase in the concentration of the active substance.

Effect on the body

A natural physiological process of any healthy person is an increase in blood sugar levels during meals. The main active ingredient of Glucophage, metformin, is designed to control increases in normal sugar levels. In addition, the active component controls the level of insulin, which is produced by the pancreas after eating.

The effect of the drug "Glucophage" on the body is characterized by the following points:

• stabilization of lipid metabolism, which is usually unbalanced in people with diabetes;
• slowing down and subsequently stopping the breakdown of carbohydrates taken with food in order to prevent their transformation into fat deposits;
• monitoring and normalization of blood glucose levels, as well as the breakdown of cholesterol;
• a natural and healthy decrease in appetite, as well as cravings for high-calorie foods, which is directly related to the normalization of the process of insulin synthesis.

The combination of the above actions of the drug allows people suffering from diabetes to control their sugar levels and feel much better due to the stabilization of endocrine processes.

Instructions for use

The drug "Glucophage", according to the instructions, is administered orally 2-3 times a day strictly during or after meals. The active component is better absorbed when digested along with leftover food.

For monotherapy, the maintenance dose for an adult is 1500-2000 mg per day. It must be divided into at least 3 meals and washed down thoroughly with cool water. The maximum daily dose is 3000 mg.

Please note that the maintenance dose of the drug when combined with insulin will be no more than 850 mg per day. It also needs to be divided into several steps.

Children over ten years of age are usually prescribed an initial dose of no more than 850 mg per day. The principles of administration are the same as for an adult. The maximum daily dose for a child is 2000 mg. After 2 weeks of the drug, the schedule for taking Glucophage can be adjusted for the child. Children under ten years of age are not recommended to use the tablets.

The dose of Glucophage for older people is determined individually and depends on the creatine content in the blood serum. Such precautions are associated with a natural decline in why function in older people.

Is there a result?

The main thing that worries every patient is, of course, the final result. To evaluate the effectiveness of a drug, you can go to medical forums and websites where people who have already taken it actively share their experiences. Reading them, it becomes clear that the drug will be useful for diabetics and people whose degree of obesity exceeds the initial level, and whose BMI has approached or exceeded 30 kg/m².

Those who plan to use these “miracle pills” for rapid weight loss (for example, to get themselves in order before an upcoming corporate event) should abandon their idea, because along with their weight they can lose a significant part of their health.

Benefits and harms

The sections “Indications for use”, “Contraindications” and “Side effects” are the first things you should study before you start taking this or that drug. In accordance with clinical studies and in the absence of any contraindications, it was revealed that Glucophage tablets:

1. Slow down the development of complications and prevent various possible consequences of diabetes.
2. Lowers blood sugar levels.
3. Regulate cholesterol levels in the body of adults and children.
4. Promotes weight loss.
5. Reduce cardiovascular risk factors.
6. Extend life.

As for the harm of this pharmacological agent, it is directly related to the contraindications that the patient has in relation to this drug.

But even in patients without contraindications, when taking pills there is often a decrease in vitamin B12, which is responsible for normalizing the functioning of the nervous system and the body’s absorption of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Release form

Metformin (Glucophage) is a drug that has an oval and convex capsule shell.

It is produced in different dosages:

• 0.5 g and 0.85 g – milky tablets, round, elongated, covered with a capsule shell;

• 1 g – milky tablet dosage form: round, elongated tablets, with a break line in the middle. A distinctive feature of this type of medicine is the inscription 1000 on both sides of the tablet.

Indications and contraindications

Endocrinologists identify 3 main indications for the use of Glucophage:

• prediabetic condition;
• diabetes mellitus type 2;
• obesity causing diabetes mellitus.

Among the main contraindications for use, the following can be noted:

• age under 10 years and over 65 years;
• kidney, respiratory tract and liver diseases;
• chronic heart and kidney failure;
• forms of coronary heart disease;
• hyperglycemic coma;
• infectious diseases;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• systematic exercise, especially with constant strength and cardio exercises.

Important: stop taking the drug if you are on a low-calorie diet (less than 1000 kilocalories per day). Doctors also recommend stopping taking the pills a few days before undergoing tests or surgery.

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special instructions

In the instructions for use there is a point of special instructions that must be studied especially carefully:

• due to the accumulation of metformin, a rare but serious disease, lactic acidosis, can occur with high mortality (causes may be renal failure, ketosis, fasting, low-carbohydrate diet, alcoholism);
• the medication should be stopped 2 days before elective surgery and continued two days after surgery;
• when used alone, the drug is not capable of causing hypoglycemia;
• the drug does not affect the concentration of attention and the speed of psychomotor reactions, so it can be taken when controlling mechanisms.

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Side effects

Possible side effects are most often associated with the reaction of the digestive system to taking the drug:

• nausea and profuse vomiting;
• iron taste in the mouth regardless of what the patient ate;
• increased gas formation and flatulence;
• prolonged lack of appetite;
• pain and colic in the abdominal area.

