Janumet XR is an anti-diabetic medication prescribed by the doctor in addition to diet and exercise for the improvement of blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. This medication can be taken with premixed or long/intermediate-acting insulin. This medication contains sitagliptin and metformin. These two active ingredients work together to help achieve blood sugar control. Sitagliptin helps to improve the levels of insulin whenever the blood sugar level is high, especially after meals. It also helps to decrease the amount of sugar made by the body. Sitagliptin is unlikely to cause low blood sugar (Also known as hypoglycemia). Metformin helps to lower the amount of sugar made by the liver. Both these medicines together, help to achieve better control of blood sugar. Take the medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Janumet XR should be taken once a day by mouth with food preferably in the evening to lower your chance of an upset stomach. The tablets should be taken as whole. Do not crush or chew the tablets.

Manufacturer Information

Janumet XR is manufactured by Merck and comes from Canada. The active ingredients in Janumet XR are sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride. Janumet XR is available in the dosage forms of 50 mg/500 mg, 50 mg /1000 mg or 100 mg /1000 mg as Sitagliptin/Metformin in the form of extended release tablets in bottles of 30 or 60 tablets.

Stop taking Janumet XR and call your doctor at once if you have one of these serious side effects:

• Allergic reactions
• Anemia
• Brain disease
• Hepatitis
• Inflammation of pancreas
• Kidney failure
• Lactic acidosis
• Low blood sugar
• Lowering of thyroid function
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Vitamin B12 deficiency

Less serious side effects include stuffy or a runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, upset stomach, headache, joint pain, arm or leg pain, back pain, muscle aches, itching, blisters. Please call your doctor if you have any further concerns or questions.

Do not use Janumet XR if you are allergic to sitagliptin, metformin or any other ingredients in the medication, have unstable or insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes, metabolic acidosis (including ketoacidosis, history of ketoacidosis or lactic acidosis), liver or kidney problems, severe heart problems or heart failure, lack of oxygen in blood, drink a lot of alcohol, are stressed, have severe infections, are experiencing trauma, are going to have surgery or during the recovery phase, suffer from dehydration, are breastfeeding, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, are going to receive an injection of dye or contrast agent for an X-ray. Ask your doctor when to stop taking Janumet XR and when to start again. Janumet XR may interact with other anti-diabetes drugs such as glyburide, other medications such as furosemide, nifedipine, drugs that decrease rate of elimination of metformin from the body such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir and cimetidine, certain blood thinners such as phenprocoumon or other antivitamin K anticoagulants, ACE inhibitors used to control blood pressure, other drugs tend to produce hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and may lead to a loss of blood sugar control such as thiazide and other diuretics (water pills), ACE inhibitors, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens or estrogens plus progestogen, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics, Calcium channel blocking drugs, isoniazid, beta-2-agonists. Since alcohol may increase the risk of lactic acidosis caused by metformin you should not drink a lot of alcohol if you take Janumet XR. When Janumet XR is used in combination with sulfonylurea or insulin, low blood sugar can occur. Your physician may consider lowering the dose of the sulfonylurea or insulin. Take precautions to avoid low blood sugar while driving or using machinery as this medication can lead to dizziness or light-headedness.

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