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Patient Info
PATIENT INFORMATION
GLUCOPHAGE ® (metformin hydrochloride tablets)
and
GLUCOPHAGE ® XR (metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets) Read this information carefully before you start taking this medicine and each time you refill your prescription. There may be new information. This information does not take the place of your doc-tor's advice. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand some of this information or if you want to know more about this medicine. Text Continues Below
What are GLUCOPHAGE and GLUCOPHAGE XR? GLUCOPHAGE and GLUCOPHAGE XR are used to treat type 2 diabetes. This is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. People with type 2 diabetes are not able to make enough insulin or respond normally to the insulin their bodies make. When this happens, sugar (glucose) builds up in the blood. This can lead to serious medical problems including kidney damage, ampu-tations, and blindness. Diabetes is also closely linked to heart disease. The main goal of treating diabetes is to lower your blood sugar to a normal level. High blood sugar can be lowered by diet and exercise, by a number of medicines taken by mouth, and by insulin shots. Before you take GLUCOPHAGE or GLUCOPHAGE XR, try to control your dia-betes by exercise and weight loss. While you take your diabetes medicine, continue to exercise and follow the diet advised for your diabetes. No matter what your recommended diabetes manage-ment plan is, studies have shown that maintaining good blood sugar control can prevent or delay complications of diabetes, such as blindness. GLUCOPHAGE and GLUCOPHAGE XR have the same active ingredient. However, GLUCOPHAGE XR works longer in your body. Both of these medicines help control your blood sugar in a number of ways. These include helping your body respond better to the insulin it makes naturally, decreas-ing the amount of sugar your liver makes, and decreasing the amount of sugar your intestines absorb. GLUCOPHAGE and GLUCOPHAGE XR do not cause your body to make more insulin. Because of this, when taken alone, they rarely cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and usually do not cause weight gain. However, when they are taken with a sulfonylurea or with insulin, hypo-glycemia is more likely to occur, as is weight gain. Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next >>
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