Metformin Extended Release (ER)

How should you use this medication?
Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Take your medication at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your care team’s advice. Make sure you know why you are taking this medication and how often you should take it. If this medication is used for a condition that is not cancer, like arthritis or psoriasis, it should be taken weekly, NOT daily. Taking this medication more often than directed can cause serious side effects, even death. Talk to your care team about safe handling and disposal of this medication. You may need to take special precautions. Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. While this medication may be prescribed for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

What are the possible side effects of this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

Allergic reactions-skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
Blood clot-pain, swelling, or warmth in the leg, shortness of breath, chest pain
Dry cough, shortness of breath or trouble breathing
Infection-fever, chills, cough, sore throat, wounds that don’t heal, pain or trouble when passing urine, general feeling of discomfort or being unwell
Kidney injury-decrease in the amount of urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
Liver injury-right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue
Low red blood cell count-unusual weakness or fatigue, dizziness, headache, trouble breathing
Redness, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
Seizures
Unusual bruising or bleeding Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Hair loss
Nausea
Pain, redness, or swelling with sores inside the mouth or throat
Vomiting

Show all possible side effects

What may interact with this medicine?
Our pharmacists will check to see if this medication will cause any interactions with the information in your profile.
Do not take this medication with any of the following:

Acitretin This medication may also interact with the following:
Aspirin and aspirin-like medications including salicylates
Azathioprine
Certain antibiotics like penicillins, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol
Certain medications that treat or prevent blood clots like warfarin, apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban
Certain medications for stomach problems like esomeprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole
Cyclosporine
Dapsone
Diuretics
Gold
Hydroxychloroquine
Live virus vaccines
Medications for infection like acyclovir, adefovir, amphotericin B, bacitracin, cidofovir, foscarnet, ganciclovir, gentamicin, pentamidine, vancomycin
Mercaptopurine
NSAIDs, medications for pain and inflammation, like ibuprofen or naproxen
Other cytotoxic agents
Pamidronate
Pemetrexed
Penicillamine
Phenylbutazone
Phenytoin
Probenecid
Pyrimethamine
Retinoids such as isotretinoin and tretinoin
Steroid medications like prednisone or cortisone
Sulfonamides like sulfasalazine and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
Theophylline
Zoledronic acid