Metformin, 500 mg, film-coated tablets, 60 pcs.

Why and to whom is Metformin prescribed?

Indications for taking Metformin, which are presented in the official instructions:

• Diabetes mellitus type 2.
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus in obese patients with insulin resistance.

However, in reality, many people take Metformin to lose weight. It is also prescribed for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome in women. This measure increases the patient's chances of successful conception.

In addition to taking the medicine, women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome must follow a low-carbohydrate diet and exercise. This increases the chances of successful conception.

special instructions

As you take the drug, you need to monitor your kidney function.

Twice a year it is important to determine the level of lactate (lactic acid) in plasma. This is a must if you experience muscle pain.

An important indicator is the level of creatinine (a metabolite in protein metabolism). It characterizes the state of the muscular system and kidneys. An analysis to determine the concentration of this substance should be carried out once every six months.

The drug should be stopped 2 days before and 2 days after the X-ray contrast study. If a bronchopulmonary infection or infectious diseases of the genitourinary system occurs, you should immediately consult your doctor. The drug affects the ability to control machinery and vehicles.

Metformin: instructions for use

Prediabetes and Metformin use

Metformin can be taken by obese people with prediabetes. This will reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

First you need to try to get rid of excess weight through diet. If the effect cannot be achieved, then medications can be added. In addition to diet, a person needs to increase his physical activity: exercise, walk more, jog. At the same time, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure levels, as well as blood sugar levels, including on an empty stomach.

How long should the course of treatment last?

Metformin is not a drug that is prescribed in courses. It is taken throughout life, without interruption, daily.

If a person develops diarrhea or other digestive disorders, this is not a reason to stop treatment. It may be necessary to reduce the dosage for a while.

Once every 6 months you should take a blood test to determine the level of vitamin B12 in the body. If there is a deficiency, it should be taken separately. There is also a recommendation to take vitamin B12 for preventive purposes.

Diet and taking Metformin

To lose excess weight, as well as during diabetes treatment, you should follow a low-carbohydrate diet. It is not enough to simply cut down on your daily calorie intake and fat intake - this will not keep your sugar levels under control. Moreover, a low-calorie diet increases appetite, which will lead to overeating, breakdowns and weight gain.

If you do not reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, you will not be able to achieve a therapeutic effect by taking pills or even using insulin injections. Eating the right foods will help you stay full and prevent obesity.

Which drug to choose: Metformin, Siofor or Glucophage?

Glucophage is an original drug based on metformin. Siofor and other drugs are its analogues.

Glucophage Long is a product with a long-lasting effect. Its use is less likely to provoke the development of adverse reactions in the form of diarrhea than conventional drugs based on metformin. Glucophage Long is taken before bed, which will prevent a morning spike in blood sugar.

The cost of Glucophage and Glucophage Long is not high. Therefore, switching to their analogues does not make sense. You won't be able to save much.

Which brand of metformin is best used to treat diabetes and obesity?

If you look at the situation objectively, it is best to give preference to the original drugs - Glucophage and Glucophage Long. They are produced in France. Manufactured by Merk. Siofor and other drugs based on metformin are produced in the CIS countries.

What is the difference between metformin and formitin?

There is no difference. Formetin is a drug based on metformin, which is produced in Russia. It is produced by the Pharmstandard company. The dosage of the drug is 500, 850 and 1000 mg. The cost of Formetin is lower than the cost of the drug Glucophage, but the difference is not great.

Metformin and Gliformin - what is the difference?

Gliformin is another analogue of the original drug Glucophage. It also contains metformin. The drug Gliformin is produced by the Russian company OJSC Akrikhin. There is no difference in price between the original and the analogue.

Regular metformin and extended-release metformin - what's the difference?

If a person takes regular metformin, the drug is absorbed very quickly. Already 4 hours after its administration, the maximum concentration of the main active substance is observed in the blood. Prescribe the drug 3 times a day with meals.

When a person takes extended-release metformin, it takes longer for the drug to be absorbed, but it will also take longer to act. The drug is prescribed once a day, before bedtime. This will prevent a sharp increase in blood sugar in the morning.

Long-acting metformin is less likely to cause side effects in the form of disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. However, it has less control over your sugar levels throughout the day. Therefore, it is recommended for use specifically by those people who have high fasting glucose levels. The original drug for metformin is Glucophage Long. There are also analogues of this drug on sale that have a prolonged effect.

The effect of metformin on the liver. Fatty liver disease and metformin use

Metformin should not be taken if you have severe liver damage, such as cirrhosis or liver failure. In case of fatty liver hepatosis, its use, on the contrary, will bring significant benefits. In addition, the patient will need to follow a low carbohydrate diet. If you follow these recommendations, you will be able to improve your own well-being in a short time. Fatty liver disease can be overcome through proper nutrition and taking metformin. At the same time, the person will begin to lose weight.

Metformin intake and hormonal levels

Metformin has no effect on male potency or testosterone levels in the blood.

With polycystic ovary syndrome, women experience high levels of male sex hormones, as well as metabolic disorders and insulin resistance. Taking metformin, for example, Siofor, will help get rid of the existing problem. The drug helps normalize female hormonal levels and increases the likelihood of successful conception.

What drug should be taken instead of Metformin for renal failure?

It is prohibited to take Metformin if you have kidney failure. It is not prescribed to patients with diabetes whose glomerular infiltration rate is reduced to 45 ml/minute.

In case of renal failure, you can take drugs such as Januvia, Galvus, Glyurenorm. Insulin injections are also possible. In any case, only a doctor should prescribe therapy to patients with such problems.

Contraindications

• allergy to the active substance or any auxiliary component;
• conditions that increase the risk of lactic acidosis, including impaired renal function with creatinine more than 150 µmol/l, chronic liver and lung diseases;
• renal failure with creatinine clearance <45 ml/min. or GFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m²;
• liver failure;
• diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic coma;
• acute congestive heart failure (but harmless in chronic heart failure);
• acute phase of myocardial infarction;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• acute alcohol poisoning.
• period before surgical operations (2 days), X-ray contrast studies.

Carefully

• children from 10 to 12 years old;
• elderly people (after 65 years);
• persons who are engaged in heavy physical labor, which increases the risk of lactic acidosis.

Metformin prolongs life - is it true?

Metformin definitely helps prolong life in people suffering from diabetes, as it prevents the development of severe complications of the disease.

As for the increase in life expectancy in those patients who do not suffer from diabetes, there is no scientific evidence of this fact. However, research on this issue has already been launched.

You can also find reviews that treatment with Glucophage slows down aging. This is confirmed by people who do not take it to treat diabetes.

Prophylactic use of Metformin and its dosage

If a person suffers from obesity, then he can take Metformin for preventive purposes. This drug allows you to get rid of several kilograms of excess weight, as well as normalize cholesterol levels, which, in turn, is an excellent prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Before starting prophylactic use, you should study the instructions for use and make sure there are no contraindications.

It is recommended to start taking Metformin at the age of 35-40 years, although there is no detailed data on this matter. In addition to medical weight correction, you will need to adhere to a low-carbohydrate diet. It should be understood that the effect of the pills will be minimal if you continue to eat incorrectly. Products containing refined sugars are especially harmful.

Obese people need to take Metformin at a dosage of 2550 mg per day. If treatment is carried out with a drug with a prolonged action, then the daily dose should be 2000 mg. You need to increase it gradually. During the first week, it will be enough to take 500-850 mg of the drug per day. This will allow the body to adapt to the drug.

If a person does not have the problem of excess weight, and he wants to take Metformin to prevent early aging, then it is enough to drink 500-1700 mg of the drug per day. There is no detailed information on this issue.

Metformin for weight loss

Metformin allows you to lose weight without harm to your health, since the drug rarely causes serious side effects. In addition, it can be used to normalize cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

Given these facts, it should not be surprising that metformin is often used for weight loss. The experience of taking it has been for more than 50 years. Metformin-based drugs are produced by many pharmaceutical companies. This allows us to keep the price of the original drug Glucophage at a low level.

In order not to provoke the development of side effects, metformin should be taken in small doses (when taking the drug for the first time). Before starting the fight against excess weight, you need to make sure that the person has no contraindications to the use of the drug.

How much can you lose with metformin?

If you don’t change your diet and don’t exercise, you won’t be able to lose more than 2-4 kg.

When, after 1.5-2 months from the start of taking metformin, there is no result and the weight remains at the same levels, this may indicate that the person has hypothyroidism. You definitely need to see a specialist and get tested for thyroid hormones.

Following a low-carbohydrate diet in combination with metformin can achieve significant weight loss of 15 kg or more. To maintain these results, you need to take Metformin on an ongoing basis. After stopping the pills, the weight may come back.

Does Elena Malysheva recommend metformin for weight loss?

Elena Malysheva says that metformin is a remedy for old age, but she does not mention its properties for reducing excess weight. The famous TV presenter recommends sticking to the diet she developed and not taking medications for weight loss. However, this measure is not suitable for every person.

What allows you to lose weight faster: metformin or Glucophage?

Glucophage is a drug based on metformin. Moreover, it is an original medicine. Therefore, with its help it is quite possible to lose weight. If Glucophage leads to the development of severe diarrhea, then you can try taking Glucophage Long.

Metformin and hypothyroidism

Metformin can be taken for hypothyroidism, since this disease is not listed as a contraindication. It is also allowed to be used in conjunction with drugs for the treatment of hypothyroidism. It is possible that this will allow you to lose weight and improve your health. However, hypothyroidism must be treated by a doctor, and metformin does not have any effect on the course of the disease.

