Riomet ER

Generic name: Metformin

Usage of Riomet ER

Riomet ER is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Riomet ER is sometimes used together with insulin or other medications, but this medicine is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Riomet ER may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Riomet ER side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Some people using Riomet ER develop lactic acidosis, which can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms such as:

unusual muscle pain;

feeling cold;

trouble breathing;

feeling dizzy, light-headed, tired, or very weak;

stomach pain, vomiting; or

slow or irregular heart rate.

Common side effects of Riomet ER may include:

low blood sugar;

nausea, upset stomach; or

diarrhea.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Riomet ER

You should not use Riomet ER if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

severe kidney disease; or

metabolic acidosis or diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

If you need to have surgery or any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, you may need to temporarily stop taking Riomet ER. Be sure your caregivers know ahead of time that you are using this medication.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

kidney disease (your kidney function may need to be checked before you take this medicine);

high ketone levels in your blood or urine;

heart disease, congestive heart failure;

liver disease; or

if you also use insulin, or other oral diabetes medications.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. This may be more likely if you have other medical conditions, a severe infection, chronic alcoholism, or if you are 65 or older. Ask your doctor about your risk.

Follow your doctor's instructions about using this medicine if you are pregnant or you become pregnant. Controlling diabetes is very important during pregnancy, and having high blood sugar may cause complications in both the mother and the baby.

Riomet ER may stimulate ovulation in a premenopausal woman and may increase the risk of unintended pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

You should not breastfeed while using this medicine.

Riomet ER should not be given to a child younger than 10 years old. Some forms of metformin are not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

How to use Riomet ER

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Take Riomet ER with a meal, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Some forms of metformin are taken only once daily with the evening meal. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole.

Measure liquid medicine carefully. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon).

Shake the oral suspension (liquid) before you measure a dose. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon).

Some tablets are made with a shell that is not absorbed or melted in the body. Part of this shell may appear in your stool. This is normal and will not make the medicine less effective.

You may have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and feel very hungry, dizzy, irritable, confused, anxious, or shaky. To quickly treat hypoglycemia, eat or drink a fast-acting source of sugar (fruit juice, hard candy, crackers, raisins, or non-diet soda).

Your doctor may prescribe a glucagon injection kit in case you have severe hypoglycemia. Be sure your family or close friends know how to give you this injection in an emergency.

Blood sugar levels can be affected by stress, illness, surgery, exercise, alcohol use, or skipping meals. Ask your doctor before changing your dose or medication schedule.

Riomet ER is only part of a complete treatment program that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, blood sugar testing, and special medical care. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Your doctor may have you take extra vitamin B12 while you are taking Riomet ER. Take only the amount of vitamin B12 that your doctor has prescribed.

Warnings

You should not use Riomet ER if you have severe kidney disease, metabolic acidosis, or diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, you may need to temporarily stop taking Riomet ER.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. Call your doctor or get emergency medical help if you have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.

What other drugs will affect Riomet ER

Many drugs can affect Riomet ER, making Riomet ER less effective or increasing your risk of lactic acidosis. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.