— Product
GLYCIROSS 500MG TAB B/L
METFORMINE 500MG
GLYCIROSS 500MG TAB B/L is a tablet of metformin 500 mg, a biguanide and the first-line oral treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus. It lowers blood glucose mainly by reducing glucose production in the liver and improving the body's sensitivity to insulin.
01
Benefits
- First-line treatment in type 2 diabetes in every major guideline, with the longest safety record of any oral agent.
- Does not cause hypoglycaemia when used alone, because it does not stimulate insulin secretion.
- Weight-neutral or modestly weight-reducing, unlike sulphonylureas and insulin.
- Has established cardiovascular benefit in type 2 diabetes beyond glucose lowering alone.
- Also used in polycystic ovary syndrome, where it improves insulin resistance and can restore ovulation.
- Inexpensive and widely available, which matters for a lifelong treatment.
02
Side effects
Not everyone gets these. Most are mild and settle as the course finishes.
Common
- Diarrhoea, particularly when starting
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Metallic taste
- Loss of appetite
Less common
- Vomiting or bloating
- Vitamin B12 deficiency with long-term use
- Skin rash
- Tiredness
Stop and get medical help if any of these occur
- Deep rapid breathing, severe weakness, muscle pain, vomiting and abdominal pain — this may be lactic acidosis, a rare but life-threatening emergency
- Marked drowsiness or confusion
- Feeling unusually cold, with a slow or irregular heartbeat
- Numbness or tingling of the hands and feet developing over months
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
03
Precautions
- Metformin can cause lactic acidosis — rare but frequently fatal. Risk rises sharply in renal impairment, dehydration, sepsis, heart failure, liver disease and excess alcohol.
- Stop before any procedure using iodinated contrast media, and before major surgery, restarting only once renal function is confirmed stable.
- Stop during any acute illness with dehydration, vomiting or diarrhoea — sick-day rules must be explained to every patient.
- Contraindicated in significant renal impairment, in acute metabolic acidosis and in diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Take with or after food and start at a low dose, increasing gradually — this substantially reduces the gastrointestinal effects that cause many patients to stop.
- Avoid excess alcohol, which raises the lactic acidosis risk.
- Long-term use lowers vitamin B12; check periodically, particularly if neuropathy develops.
- Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding only on medical advice.