Merit 500mg Tablet ER is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. It helps control blood sugar levels and thus prevent serious complications of diabetes. It is also used to treat a menstruation-related disorder known as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women.

Merit 500mg Tablet ER is best taken with food to avoid nausea and abdominal pain. You should take it regularly, at the same time each day, to get the most benefit. You should not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor recommends it. Your lifestyle plays a big part in controlling diabetes. Therefore, it is important to stay on the diet and exercise program recommended by your doctor while taking this medicine.

The most common side effects of this medicine include nausea, vomiting, taste change, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. Some people may develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level) when this medicine is taken along with other antidiabetic medicines, alcohol, or upon skipping a meal. Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly while taking it.

Before taking this medicine, inform your doctor if you have any kidney, liver, or heart problems. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also consult their doctor before taking it. Your doctor will check your kidney function tests before starting treatment with it. Avoid excessive alcohol intake while taking it as this may increase the risk of developing some side effects.

Uses of Merit Tablet ER

Side effects of Merit Tablet ER

Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them

Common side effects of Merit

Nausea
Vomiting
Taste change
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite

How to use Merit Tablet ER

Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Merit 500mg Tablet ER is to be taken with food.

How Merit Tablet ER works

Merit 500mg Tablet ER is an anti-diabetic medication (biguanide). It works by lowering glucose production in the liver, delaying the absorption of sugar (glucose) from the intestines, and increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.

Safety advice

Alcohol

UNSAFE

It is unsafe to consume alcohol with Merit 500mg Tablet ER.

Pregnancy

SAFE IF PRESCRIBED

Merit 500mg Tablet ER is generally considered safe to use during pregnancy. Animal studies have shown low or no adverse effects to the developing baby; however, there are limited human studies.

Breast feeding

SAFE IF PRESCRIBED

Merit 500mg Tablet ER is probably safe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug does not represent any significant risk to the baby.

Driving

CAUTION

Your ability to drive may be affected if your blood sugar is too low or too high. Do not drive if these symptoms occur.

Kidney

CAUTION

Merit 500mg Tablet ER should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Merit 500mg Tablet ER may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Use of Merit 500mg Tablet ER is, however, not recommended in patients with severe kidney disease. Regular monitoring of kidney function test is advisable while you are taking this medicine.

Liver

CAUTION

Merit 500mg Tablet ER should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Merit 500mg Tablet ER may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Merit 500mg Tablet ER is generally started with low dose in patients with mild to moderate liver disease and its use is not recommended in patients with severe liver disease.

What if you forget to take Merit Tablet ER?

If you miss a dose of Merit 500mg Tablet ER, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.

All substitutes

For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.

Merit 500mg Tablet ER

₹1.0/Tablet ER

Carbophage XR 500 Tablet

Merck Ltd

₹1/tablet er

same price

Metgem 500 Tablet ER

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

₹1.07/tablet er

7% costlier

Ozomet 500 Tablet ER

Ozone Pharmaceuticals Ltd

₹0.84/tablet er

16% cheaper

Diafer 500mg Tablet ER

East West Pharma

₹1/tablet er

same price

MET-SR 500 Tablet

West-Coast Pharmaceutical Works Ltd

₹0.9/tablet er

10% cheaper

View all substitutes

Quick tips

You have been prescribed Merit 500mg Tablet ER to control the blood sugar level and reduce the risk of diabetic complications such as heart attacks.
Chances of weight gain and low blood sugar are lesser with this medicine as compared to other diabetes medicines.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level) may occur when taken along with other antidiabetic medicines, alcohol or on delaying/skipping a meal. Carry a sugar source with you for immediate relief.
Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any deep or rapid breathing, persistent nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain as Merit 500mg Tablet ER may cause a rare but serious condition called lactic acidosis, which is an excess of lactic acid in the blood.
Prolonged use of Merit 500mg Tablet ER may lead to vitamin B12 deficiency which may lead to anemia, causing fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath or headache. Notify your doctor if you experience any of these as you may require supplements.
Your doctor will monitor your blood sugar levels and kidney functions regularly while you are taking this medication.

Fact Box

Chemical Class

Biguanides Derivative

Habit Forming

Therapeutic Class

ANTI DIABETIC

Action Class

Biguanides

Patient concerns

I everday do hand job it is merit or demerit

Dr. Vinod Raina

Sexology

Nor merit nor demerit

Tonsil stone in mouth What should be done to remove itt

Dr. Vijay Verma

ENT

do gargle in case this causes pain in throat than they r source of infection and merit removal

Dr. Sir, I have facing depression again after 2 year , and I don't know what was it's triggered point. Kindly tell me what should i do in this situation, I am bachelor. Is Zyven is good for this situation as it was earlier suggest by psychiatrist.

Dr. Jyoti Kapoor Madan

Psychiatry

Depression is a persistent state of sadness that is the result of interaction between one's inner biological and psychological state and gets triggered of with environmental stressors. Reactive depression is in response to a situation like loss, sickness, trauma etc. Endogenous depression occurs without any noticeable environmental stressors. Psychological symptoms include lack of interest, negative thinking, irritability, frustration, feeling demotivated etc. Somatic symptoms like fatigue/ weakness/ lack of sleep/ lack of appetite and other physical symptoms are common. Anxiety is common. In severe cases one may feel helpless and hopeless enough to wish for death or attempt suicide. Treatment includes physical and psychiatric work up following which medicines can be prescribed. In milder cases, psychotherapy or counselling is recommended.

FAQs

What does Merit 500mg Tablet ER do exactly?

People with type 2 diabetes are not able to make enough insulin or respond normally to the insulin made by their bodies. When this happens, the concentration of sugar/glucose increases in the blood. Merit 500mg Tablet ER acts in several ways to reduce the increased levels of sugar in blood. Merit 500mg Tablet ER decreases glucose production from the liver and decreases absorption of glucose from the intestine after taking food while improving the sensitivity of the body organs and muscles towards insulin. This helps improve the uptake of glucose from the blood. It also helps your body to respond better to the insulin it makes naturally.

Does Merit 500mg Tablet ER cause weight loss?

Yes, Merit 500mg Tablet ER has been shown to cause weight loss in people who are overweight or obese. It may also cause a modest loss in weight in those overweight and obese individuals who are at risk for diabetes. In addition, patients who are sensitive or resistant to insulin may also show weight loss. But, do not start taking this medicine for weight loss on your own. Consult your doctor for the same.

What are the benefits of taking Merit 500mg Tablet ER?

Merit 500mg Tablet ER is one of the first medicines that is given to patients with high blood sugar levels. It helps control blood sugar levels. It promotes the body’s response to the insulin made by the pancreas, decreases the amount of sugar made by the liver and decreases the amount of sugar absorbed by the intestines. Unlike other oral antidiabetic medicines, Merit 500mg Tablet ER when taken alone, rarely causes low blood sugar as it prevents the pancreas from secreting more insulin. In addition to being a great medicine to lower blood sugar levels, it also helps in controlling weight gain.

Can Merit 500mg Tablet ER make you sleepy?

Merit 500mg Tablet ER usually does not cause sleepiness and is well tolerated. However, the use of Merit 500mg Tablet ER may rarely cause sleep disorders and insomnia. Sleepiness may be due to a very serious side effect called lactic acidosis, which particularly occurs if your kidneys are not working properly. Contact your doctor if you feel sleepy or tired while taking Merit 500mg Tablet ER.

How to take Merit 500mg Tablet ER?

Take Merit 500mg Tablet ER with or after a meal. Do not crush or chew the tablets and swallow it with a glass of water. If your doctor has prescribed one tablet a day, prefer taking it in the morning with breakfast. If you have been prescribed two tablets a day, then take one in the morning and other in the evening with dinner. In case of three doses a day, apart from morning and evening, you can take it with lunch. Taking Merit 500mg Tablet ER with meals will reduce its digestive problems like indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache and loss of appetite.

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Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.

References

Powers AC, D’Alessio D. Endocrine Pancreas and Pharmacotherapy of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypoglycemia. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. pp. 1258-60.
Nolte MS. Pancreatic hormones and antidiabetic drugs. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. pp. 741-42.
Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 873-75.
Metformin hydrochloride. Princeton, New Jersey: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. [Accessed 12 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
Metformin hydrochloride oral solution. Gloversville, New York: Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.; 2003. [Accessed 12 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:
Chaves RG, Lamounier JA. Breastfeeding and maternal medications. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2004;80(5 Suppl):S189-98. [Accessed 12 Mar. 2019] (online) Available from:

Country of origin: India

The list of available options shown with the same composition has been prepared upon the advice of registered medical practitioners, pharmacists affiliated with TATA 1MG. TATA 1MG does not promote any pharmaceutical product of any particular company, and all recommendations are based on the medical opinion, advisories from specialist medical and pharmaceutical professionals.