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Question from Newport News, Virginia, USA:

I started taking Glucophage XR about a year ago, and, about a week later, I began to notice yellow pill shaped objects (soft with white center) in my stool. My doctor does not know what it is but suspects them to be my pills. Any ideas?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

Since Glucophage XR [metformin] is a very long acting pill, it slowly releases the medicine over a 24 hour period. The empty “shell” of the pill is then excreted in your stool, but the medicine has already been slowly absorbed into your bloodstream.

[Editor’s comment: From the manufacturer’s “Patient Information” part of the Product Information:

“Occasionally, the inactive [tablet] of GLUCOPHAGE XR may be eliminated as a soft mass in your stool that may look like the original tablet; this is not harmful and will not affect the way GLUCOPHAGE XR works to control your diabetes.”

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September 25, 2002

Pills for Diabetes

Question from Newport News, Virginia, USA:

I started taking Glucophage XR about a year ago, and, about a week later, I began to notice yellow pill shaped objects (soft with white center) in my stool. My doctor does not know what it is but suspects them to be my pills. Any ideas?

Answer:

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September 25, 2002

Pills for Diabetes

Question from Newport News, Virginia, USA:

I started taking Glucophage XR about a year ago, and, about a week later, I began to notice yellow pill shaped objects (soft with white center) in my stool. My doctor does not know what it is but suspects them to be my pills. Any ideas?

Answer:

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