Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Glycon

Serious warnings and precautions box

What GLYCON is used for:

GLYCON is used, in addition to proper diet, exercise and weight loss, to treat high blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. GLYCON can be used by itself or in combination with other diabetes medicines.

How GLYCON works:

GLYCON is a medicine that contains metformin to help control your blood sugar level.

GLYCON only helps people who already have some insulin in their bodies. It makes the insulin work better, but it can't replace insulin completely.

GLYCON may work by creating more insulin receptors on your cells where insulin can attach and work to control blood sugar levels.

The ingredients in GLYCON are:

Medicinal ingredient: metformin hydrochloride.

Non-medicinal ingredients: carnauba wax, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, talc, titanium dioxide.

GLYCON comes in the following dosage form:

Tablets; 500 mg, 850 mg

GLYCON may rarely cause a serious, life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis (see Lactic Acidosis section below).
You should not drink a lot of alcohol if you take GLYCON (see Lactic Acidosis section below).

Do not use GLYCON if:

you are allergic to metformin hydrochloride any of the other ingredients in this medicine
you have Type I diabetes mellitus that is unstable and/or insulin-dependent
you have metabolic acidosis (when your blood becomes too acidic)
you have diabetic ketoacidosis (when your body cannot use sugar properly and it starts breaking down fat for energy instead) with or without coma
you have had ketoacidosis with or without coma
you have had lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood)
you drink a lot of alcohol (regularly drink alcohol or sometimes drink a lot of alcohol (“binge drinking”))
you have severe liver problems
you have kidney problems
you are stressed, have a severe infection, or are experiencing trauma
you have severe dehydration (have lost a lot of water from your body)
you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
you are breastfeeding
you have heart system collapse (when blood circulation fails abruptly)
you have a disease that can cause hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood) such as when the heart and lungs do not deliver enough oxygen to the body (cardiorespiratory insufficiency).

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take GLYCON. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

are 80 years of age or older and you have not had your kidney function tested
have liver problems
develop a serious medical condition, such as heart attack, severe infection, or a stroke
develop or experience a worsening of heart disease or heart failure
have thyroid problems
have low blood levels of vitamin B12 or calcium

Other warnings you should know about:

Low vitamin B12: GLYCON can cause your vitamin B12 level to be low. This can cause you to feel pins and needles in your hands and feet (called peripheral neuropathy).

Lactic Acidosis: This can happen if metformin, the active ingredient in GLYCON, builds up in your blood. It is a rare but serious side effect. The build up of lactic acid can cause serious damage and can be fatal in up to half of the people who develop it. If you experience lactic acidosis you might need to be hospitalized for treatment.

If you get the following symptoms, stop taking GLYCON and contact a healthcare professional right away:

Feel very weak and tired
Have unusual muscle pain
Have trouble breathing
Have stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, or diarrhea
Feel cold, especially in your arms and legs
Feel dizzy or lightheaded
Have a slow or irregular heartbeat
Your medical condition suddenly changes

You have a higher chance of getting lactic acidosis if you:

have severe kidney or liver problems
have congestive heart failure that requires treatment with medicines
are over the age of 80
get dehydrated
have low blood oxygen levels
have a serious infection
drink a lot of alcohol (very often or short-term “binge” drinking)
have surgery
have x-ray tests with injectable dyes or contrast agents.
have or think you have a mitochondrial disease (a disease that is passed down at birth affecting mitochondria). For these patients, taking GLYCON increases the risk for lactic acidosis and can lead to worsening of the mitochondrial disease.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels): GLYCON rarely causes hypoglycemia. It can happen if you:

are elderly
do not eat enough
drink alcohol
exercise heavily and do not eat enough
take other medications that lower blood sugar
also have adrenal, pituitary or liver problems

Driving and using machines: Do not drive or operate machines if you develop low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Surgery: If you need to have major surgery, stop taking GLYCON 2 days before the procedure. You will restart again once you are eating and drinking again as you normally would.

Scans or X-rays needing contrast dyes: If you need a scan for which contrast dye will be used, stop taking GLYCON 2 days before the scan. Your healthcare professional will tell you when to restart after the scan.

