What Is Diaformin Alphapharm XR Used For?

Diaformin Alphapharm XR contains metformin hydrochloride and belongs to a group of medicines called biguanides. It helps control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Primary Uses

Diaformin Alphapharm XR is used to control blood glucose (sugar) in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially in those who are overweight. It is used when diet and exercise alone are not enough to control high blood glucose levels. It can be used alone or in combination with other diabetes medicines.

How It Works

Diaformin Alphapharm XR lowers high blood glucose levels by: improving your body’s sensitivity to insulin and restoring the way it normally uses glucose, reducing the amount of glucose your liver makes, and delaying the amount of glucose your intestine absorbs.

How to Take Diaformin Alphapharm XR

Take Diaformin Alphapharm XR exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The tablets are extended release, which means they have a special coating that allows the medicine to be released slowly over time.

Dosage Instructions

The usual starting dose is 500 mg once daily with the evening meal. Your doctor may increase the dose slowly, depending on your blood glucose levels. The maximum recommended dose is 2 grams once per day. Elderly people and those with kidney problems may need smaller doses. Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water – do not break, crush or chew them as this will affect how they work.

What If You Miss a Dose?

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember (with food), and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally. Take your medicine at the same time each day for best results.

Side Effects

Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.

Common Side Effects

These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Taste disturbance
• Loss of appetite
• Skin redness or itching

Important Warnings

There are several important conditions and situations where Diaformin Alphapharm XR should not be used or requires special caution.

Who Should Not Take Diaformin Alphapharm XR

Do not use if you are allergic to metformin or any biguanide, have type 1 diabetes well controlled by insulin alone, type 2 diabetes already well controlled by diet alone, serious diabetes complications or metabolic acidosis, kidney failure or severe kidney disease, dehydration, shock from severe injury or blood loss, severe liver disease, acute alcohol intoxication or chronic alcohol dependence, certain heart or blood circulation problems including recent heart attack or heart failure, blood clots in the lungs, severe breathing difficulties, inflammation of the pancreas with severe infection, or severe infection or gangrene.

Medical Conditions to Discuss

Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, liver problems, heart or blood vessel problems including heart failure, or if you drink alcohol. Your doctor will need to check your kidney function with a blood test before starting treatment.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Do not take Diaformin Alphapharm XR if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Insulin is more suitable for controlling blood glucose during pregnancy, and your doctor will replace this medicine with insulin while you are pregnant. Do not take this medicine if you are breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Some medicines may interact with Diaformin Alphapharm XR and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking.

• Other diabetes medicines
• Iodinated contrast agents (dyes)
• Medicines containing alcohol (cough and cold syrups)
• Corticosteroids (prednisone, cortisone)
• Tetracosactrin
• Danazol
• Blood pressure and heart medicines (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors)
• Asthma medicines (salbutamol, terbutaline)
• Diuretics (fluid tablets)
• Chlorpromazine
• NSAIDs (aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, meloxicam, naproxen, piroxicam)
• Cimetidine
• Blood clot prevention medicines (warfarin)
• OCT transporter medicines (verapamil, dolutegravir, crizotinib, olaparib, daclatasvir, vandetanib)
• Rifampicin
• Topiramate and other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors

Alcohol & Driving

Both alcohol and low blood sugar can affect your ability to drive safely or operate machinery.

Alcohol

Alcohol can affect the control of your diabetes. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking Diaformin Alphapharm XR may lead to serious side effects. Your doctor may suggest you stop drinking or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.

Driving and Operating Machinery

Diaformin Alphapharm XR by itself is unlikely to affect how you drive or operate machinery. However, low blood glucose levels may slow your reaction time and affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. If you need to be alert, be especially careful not to let your blood glucose levels fall too low.

Storage

Keep tablets in the blister pack until it’s time to take them. Store in a cool, dry place below 25°C in the original packaging. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, on a window sill, or in the car. Keep out of reach of children – a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above ground is ideal.

Overdose Information

If you think you have taken too much Diaformin Alphapharm XR, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Phone the Poisons Information Centre (Australia 13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if you feel fine. Overdose symptoms may include feeling sleepy, very tired, sick, vomiting, trouble breathing, unusual muscle pain, stomach pain, or diarrhea. These may be early signs of lactic acidosis (build-up of lactic acid in the blood). You may also experience low blood glucose symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions