The medication Glumetza is used to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes in addition to diet and exercise. People with type 2 diabetes are not able to make enough insulin and they do not respond normally to the insulin their body makes. This medication controls sugar by helping insulin, naturally produced by your body, be more effective, by decreasing the amount of sugar your liver makes and by decreasing the amount of sugar your intestines absorb. Take Glumetza exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Only take this medication with food, and drink plenty of fluids while taking this medication. Do not miss any doses. Swallow the tablet whole. Do not crush or break the tablets. The initial dose is 1000mg with evening meal and maximum daily dose is 2000 mg.

Manufacturer Information

The medication Glumetza is available from Canada manufactured by Valeant Canada LP. It contains the active ingredient Metformin. This medication is available as tablets (sustained-release) in the dosage forms of 500 mg and 1000 mg. Our Canadian Pharmacy also carries janumet and Glucophage.

Stop taking Glumetza and call your doctor at once if you have Lactic acidosis (a build-up of an acid in the blood) that can cause death or cardiovascular mortality. Symptoms include:

• Feeling cold, especially in arms and legs
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Have a slow or irregular heartbeat
• Stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, or diarrhea
• Trouble breathing
• Unusual (not normal) muscle pain
• Very weak or tired

Less serious side effects include diarrhea, nausea and stomach upset. Please call your doctor if you have any further concerns or questions.

Before taking this medication, inform your doctor if you have severe liver or kidney problems, metabolic acidosis, serious infection, had a recent heart attack or stroke, have vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, drink alcohol and have severe dehydration.Glumeta may rarely be associated with a serious, life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis. You should not drink a lot of alcohol if you take Glumetza. Do not take Glumetza if you are allergic to metformin or any other ingredients in this medication, have unstable or type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes, acute or chronic metabolic acidosis or diabetic ketoacidosis, history of lactic acidosis, severe liver problems, heart problems, kidney disease, drink alcohol, are going to have an X-ray procedure with injection of iodinated contrast materials, are going to have surgery, have a severe infection, have severe dehydration (lost a lot of fluid from the body), are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Glumetza may interact with medications such as other diabetes drugs, such as glyburide, insulin, and rosiglitazone, medications that may increase blood sugar levels like ‘water pills’ (diuretics), birth control pills, decongestants, thyroid medicines, prednisone (corticosteroid drugs), phenytoin, nicotinic acid, certain drugs which control high blood pressure (e.g. calcium channel blockers), and isoniazid, furosemide, nifedipine, cationic drugs which may interfere with the elimination of metformin (e.g. cimetidine, amiloride, digoxin, morphine, procainamide, quinidine, quinine, ranitidine, triamterene, trimethoprim, vancomycin), certain ‘blood thinners’ (coumarin-type anticoagulants), alcohol.