Tests and check-ups: Before and during your treatment with GLYCON, your healthcare professional will do blood tests. These will be repeated regularly. The results will tell you how well your liver, kidneys and thyroid are working and will measure the amount of vitamin B12 in your blood. These tests will also check how GLYCON affects your blood and blood sugar.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with GLYCON:

Other diabetes drugs such as glyburide
A medicine used to treat malaria called quinine
Medicines used to treat high blood pressure including nifedipine, amlodipine, felodipine, verapamil and diltiazem (calcium channel blockers) as well as ACE inhibitors
Medicines used to lower extra fluid in the body including furosemide, triamterene and amiloride. These are also known as diuretics or water pills.
A medicine used to treat heart failure called digoxin
A medicine used to treat pain called morphine
Medicines used to treat irregular heart beat such as procainamide and quinidine
A medicine used to lower stomach acid called ranitidine
Medicines used to treat bacterial infections such as trimethoprim, and vancomycin
Medicines used to prevent blood clots (called “blood thinners”) including phenprocoumon and other antivitamin K anticoagulants
Medicines that can cause high blood sugar and may lead to a loss of blood sugar control including:
- Corticosteroid medicines like prednisone
- Medicines used to treat mental and emotional disorders including phenothiazines
- A thyroid hormone replacement drug called levothyroxine
- The female hormones, estrogen or estrogen plus progestogen
- Birth control medicines that are taken by mouth
- A medicine used to treat epilepsy called phenytoin
- A medicine used to prevent and treat low niacin called nicotinic acid
- Medicines used to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system called sympathomimetics
- A medicine used to treat active tuberculosis infections called Isoniazid
- Medicines for asthma such as salbutamol or formoterol

How to take GLYCON:

Take GLYCON exactly as your healthcare professional has told you. Check with them if you are not sure.
Take tablets with food to reduce nausea and vomiting.

Usual dose:

Your healthcare professional will tell you how much GLYCON to take and when to take it.

Overdose:

If you take too much GLYCON, you might feel stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, malaise, and headache.

Lactic acidosis may also occur. This is a serious, life-threatening condition.

If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much GLYCON, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre or Health Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no signs or symptoms.

Missed dose:

If you forget to take GLYCON tablets, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

Possible side effects from using GLYCON:

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking GLYCON. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

diarrhea
nausea
vomiting
abdominal pain, bloating
heartburn
taste changes
gas
loss of appetite
skin redness, itching, hives

GLYCON can cause abnormal blood test results. Your healthcare professional will do blood tests during your treatment and will interpret the results.

Serious side effects and what to do about them

Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom	Talk to your healthcare professional	Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help
Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom	Talk to your healthcare professional	Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help
Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom	Talk to your healthcare professional	Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help
Only if severe	In all cases
Only if severe	In all cases
Only if severe	In all cases
Rare
Lactic Acidosis (a build up of lactic acid in the blood that can cause death or cardiovascular mortality): feeling very weak, tired, or uncomfortable, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, unusual or unexpected stomach discomfort, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, or diarrhea, feeling cold, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, suddenly developing a slow or irregular heartbeat			√
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas): prolonged severe abdominal pain which may be accompanied by vomiting; pain may spread out towards the back.			√
Hemolytic anemia (when red blood cells are destroyed faster than bone marrow can replace			√
them): fatigue, pale color, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dark urine, chills, and backache.
Encephalopathy (disease of the brain that severely alters thinking): muscle weakness in one area, poor decision-making or concentration, involuntary twitching, trembling, difficulty speaking or swallowing, seizures.			√
Peripheral neuropathy (a result of damage to your peripheral nerves): gradual onset of numbness, prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can spread upward into your legs and arms, sharp, jabbing, throbbing, freezing or burning pain, extreme sensitivity to touch, lack of coordination and falling, muscle weakness or paralysis if motor nerves are affected.			√
Very Rare
Mitochondrial Disease (a disease affecting energy producing components within cells): seizure, reduction in a person’s mental abilities (memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, trouble finding words or following conversations, poor judgment or decision-making, confusion), difficulty with body movements, muscle pain or weakness, pain, numbness, migraine, deafness			√
Liver problems: yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice), right upper stomach area pain or swelling, nausea or vomiting, unusual dark urine, unusual tiredness		√
Unknown
Hypothyroidism (underactive/low thyroid): weight gain, tiredness, hair loss, muscle weakness, feeling cold, dry skin, constipation, puffy face, heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods, enlarged thyroid gland		√
Photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight): itchy, red skin when exposed to sunlight		√

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:

Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (canada.ca/drug-device-reporting) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.

NOTE: Contact your healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

Storage:

Store at room temperature (15°C to 30°C) in well closed containers. Protect from light.

Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

If you want more information about GLYCON:

Talk to your healthcare professional
Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes the Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada Drug Product Database website (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website www.bauschhealth.ca; or by calling 1-800-361-4261.

2150 St-Elzear Blvd., West

Laval, Quebec, H7L 4A8

www.bauschhealth.ca

Date of Authorization: 2026-08-14

Glycon: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage