Glyburide+metformin

Some diabetic patients taking Glyburide+metformin may develop a rare but serious condition called lactic acidosis. In this condition, there is too much lactic acid accumulated in the blood. Inform your doctor if you have/had kidney disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, heart attack, stroke, heart, liver problems or if you are older than 65years. If you are allergic to Glyburide+metformin or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Glyburide+metformin is not recommended for children. Avoid breastfeeding while taking Glyburide+metformin as it may be excreted in human milk. If you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy, please inform your doctor before taking Glyburide+metformin. Avoid alcohol consumption with Glyburide+metformin as it may increase the risk of lactic acidosis (accumulation of lactic acid in the body). Drive only if you are alert after taking Glyburide+metformin as it may cause dizziness.

Drug-Drug Interactions: Glyburide+metformin may interact with high blood pressure-lowering pills (hydrochlorothiazide, amlodipine, metoprolol), water pills/diuretics (furosemide), heart failure-related medicines (digoxin), steroids (prednisolone), thyroid hormones etc. So, tell your doctor if you are using these drugs before taking Glyburide+metformin.

Drug-Food Interactions: Taking Glyburide+metformin with alcoholic beverages may increase the risk of a rare but serious and potentially life-threatening condition known as lactic acidosis (build-up of lactic acid in the blood) and hypoglycaemia.

Drug-Disease Interactions: Glyburide+metformin should be avoided in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, kidney problems, liver problems, cardiovascular disease (heart-related issues), and low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia) as it may worsen the condition.

• Eat at regular intervals. Do not take a long gap between meals or snacks.
• Monitor your blood sugar level regularly especially when there are a lot of fluctuations.
• Invest at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity and 15 minutes of high-intensity exercise every week.
• Lose weight gradually to achieve a healthy body mass index (18.5 to 24.9).
• Replace refined carbohydrates containing foods with whole grain foods and increase intake of fruits and veggies and other fibre enriched foods.
• Reduce intake of saturated fat (or hidden fats) in food like chips, crisps, pastries, biscuits and samosas. Choose omega 3 fatty acid-containing oils for daily cooking. For frying, you may use palm oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, rice bran oil, and safflower oil.
• Do not take stress as it may elevate your blood sugar level. You may adopt stress management techniques like mindfulness, yoga or meditation to control stress-related blood sugar changes.
• Opt for low-fat dairy products (low-fat yoghurt, fat-free milk and cheese etc.).
• Keep your blood pressure as normal (120/80) as possible. As it reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetes patients.
• Avoid drinking alcohol as it increases the risk of hypoglycaemia (decrease in blood sugar which might be fatal in some cases) and lactic acidosis (when the lactic acid increases in the body which impacts the functioning of various organs in the body).
• Try to quit smoking and reduce intake of carbohydrate-rich food like potato, rice, mangoes, bread, sugar etc
• Remember, lifestyle modifications are the most important step in controlling blood sugar levels.

• Keep taking Glyburide+metformin even if you think your blood sugar levels are under control. 
• It is always better that your physician knows about any underlying conditions like kidney disease or liver disease, prior heart attack, alcohol intake, etc before the doctor prescribes you this medicine.
• Inform your doctor if you have severe diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, or serious infections.
• If you are due to undergo any surgery, inform the surgeon that you are taking Glyburide+metformin.
• Consult your doctor immediately if you experience extreme tiredness, weakness, or discomfort, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, deep and rapid breathing or shortness of breath, decreased appetite, dizziness/lightheadedness, fast or slow heartbeat, flushing of the skin, feeling cold in your hands or feet, or muscle pain.