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Glucophage
Pronounced: GLEW-co-fahj
Generic name: Metformin hydrochloride
Glucophage is an oral antidiabetic medication used to treat type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. Diabetes develops when the body proves unable to burn sugar and the unused sugar builds up in the bloodstream. Glucophage lowers the amount of sugar in your blood by decreasing sugar production and absorption and helping your body respond better to its own insulin, which promotes the burning of sugar. It does not, however, increase the body's production of insulin.
Glucophage is sometimes prescribed along with insulin or certain other oral antidiabetic drugs such as Micronase or Glucotrol. It is also used alone.
Standard Glucophage tablets are taken two or three times daily.
Your doctor will tailor your dosage to your individual needs.
Glucophage may rarely cause a serious condition called lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, heart failure treated by medication, or sepsis. Do not drink large amounts of alcohol or binge drink while taking metformin. If you have a radiologic procedure and are injected with contrast materials (urogram, cholangiography, angiography, CT scan), tell the doctor that you are taking metformin. You will have to stop taking metformin from before the procedure until at least 48 hours after the procedure. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to metformin. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: severe shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, muscle aches, stomach pain after you have been taking metformin for a while, cold feeling, dizziness, or slow heart beats.
ADULTS
Glucophage
The usual starting dose is one 500-milligram tablet twice a day, taken with morning and evening meals. Your doctor may increase your daily dose by 500 milligrams at weekly intervals, based on your response up to a total of 2,000 milligrams.
An alternative starting dose is one 850-milligram tablet a day, taken with the morning meal. Your doctor may increase this by 850 milligrams at 14-day intervals, to a maximum of 2,550 milligrams a day.
The usual maintenance dose ranges from 1,500 to 2,550 milligrams daily. If you take more than 2,000 milligrams a day, your doctor may recommend that the medication be divided into three doses, taken with each meal.
CHILDREN
Glucophage
For children 10 to 16 years old, the usual starting dose is one 500-milligram tablet twice a day with meals. The dosage may be increased by 500 milligrams at weekly intervals up to a maximum of 2,000 milligrams daily. Glucophage has not been tested in children younger than 10. |
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