• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

what to do?

V

vangen

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all, I have Diabetes 2...have been taking Metformin sachets (powder) & Glicazide tablets since 2005. I now find that the power sachets have been withdrawn and not be available any more. My Gp has prescribed Metformin in a liquid form, which I cannot tolerate and this gives me stomach cramps, it is also not a slow-release drug. Have been reasearching for alternative but does'nt seem to be anything....what to do?. By the way I cannot swallow the tablets, as too big.
 
There is metformin in slow release in tablet form.
Get back to your GP and demand them because of the stomach problems.
They supply the others because of cost.

If you don't mind me asking, what else are you doing to get your blood levels down, have you a meter to check your bloods?
 
I forgot to add you can crush the tablets and take them with your meal.
 
nosher8355 said:
I forgot to add you can crush the tablets and take them with your meal.
Click to expand...
Don't crush the slow release ones.

Some patients have difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules; some dislike the taste. In these cases, crushing of medication for powdered delivery (to be mixed with food or beverages) should be considered. But beware of certain caveats, as not all medications are suitable for crushing. Generally, meds that should not be crushed fall into one of these categories:

  • Sustained-release tablets, which can be composed of multiple layers for different drug release times, as can beads within capsules. Some of the more common prefixes or suffixes for sustained-release, controlled-release, or controlled-delivery products include: 12-hour, 24-hour, CC, CD, CR, ER, LA, Retard, SA, Slo-, SR, XL, XR, or XT.
  • Enteric-coated tablets, which are formulated because certain drugs can be irritating to the stomach or are degraded by stomach acid. By enteric-coating tablets or capsule beads, the drug’s release can be delayed until it reaches the small intestine. Prefixes include EN- and EC-.
http://www.the-hospitalist.org/article/to-crush-or-not-to-crush/
 
Back
Top