Interaction with other drugs

The simultaneous use of iodine-containing radiocontrast agents is contraindicated. In this case, the risk of developing renal failure, excessive accumulation of the drug, and lactic acidosis increases.

Taking the medication in parallel with sulfonylurea derivatives, NSAIDs, Acarbose, and Insulin may enhance the hypoglycemic effect.

A decrease in hypoglycemic effect occurs when used together with:

• glucocorticosteroids;
• thyroid hormones;
• loop diuretics;
• phenothiazine derivatives;
• sympathomimetics.

In rare cases, simultaneous use with Indomethacin (suppositories) can cause metabolic acidosis.

Alcohol compatibility

Compatibility with alcoholic beverages or alcohol-containing medications is negative. Acute alcohol poisoning, especially in the setting of a low-calorie diet or liver damage, is associated with an increased likelihood of developing lactic acidosis.

Metformin and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Metformin is a drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which allows you to control glucose levels both after meals and on an empty stomach. The use of metformin allows you to prevent the development of severe complications of the disease, stop its progression and not harm your health. Metformin should not be considered as a miracle cure that will get rid of diabetes. Of course, there have been cases where a person has overcome obesity, and the disease has receded, which made it possible to stop using metformin, but such situations are rare.

If a person takes metformin regularly and for a long time, this will help normalize the level of sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, as well as get rid of excess weight.

Metformin is a safe drug, so it is prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and obesity in children over 10 years of age. You need to start taking the drug with a minimum dosage of 500-850 mg per day, gradually increasing the daily volume of the drug to 2250 mg. If the drug Glucophage Long is used for treatment, then a dose of less than 2000 mg should be taken per day.

It will not be possible to keep diabetes and weight under control solely with the help of medications. The patient will need to follow a diet. Otherwise, diabetes will continue to progress and lead to the development of severe complications.

Which metformin drug is best for lowering blood sugar?

For the treatment of diabetes mellitus, it is preferable to use Glucophage. This is an original drug at a price affordable for most people. You can also take its analogue Siofor.

To prevent blood sugar from rising in the morning, you can use the drug Glucophage Long. It is taken before bed so it will work throughout the night. When this measure fails to keep sugar levels at a stable level, insulin injections may be required. It must be remembered that a morning rise in blood glucose contributes to the development of diabetes complications. Therefore, such jumps cannot be ignored.

If metformin gives me diarrhea or it doesn’t help, what can I replace it with?

It is difficult to find a replacement for metformin - this is a unique substance for lowering blood sugar.

Therefore, first you need to try to prevent diarrhea, so as not to look for a replacement for metformin. To do this, you should start treatment with low doses of the drug. This will allow the body to adapt to the drug and not react to it by disrupting the digestive processes.

The long-acting drug is less likely to cause diarrhea. Therefore, for a while you can replace regular Metformin tablets with it.

If taking a medication does not lower blood sugar levels, it is likely that the person will develop type 1 diabetes. In this case, the pancreas has exhausted all its reserves and is no longer able to produce insulin. Then you need to switch to injections of this hormone. Otherwise, a person may die from complications of diabetes. You need to stop taking pills.

In a situation where metformin reduces blood sugar levels, but this is not enough, treatment can be supplemented with insulin injections, but in small doses.

If a person has low body weight, but develops diabetes, then such patients should be immediately prescribed insulin. Sugar-burning drugs will not help you cope with the disease.

Taking metformin leads to increased blood sugar levels, what is the reason?

Metformin will not help lower blood sugar levels if type 2 diabetes is severe or a person has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. In this case, insulin injections and diet will be required.

The doctor may recommend replacing or supplementing metformin drugs with such drugs as: Diabeton MV, Amaryl, Manil, etc. Also, the latest generation drugs are already available for purchase, including: Januvia, Galvus, Forxiga, Jardins, etc. If their use is also not allows you to achieve the desired effect, you should switch to insulin injections. You should not refuse insulin therapy. Moreover, taking medications can reduce the insulin dose by 2-7 times. This will allow you to keep sugar under control and not cause harm to your health.

Is it possible to combine metformin and Diabeton MV?

It is not recommended to take Diabeton MB simultaneously with metformin. It is better to give preference to the latter drug if there are no contraindications to it.

Treatment of diabetes with metformin and insulin injections

Most often, metformin drugs are prescribed in a complex regimen with insulin injections. This will allow you to fix your sugar level at 4.0-5.5 mmol/l.

Diabetes can be managed only with the help of diet and oral intake of sugar-burning drugs, provided that it is at an early stage of its development. In other cases, low doses of insulin are required. This is true for patients whose sugar levels do not drop below 6.0-7.0 mmol/l. At such rates, complications of diabetes will progress, although not very quickly.

