MERIDIA
Generic Name: sibutramine (oral) (sih BYOO tra meen). Brand Names: Meridia Sibutramine (Meridia® in the USA, Reductil® in Europe), usually as sibutramide hydrochloride monohydrate, is an orally administered agent for the treatment of obesity. It is a centrally-acting stimulant chemically related to amphetamine, methamphetamine, and phentermine (one of the drugs in the Fen-Phen combination). Sibutramine is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States.
Meridia comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken with or without food once a day. To help you remember to take sibutramine, take it around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Meridia exactly as directed. Sibutramine can be habit forming. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often or for a longer time than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may start you on a low dose of Meridia and increase your dose, after you have been taking sibutramine for at least 4 weeks. Your doctor may decrease your dose if you experience certain side effects while you are taking your starting dose. You will probably lose weight soon after you begin taking Meridia and following your diet and exercise program. Be sure to monitor your weight, and call your doctor if you do not lose at least 4 pounds during your first 4 weeks of therapy. Your doctor may wish to change your dose of Meridia. You may not continue to lose weight after your first 6 months of treatment. However, you should continue to take Meridia even if you have stopped losing weight. If you stop taking sibutramine, you may gain weight. Do not stop taking Meridia without talking to your doctor. Meridia affects chemicals in the body that are related to weight maintenance. Meridia is used as a short-term supplement to diet and exercise in the treatment of obesity. Meridia may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.  Make a point of keeping follow-up appointments with your doctor. Meridia can increase your blood pressure, so it's important to have your blood pressure and pulse monitored at the beginning of therapy and regularly thereafter. The safety and effectiveness of Meridia have not been studied in children younger than 16 years of age. |
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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next regularly scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take a double dose of this medication. If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Meridia and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); an irregular heartbeat; high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision); seizures. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Meridia and talk to your doctor if you experience: restlessness or tremor; nervousness or anxiety; mild headache or dizziness; insomnia; dry mouth or an unpleasant taste in your mouth, constipation. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Meridia or any other medications. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin); antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); beta-blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), and propranolol (Inderal); cimetidine (Tagamet); medications that suppress the immune system such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Prograf); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); and selegiline (Eldepryl). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking Meridia, call your doctor. You should not take Meridia while breast-feeding. Keep Meridia in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication. Remember that Meridia must never be taken within 2 weeks of using an MAO inhibitor such as Marplan, Nardil, or Parnate. The combination could lead to serious, even fatal, overstimulation. Meridia may also interact with a wide variety of other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, especially weight-reducing agents, decongestants, antidepressants, allergy medications, and cough and cold remedies that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. Among the many drugs that pose a potential problem are the following: Alcohol (excessive amounts); Dextromethorphan (found in many over-the-counter cough preparations); Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. Injection, Migranal Nasal Spray); Erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE); Fentanyl (Duragesic); Fluoxetine (Prozac); Fluvoxamine (Luvox); Ketoconazole (Nizoral); Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); Meperidine (Demerol); Naratriptan (Amerge); Paroxetine (Paxil); Pentazocine (Talwin NX, Talacen); Sertraline (Zoloft); Stimulants such as amphetamines, Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Adderall, Didrex, and Ionamin; Sumatriptan (Imitrex); Tryptophan (L-Tryptophan); Venlafaxine (Effexor); Zolmitriptan (Zomig). If you have any doubt about the safety of a combination, be sure to check with your doctor.
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