Synjardy Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

Metformin is a first-choice medication for treating Type 2 diabetes. It’s safe and effective for lowering blood sugar (glucose). And it’s approved for use in both adults and children age 10 and older.

But what happens if metformin isn’t working well enough for you? In this case, you and your prescriber may discuss adding a medication like Jardiance (empagliflozin). This can give you an extra boost to help meet your diabetes treatment goals. The two medications are also conveniently combined in a single pill called Synjardy (empagliflozin / metformin).

If you’ve already started Synjardy, it’s likely that your prescriber or pharmacist reviewed how to take it with you. But if you need a refresher, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’ll discuss typical Synjardy dosages for adults and children as recommended by the manufacturer.

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What’s the typical Synjardy dosage for adults?

The dosage you take depends on the form you’re prescribed. It also depends on whether you already take empagliflozin (Jardiance’s active ingredient) or metformin as separate medications. But in general, Synjardy is taken once or twice a day with meals.

Synjardy comes in two different forms: immediate-release tablets (Synjardy) and extended-release tablets (Synjardy XR). They come as oral tablets in the following doses (listed as mg of empagliflozin / mg of metformin):

• Synjardy: 5 mg/500 mg, 5 mg/1,000 mg, 12.5 mg/500 mg, 12.5 mg/1,000 mg

• Synjardy XR: 5 mg/1,000mg, 10 mg/1,000 mg, 12.5 mg/1,000 mg, 25 mg/1,000 mg

Synjardy dosage

If you’re new to both components of Synjardy, your starting dosage will likely be 5 mg/500 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. Your starting Synjardy dosage may be different from this if you were already taking metformin or Jardiance separately:

• If you were taking Jardiance: Take either the 5 mg/500 mg or 12.5 mg/500 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. The daily dose of Synjardy’s empagliflozin component should be the same as what you were already taking.

• If you were taking metformin: Take either the 5 mg/500 mg or 5 mg/1,000 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. The daily dose of Synjardy’s metformin component should be similar to what you were already taking.

• If you were taking Jardiance and metformin: The daily dose of Synjardy’s empagliflozin and metformin components should be similar to what you were already taking separately. You’ll take the tablet that most closely matches your previous doses by mouth twice daily with meals.

Depending on your response, your prescriber may slowly increase your Synjardy dosage up to a maximum of 12.5 mg/1,000 mg by mouth twice a day with meals.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Other combination pills: Synjardy is one of several combination diabetes medications available. Learn more about some other options.

• What taking Jardiance feels like: Hear from real people about their experiences with taking Jardiance, one of the two medications included in Synjardy.

• From plant to pill: Learn about metformin’s history and how it became a mainstay in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Synjardy XR dosage

If you’re new to both components of Synjardy XR, your starting dosage will likely be 10 mg/1,000 mg by mouth once daily with your morning meal. Your starting Synjardy XR dosage may be different from this if you were already taking metformin or Jardiance separately:

• If you were taking Jardiance: The daily dose of Synjardy XR’s empagliflozin component should be the same as what you were already taking. You’ll take the tablet that most closely matches your previous dose by mouth once daily with your morning meal.

• If you were taking metformin: You’ll likely start with 10 mg/1,000 mg by mouth once daily with your morning meal.

• If you were taking Jardiance and metformin: The daily dose of Synjardy XR’s empagliflozin component should be the same as what you were already taking. You’ll take the tablet that most closely matches your previous dose by mouth once daily with your morning meal.

Depending on your response, your prescriber may slowly increase your Synjardy XR dosage up to a maximum of 25 mg/1,000 mg by mouth once daily with meals.

Good to know: Swallow Synjardy XR whole. Don’t cut, crush, or chew the tablets. Doing so can affect how the medications inside the tablet are released in your body.

What’s the typical Synjardy dosage for children?

The immediate-release form of Synjardy is FDA approved to treat Type 2 diabetes in children age 10 and older. Synjardy XR isn’t approved for use in people under age 18. The Synjardy dosage for children is similar to what adults take.

If your child is new to both components of Synjardy, their starting dosage will likely be 5 mg/500 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. If they were already taking metformin or empagliflozin separately, their starting Synjardy dosage may be different:

• If your child was taking Jardiance: They’ll take either the 5 mg/500 mg or 12.5 mg/500 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. The daily dose of Synjardy’s empagliflozin component should be the same as what they were already taking.

• If your child was taking metformin: They’ll take either the 5 mg/500 mg or 5 mg/1,000 mg by mouth twice daily with meals. The daily dose of Synjardy’s metformin component should be similar to what they were already taking.

• If your child was taking Jardiance and metformin: The daily dose of Synjardy’s empagliflozin and metformin components should be similar to what they were already taking separately. They’ll take the tablet that most closely matches their previous doses by mouth twice daily with meals.

Depending on your child’s response, their prescriber may slowly increase their Synjardy dosage up to a maximum of 12.5 mg/1,000 mg by mouth twice a day with meals.

Are there any dosage adjustments for health conditions?

Some medications need dosage adjustments if a person has certain health conditions, such as liver or kidney disease. This isn’t the case for Synjardy. Your dosage is based on how well it works for you and whether you’re having any side effects. It doesn’t need to be changed if your liver or kidney function changes.

This being said, you may not be able to take Synjardy if your kidney function is very low. Synjardy’s manufacturer recommends that people with severe kidney disease, end-stage kidney disease, and those receiving dialysis avoid taking it.

Similarly, people with liver disease should avoid Synjardy because of the increased risk of lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood) from metformin.

What happens if you miss a dose of Synjardy?

If you miss your Synjardy dose, take it as soon as possible. But if it’s too close to the time of your next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at its usual time. Then, return to your regular dosage schedule. Don’t take extra Synjardy to try to make up for a missed dose.

What should you do if you take too much Synjardy?

Taking an extra dose of Synjardy by accident is unlikely to cause serious problems. But you may notice extra side effects. Common side effects of metformin include stomach upset, diarrhea, and gas. Common empagliflozin side effects include needing to pee more than usual.

Taking an excessive amount of Synjardy raises the risk of more concerning side effects. These include hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and lactic acidosis. Both of these can be life threatening in severe cases.

If you or someone you know takes too much Synjardy, contact a healthcare professional or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance. If any symptoms seem severe or life threatening, seek emergency help at an ER or by calling 911.

How to save on Synjardy and Synjardy XR

There are ways to save on Synjardy and Synjardy XR, which are available as brand-name medications. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $10 per month for Synjardy and Synjardy XR using a savings card from the manufacturer.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Synjardy or Synjardy XR’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Kristina D. Carter, PharmD, MBA, MHA

Kristina D. Carter, PharmD, MBA, MHA, has over 25 years of experience working in healthcare. She is registered as a licensed pharmacist in Georgia, Indiana, and Tennessee.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

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