If we consider the steps to treat diabetes mellitus, we should first try to correct the existing disorder with the help of a dietary pattern and physical activity. Only then do they switch to taking sugar-burning drugs. When it is not possible to achieve an effect, insulin injections are indicated. The insulin dosage will need to be reduced by 25% if a person is simultaneously receiving metformin medications. Exceeding the dose of insulin during treatment with sugar-burning agents threatens the development of hypoglycemia.

In addition to the above treatment measures, patients with diabetes need to exercise. Jogging or, as it is also called, qi-running, helps control the disease. You can also diversify your physical activity with Nordic walking.

Metformin: how to take?

Metformin is taken with food, which reduces the risk of side effects.

Tablets that have a prolonged effect should be taken whole, without chewing. They contain a cellulose matrix, which is responsible for the slow release of the main active ingredient. The breakdown of such a matrix occurs in the intestines. In this case, a change in the consistency of the stool is possible, but without the development of diarrhea. It does not pose any health threat.

Is it possible to take metformin without consulting a doctor?

Metformin drugs are available at pharmacies without a prescription, so a person can purchase them without first visiting a doctor. Before using the drug for the first time, you need to make sure that the patient has no contraindications to its use. The best way to do this is to take a blood test. It will assess the performance of the liver and kidneys. Such tests must be taken at least once every 6 months. It is also important to control blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels, which will make it possible to prevent the development of severe cardiovascular pathologies.

What is the maximum daily dose of metformin?

For both weight loss and the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the patient is prescribed a daily dose of metformin of 2550 mg. In this case, a person will need to take 1 tablet of the drug 3 times a day. The dosage of the drug is 850 mg.

If a long-acting drug is used for treatment, the maximum daily dose is 2000 mg. To do this, take 4 tablets of 500 mg of Glucophage Long before bed.

The first doses of the drug should be minimal: 500 or 850 mg. Then, monitoring the body’s reaction, the dosage is gradually increased. Slow adaptation will prevent the development of severe complications from the digestive system.

If a person decides to take metformin to increase life expectancy, it is recommended to maintain a dosage of 500-1700 mg per day, but no more.

How long does the effect last?

Long-acting metformin works for 8-9 hours. Regular metformin tablets retain their effect for no more than 6 hours. If the next dose was taken before the previous dose was in effect, then do not worry. It will not harm your health. It is important to ensure that an overdose does not occur. To do this, you should not take the drug in quantities exceeding the daily dose.

When is the best time to take metformin: morning, afternoon or evening?

The long-acting drug is taken at night. This allows you to maintain normal blood sugar levels even in the morning, on an empty stomach.

Regular metformin tablets are taken in the morning, afternoon and evening, with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Is it possible to combine metformin with statins?

Metformin can be taken with statins, which help lower blood cholesterol levels. If at the same time a person adheres to a diet, it will be possible to normalize not only cholesterol levels, but also triglycerides and the atherogenicity coefficient. Moreover, taking metformin and following a diet may allow you to stop taking statins over time. A low-carbohydrate menu will make it possible to remove excess fluid from the body, get rid of edema, and lower blood pressure. Therefore, doctors recommend gradually reducing the dosage of drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular pathologies, and then you can completely abandon them. It is possible that it will be possible to stop treatment with diuretics.

Is it possible to combine metformin with alcoholic drinks?

During treatment with metformin, it is permissible to drink small doses of alcoholic beverages. However, you need to monitor the amount of alcohol you drink; getting drunk is prohibited.

There is no need to take time intervals between taking medication or drinking alcohol. That is, you can drink alcohol almost immediately.

If you do not follow the dosage and drink too much alcohol, then for diabetics this threatens the development of lactic acidosis. This is a serious condition that can be fatal. Therefore, alcohol abuse is dangerous to health.

Side effects

• Digestive system: lack of appetite, metallic taste in the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, flatulence;
• Hematopoietic organs: extremely rarely - megaloblastic anemia;
• Metabolism: rarely – lactic acidosis (if it develops, it is necessary to stop treatment); with long-term therapy - hypovitaminosis B12 (malabsorption);
• Allergic reactions: skin rash;
• Endocrine system: hypoglycemia.

Adverse reactions from the digestive system are most often observed at the beginning of therapy and, as a rule, disappear on their own. Their severity can be reduced by using antacids, atropine derivatives or antispasmodics.

In case of an overdose of Metformin, the development of lactic acidosis with a fatal outcome may occur; its cause may be the accumulation of the drug due to impaired renal function. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include: low body temperature, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, muscle pain, dizziness, increased breathing, impaired consciousness and the development of coma.

In this condition, it is necessary to stop taking the drug and immediately hospitalize the patient. If the diagnosis is confirmed (lactate concentration is established), hemodialysis and symptomatic therapy are prescribed.