Diabeta (Glyburide)

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Diabeta 5mg

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Manufactured by: Sanofi Aventis
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Diabeta 5mg
Product of Canada
Manufactured by Sanofi Aventis
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Glyburide 2.5mg

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Manufactured by: Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Glyburide 2.5mg
Product of Canada
Manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Glyburide 5mg

Product of Canada
Manufactured by: Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Glyburide 5mg
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Manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Diabeta (Glyburide) Dosage and Side Effects

DIABETA is used along with diet and exercise to help control blood-sugar levels in people who have type 2 diabetes. DIABETA is in a class of drugs known as sulfonylureas, which stimulate the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin.

Warnings and Precautions

You shouldn't take DIABETA if you have type 1 diabetes (the body doesn't produce any insulin) or diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous condition that can occur if high blood sugar is untreated).

Before taking this medicine, tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

  • G6PD deficiency (an inherited enzyme condition)
  • Hemolytic anemia (a lack of red blood cells)
  • Hormone disorders involving the pituitary, adrenal, or thyroid gland
  • Heart, kidney, or liver disease
  • A nerve disorder that affects bodily functions

Alert your physician if you've taken chlorpropamide (Diabenese), another sulfonylurea drug for diabetes, in the past two weeks.

You shouldn't take this medicine if you take bosentan (Tracleer), a drug used for high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary arterial hypertension), because it may increase your risk of liver problems.

Before having surgery, including a dental procedure, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking DIABETA.

Some diabetes drugs may increase your risk of serious heart problems.  However, blood sugars that are out of control can damage your heart, or other organs, too. Talk to your doctor about these risks.

Tell your physician if you experience an illness, fever, injury, or unusual stress while taking DIABETA, because these can change your blood sugar and the dosage you need. DIABETA may cause changes in your blood sugar.

You should know the symptoms of high (hyperglycemic) or low (hypoglycemic) blood-sugar episodes and be prepared to treat them.

Your doctor will probably want to check your glucose levels often while you are taking DIABETA. Keep all healthcare appointments, including the ones for tests at a lab.

This medicine helps control blood-sugar levels, but it doesn't cure diabetes. Don't stop taking DIABETA without first talking to your doctor.  Always wear a diabetic ID bracelet to be sure you get proper treatment in case of an emergency.

Pregnancy and DIABETA

DIABETA is a pregnancy category C drug, which means harm to an unborn baby can't be ruled out.  Tell your physician if you are, or if you are planning, to become pregnant. Your healthcare provider might want you to take insulin during pregnancy.

Don't breastfeed while using this drug. It's not known whether DIABETA passes into breast milk or could harm a breastfeeding baby.

Gestational Diabetes and DIABETA

DIABETA is sometimes used to treat women with a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy (known as gestational diabetes).  However, some studies have found DIABETA may not be as safe or as effective as injected insulin.  Other studies have shown women with gestational diabetes may need higher doses of DIABETA. Talk to your doctor about the potential risks and benefits of using this medicine to treat gestational diabetes.

Side Effects

Common Side Effects of DIABETA

Tell your doctor if any of the following side effects become severe or don't go away:

  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Upper abdominal fullness
  • Rash
  • Muscle or joint pain
  • Blurred vision

Serious Side Effects of DIABETA

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following serious side effects:

  • Dark urine
  • Light-colored stools
  • Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice)
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Diarrhea

If you have any of the following and can't reach your doctor, you may need emergency medical help:

  • Pain in the upper right portion of the stomach
  • Confusion or slurred speech
  • Severe weakness
  • Unusual bleeding or bruising
  • Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat

Interactions with this medication

Tell your doctor about all prescription, non-prescription, illegal, recreational, herbal, nutritional, or dietary drugs you're taking, especially:

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril, (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik)
  • Antibiotics known as quinolone or fluoroquinolone, such as cinoxacin (Cinobac), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), gatifloxacin (Tequin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), nalidixic acid (NegGram), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), or trovafloxacin and alatrofloxacin combination (Trovan)
  • Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
  • Asthma drugs
  • Blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin)
  • Beta blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), and propranolol (Inderal)
  • Bosentan (Tracleer), for high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
  • Calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
  • Chloramphenicol, an antibiotic
  • Clarithromycin (Biaxin), an antibiotic
  • Cold medicines
  • Contraceptives, such as birth control pills, patches, rings, implants, and injections
  • Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), an immunosuppressant
  • Diabetes and blood-sugar drugs, such as insulin and others
  • Disopyramide (Norpace), a heart drug
  • Fluconazole (Diflucan), for fungal infections
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Isoniazid (INH)
  • MAOIs, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate)
  • Mental illness medications, such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) and others
  • Miconazole (Monistat), for yeast infections
  • Nausea medicine
  • Niacin, a type of vitamin B used for many conditions
  • Oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Deltasone)
  • Phenytoin (Dilantin), a seizure medicine
  • Probenecid (Benemid), for preventing gout or to treat some types of arthritis
  • Rifampin, an antibiotic for tuberculosis
  • Salicylate pain relievers such as choline magnesium trisalicylate, choline salicylate (Arthropan), diflunisal (Dolobid), magnesium salicylate (Doan's, others), and salsalate (Argesic, Disalcid, Salgesic)
  • Sulfa drugs, including antibiotics, such as co-trimoxazole (Bactrim, Septra); and the arthritis drug sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
  • Thyroid medications
  • Water pills (diuretics)

If you take colesevelam (Welchol), a drug for lowering "bad" (LDL) cholesterol, don't take it until four hours after you've taken DIABETA.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking DIABETA, as it can lower blood sugar and increase your risk of side effects.Although rare, drinking alcoholic beverages while on DIABETA can cause headache, flushing, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, sweating, choking, mental confusion, breathing difficulties, or anxiety.

DIABETA can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Avoid unnecessary sun exposure and tanning beds. Also, wear protective clothing and sunscreen when you are outdoors.

This medicine may also make you drowsy or dizzy. Don't drive or perform any activity that requires alertness until you're sure you can do so safely.

Proper Use of this medication

This medicine is usually taken once a day. However, some people may take it twice a day. Follow the directions carefully when taking DIABETA. Don't take more or less of the drug than is prescribed.  Your doctor might start you on a low dose and gradually increase it if needed.

If you suspect an overdose, you should contact a poison-control center or emergency room immediately.

Ask your doctor what to do if you forget a dose of DIABETA, and write down those instructions. As a general rule, if you miss a dose, take it as soon as your remember.

However, if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue on your regular dosing schedule.  Don't take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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