What are the two most common side effects of metformin?

What is the most serious side effect of metformin?

Under certain conditions, too much metformin can cause lactic acidosis. The symptoms of lactic acidosis are severe and quick to appear, and usually occur when other health problems not related to the medicine are present and are very severe, such as a heart attack or kidney failure.

What are the side effects of taking 500mg of metformin?

Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, gas, weakness, or a metallic taste in the mouth may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. If stomach symptoms return later (after taking the same dose for several days or weeks), tell your doctor right away.

What part of the body does metformin affect?

Metformin helps to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It decreases the amount of glucose you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your body's response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood.

What is the best way to take metformin to avoid side effects?

Metformin Side effects | Tips to Avoid

What happens to your body when you start taking metformin?

Nausea and diarrhea are common side effects of metformin, but they usually improve within a few weeks of starting the medication. You can limit these side effects by taking metformin with food. Metformin can cause more serious side effects like lactic acidosis, low vitamin B12 levels, and low blood sugar.

At what A1C level should you start metformin?

Recent guidelines recommend considering use of metformin in patients with prediabetes (fasting plasma glucose 100-125 mg/dL, 2-hr post-load glucose 140-199 mg/dL, or A1C 5.7-6.4%), especially in those who are <60 years old, have a BMI >35 kg/m², or have a history of gestational diabetes.

Is metformin hard on your kidneys?

Metformin doesn't cause kidney damage. The kidneys process and clear the medication out of your system through your urine. If your kidneys don't function properly, there's concern that metformin can build up in your system and cause a condition called lactic acidosis.

What can I take instead of metformin?

What foods should I avoid when taking metformin?

As much as possible, avoid white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy, soda, desserts, and snacks like chips or crackers. Eating foods that can spike your blood sugar will not necessarily make the metformin not work, however, it will increase the burden it has to work against.

What can I do instead of taking metformin?

What fruits should diabetics avoid?

Diabetics should avoid fruits with a high GI or eat them in moderation so that their blood sugar levels do not spike abruptly. Pineapple, watermelon, mango, lychee, and banana have a high GI, so these are the worst fruits if you are diabetic.

What happens if you stop metformin suddenly?

If you stop taking metformin abruptly, your health may suffer. You may experience side effects such as higher blood sugars, an increased A1c, and even weight gain. Over time, higher blood sugar levels can lead to diabetes complications, including: Retinopathy and blindness.

How do you know if you are taking too much metformin?

Signs and symptoms of metformin overdose

Metformin overdose associated with lactic acidosis presents with nonspecific symptoms and includes severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, epigastric pain, thirstiness, lost appetite, lethargy and hyperpnoea.

Is 500mg of metformin a lot?

Dosage and strength

The maximum daily dose is 2,000mg a day. This can be taken as four 500mg tablets a day. Liquid metformin should be taken in 5ml doses of 500mg, 850mg or 1,000mg.

How many hours does 500mg metformin last?

Metformin (brand name: Glucophage) will be in your system for 96.8 hours which is approximately 4 days. Metformin has an elimination half-life of approximately 17.6 hours. 5.5 x 17.6 hours = 96.8 hours for metformin.

Does metformin cause joint and muscle pain?

Conclusions: People with diabetes taking metformin were less likely to report back, knee, neck/shoulder and multisite musculoskeletal pain than those not taking metformin. Therefore, when treating these patients, clinicians should be aware that metformin may contribute to fewer reports of musculoskeletal pain.

Is metformin hard on your heart?

Recent studies have also found that metformin has a positive effect on cardiovascular protection [8,9,10,11,12]. Metformin also lowers risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as blood fats [13,14,15], body weight and blood pressure.

What is the best medicine to lower A1C?

Metformin is considered the first-line oral agent for patients with diabetes and can be used to treat pre-diabetes. It works by decreasing glucose production in the liver, increasing insulin sensitivity, and lowering intestinal sugar absorption.

What is the safest drug for diabetes?

Official answer. Most experts consider metformin to be the safest medicine for type 2 diabetes because it has been used for many decades, is effective, affordable, and safe. Metformin is recommended as a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Does metformin make you sleepy?

Anemia: Metformin can interfere with the body's ability to absorb vitamin B12, which plays an important role in healthy red blood cells. If this happens, it can lead to anemia, which may cause symptoms like extreme tiredness, feeling cold all the time, and dizziness.

Can metformin damage the liver?

Conclusion: Metformin does not appear to cause or exacerbate liver injury and, indeed, is often beneficial in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver frequently presents with transaminase elevations but should not be considered a contraindication to metformin use.

Does metformin affect urine?

Metformin increases urinary sodium excretion by reducing phosphorylation of the sodium-chloride cotransporter. Metabolism.

What is a good A1C for seniors?

For functionally independent older adults, the IDF recommends an A1C goal of 7–7.5%, whereas for functionally dependent, frail patients or patients with dementia, an A1C goal of 7–8% is recommended.