My doctor has prescribed 500 mg of
metformin
twice daily to treat my
type 2 diabetes.
However, the first prescription I had filled at the pharmacy contained
caplets with the number 48 stamped on one side and the number 93 on the
opposite side. The prescription label identified the medication as
METFORMIN HCL 500 MG TABLET TEV.
Recently I refill the prescription, and
this time the tablets had the number 397 stamped on one side and nothing
stamped on the opposite side. The label for the prescription read,
"METFORMIN HCL 500 MG TABLET CAR".
What is the difference between the two prescriptions? Why are the
identification marks different if the medications are supposedly the
same?
Answer
Many companies make generic forms of metformin. I suspect your
physician authorized their use. What you got the first time was probably
made by one company and your refill manufactured by another. Your
pharmacist should be able to confirm or refute my theory.
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