Metformin Counselling

Question 1

Check for contraindications

Answer 1

• Significant renal impairment
• Ketoacidosis
• Low BMI

Question 2

How the treatment works

Answer 2

• Increases your response to insulin so your cells take up more glucose from your blood
• Also reduces the amount of glucose produced by the liver

Question 3

Treatment course and how it’s taken

Answer 3

• Once, twice or three-times daily tablet with meals
• Taken long term
• Monitoring required
• U&E’s before starting, then annually
• HbA1C every 3-6 months until stable, then 6 monthly at diabetic check ups

Question 4

Side effects

Answer 4

• Nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss
• Lactic acidosis - metformin must not be taken on the day of or for 2 days after having general anaesthetic or X-ray contrast media