Glucophage Side Effects: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects can occur with
Glucophage® (
metformin) or
Glucophage XR® (
metformin ER). However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. If Glucophage side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor, meaning they either require no treatment or can be easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects of Glucophage. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Glucophage side effects with you.)
Common Side Effects of Glucophage
Glucophage and Glucophage XR have been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, with many people having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects occurring in a group of people taking the drug are always documented and compared to side effects that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
Based on these studies, the most common side effects include:
- Diarrhea -- in up to 53.2 percent of people
- Nausea or vomiting -- up to 25.5 percent
- Gas -- up to 12.1 percent
- Weakness -- up to 9.2 percent
- Indigestion -- up to 7.1 percent
- Abdominal discomfort (stomach discomfort) -- up to 6.4 percent
- Headache -- up to 5.7 percent.
Generally, people have fewer side effects when taking the long-acting form (Glucophage XR). Common side effects with Glucophage XR include diarrhea (up to 9.6 percent of people) and nausea or vomiting (up to 6.5 percent of people).
