Meridia

Drug name: Meridia

Other names used: Meridia

Active Ingredients: sibutramine

Therapeutic actions: Meridia affects chemicals in the body that are related to weight maintenance.

Indications: Meridia is used as a short-term supplement to diet and exercise in the treatment of obesity.

Contraindications and cautions: Do not take Meridia without first talking to your doctor if you

have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the last 14 days;
have anorexia nervosa;
are taking an appetite suppressant;
have high blood pressure;
have heart disease, irregular heartbeats, congestive heart failure, or a history of stroke;
have epilepsy or another seizure disorder;
have gallstones;
have glaucoma;
have liver disease; or
have kidney disease.

You may not be able to take Meridia, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Meridia is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether Meridia will harm an unborn baby. Do not take Meridia without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether Meridia passes into breast milk. Do not take Meridia without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. The safety and effectiveness of Meridia have not been studied in children younger than 16 years of age.

Adverse effects: The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

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); or
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, or
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. The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.

Interactions: Do not take Meridia if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the last 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction may occur. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking

lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, Lithonate, others);
almotriptan (Axert), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex), or zolmitriptan (Zomig);
citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), or fluvoxamine (Luvox);
venlafaxine (Effexor), nefazodone (Serzone), mirtazapine (Remeron), or thioridazine (Mellaril);
amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), or trimipramine (Surmontil);
dihydroergotamine (D.H.E.);
dextromethorphan (in many cough medicines);
meperidine (Demerol);
fentanyl (Duragesic); or
pentazocine (Talacen, Talwin).

Meridia may interact with the medicines listed above and cause anxiety, restlessness, loss of consciousness, confusion, weakness, tremor, poor coordination, fever, shivering, sweating, vomiting, a fast heartbeat, and other symptoms. These reactions can be very dangerous and require medical attention. Do not take any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines without first talking to your doctor, especially weight-loss products, tryptophan (L-tryptophan, 5-HTP), decongestants, antidepressants, cough suppressants, lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithonate, others), or migraine medicines.

Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Meridia. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.