More tangible side effects include:

• decrease in temperature and pressure;
• constant drowsiness, fatigue, weakness;
• dysfunction of absorption;
• an allergic reaction in the form of severe itching and redness.

Drug compatibility

“Glucophage” is a very serious drug with a wide spectrum of action, and not a dietary supplement, the principle of which lies mainly in faith in it.

Moreover, this pill has a rich list of contraindications and many different conditions. Therefore, it makes sense to consider the compatibility of the drug with other drugs.

With alcohol

The drug "Glucophage" and alcoholic beverages of any quality are incompatible. This prohibition applies for the entire period of taking the product. The main reason for strictly avoiding alcohol while taking the pills is the high risk of hypoglycemic coma. It's simple: while drinking alcohol, the concentration of glucose in the blood sharply decreases and hypoglycemia develops sharply.

When Glucophage interacts with alcohol, lactic acidosis may develop due to decreased absorption of lactate by the liver. Here are some more likely consequences of taking alcohol with pills:

• development of heart failure;
• insufficient saturation of the respiratory tract with oxygen;
• kidney dysfunction;
• muscle pain;
• nausea, vomiting, dizziness.

With medications

Before you start taking the drug in accordance with one of the above indications, study the main aspects of the interaction of Glucophage with other medications:

1. The effectiveness of treatment will increase when taking Glucophage in combination with insulin.
2. When prescribing X-ray examinations using iodine-containing solutions, the use of Glucophage should be interrupted.
3. Any alcohol-based medications are incompatible with Glucophage.
4. When using Glucophage with any diuretics or drugs with indirect glycemic effects, you must consult an endocrinologist.
5. The above dosage of the drug should be adjusted when taking drugs systematically to lower blood pressure.

Glucophage in sports

Recent clinical studies of this drug indicate that there is no need to give up sports when taking Glucophage.

Any physical activity is accompanied by an increase in blood lactate levels. When it is excessively increased, acid-base metabolism is disrupted in the body. Old-generation drugs could not provide the desired effect on the athlete’s body, and playing sports was fraught with severe complications, including permanent loss of consciousness.

The pharmacological technology of Glucophage has made a big step forward and any negative effect from the use of a drug that lowers blood sugar has been reduced to a minimum.

For girls

Girls are more prone to obesity than men. At the same time, physical activity is always less for the fair sex, which means any risks from using this drug are reduced to almost a minimum.

The main warnings for girls taking Glucophage are as follows:

• if there are changes in the menstrual cycle, possible pregnancy, pregnancy or breastfeeding, this medication should be discontinued;
• If you experience a feeling of weakness during exercise, you should interrupt the training and reduce the dosage of the drug.

For men

Most male aspirations in the field of sports are built around bodybuilding. Proteins are used to build muscles, and carbohydrates to provide the necessary energy. In the absence of carbohydrate norms, the body begins to use fats to build body contour. Because of this, many men follow a low-carb diet. The mechanism of Glucophage's work is to inhibit the process of gluconeogenesis, through which glucose is formed in the body.

Moreover, this drug interferes with the absorption of glucose, which is necessary for men who create a sculpted body.

What men should remember:

• Regardless of changes in physical activity, the dose of the drug prescribed by the doctor must be strictly observed;
• the period of use of the tablets should not be increased;
• repeated use of the drug is possible with the permission of the attending physician;
• If the effectiveness of training decreases, you should contact a specialist.

Reviews of those losing weight

After giving birth, I had a hormonal imbalance, the scale mark showed 95 kg. After going through the doctors, he was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. I was prescribed Glucophage 1000 mg during dinner and adherence to the principles of proper nutrition. The result was not long in coming; after two months of use, I lost 9 kg. Grade:

Ekaterina, 27 years old

This is a very strong drug, it is intended for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, but not for ordinary weight loss. Unfortunately, I have a sad experience of using it; instead of losing weight, I ended up with serious health problems - dizziness and indigestion. The extra pounds have gone away; in 3 weeks I lost about 5 kg. Grade:

Natalya, 25 years old

I am skeptical about weight loss medications. However, thanks to these pills, my work colleagues easily said goodbye to those extra pounds. I decided to try it and was amazed - I lost 10 kg in 4 weeks. Grade:

Anna, 45 years old

Problems at work and in the family led to fat gain. Diets and exercise did not help get rid of it. And I decided to try Glucophage, since I had heard positive reviews more than once. I took 2 courses for 3 weeks with a break of a month and a half, during which time I lost more than 10 kg. I am very pleased. Grade:

Olga, 35 years old

Analogues of the drug

Due to intolerance to any of the components of the drug, it makes sense to turn to analogues of the drug with the same spectrum of action:

Analogues of the drug, as well as the medication itself, must be prescribed by a doctor. The above tablets have a single principle of action, but the main active components differ slightly.

The drug "Glucophage" helps maintain normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels. For people without contraindications, it can help improve their health and overall well-being. Stop self-prescribing and make an appointment with an endocrinologist.