People's Pharmacy

Glucophage

Generic Name:metformin

Revised:4/1/2000

Table of Contents

Side Effects and Interactions

The most common side effects of Glucophage are digestive: loss of appetite, nausea or diarrhea. These may fade with time.

Rash, flatulence, and a metallic taste have also been reported.

One rare but serious adverse effect may occur when a person has kidney problems or becomes dehydrated.

Lactic acid may build up in the bloodstream and lead to dangerous consequences. Contact your doctor promptly if you feel ill, with muscle aches, trouble breathing, stomach pain and drowsiness. Blood tests will determine if lactic acidosis has developed. This is a medical emergency.

If Glucophage seems to be losing its effectiveness for controlling blood sugar, discuss the situation with your doctor.

Furosemide (Lasix) can increase blood levels of Glucophage, while levels of furosemide may be lower than expected.

Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia) can also boost Glucophage levels modestly, while cimetidine (Tagamet) can raise Glucophage levels substantially.

Other drugs, including Lanoxin (digoxin), quinidine and Zantac (ranitidine), might theoretically increase Glucophage blood levels but no interactions have been reported yet.

Medications such as cortisone or estrogen that tend to raise blood sugar may interfere with the effectiveness of Glucophage.

Check with your physician and pharmacist regarding potential interactions of Glucophage with any other drugs or herbs you take.