Safety Information for Metformin

i 3 Table of Contents

Metformin is an FDA-approved oral medication for managing Type 2 Diabetes.
It is also commonly prescribed off-label for other uses, including:
- Diabetes prevention
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Weight loss

Metformin works in a few different ways:
- It reduces the amount of glucose your liver makes.
- It improves your insulin sensitivity.
- It decreases the amount of sugar (glucose) your body absorbs.
Metformin can also increase the availability of satiety hormones. This can reduce appetite and cravings, resulting in modest weight loss.

Metformin is a tablet that is taken by mouth. It is recommended to take Metformin with or right after a meal to minimize side effects.

Metformin is available in immediate-release and extended-release tablets. The typical starting dose is 500 mg.
Your doctor will customize dosing based on various factors and will likely increase your dose over time.

Skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled unless your doctor says otherwise.
Do not take two doses at the same time or extra doses.

Metformin is considered a relatively safe drug. However, you should not take Metformin if:
You have severe kidney disease
You are severely dehydrated
You are about to undergo surgery
You just had a CT scan or MRI with intravenous contrast dye

Long-term use of metformin may reduce your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12.

Common side effects include: nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, excess gas, bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, and metallic taste. If any of these side effects are persistent, contact your doctor.
Serious but rare adverse reactions may include: persistent vomiting or abdominal discomfort, worsening of kidney problems, liver injury, or lactic acidosis.
For women: Metformin shouldn’t be used for weight loss if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are currently breastfeeding.

Metformin has been prescribed to you off-label. This means that the drug is not FDA-approved for weight loss, but it is commonly used for weight loss.
Off-label prescribing is very common and offers the advantages of better pricing, more flexible dosing, and the ability to customize a medication to better fit your needs.
When using a medication off-label, we may require closer monitoring and more frequent contact so we can monitor side effects or drug interactions.
Learn more about off-label medication use: https://www.fda.gov/patients/learn-about-expanded-access-and-other-treatment-options/understanding-unapproved-use-approved-drugs-label

Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Combine medication with a balanced diet and regular exercise through engagement in the Noom app.
Stay hydrated: To prevent dehydration, you should drink enough fluids so that your urine is clear to light yellow in color, which is usually at least half a gallon or eight glasses of water per day.
Communicate with your Noom Med doctor: Regular communication helps us monitor your progress and adjust treatment as needed.