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Why is this drug prescribed?
Meridia is used, in combination with diet and exercise, to help you lose weight. It works by decreasing your appetite.
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Precautions while Using this Medicine
It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. Meridia may increase blood pressure or heart rate and your doctor will check for these effects. Your doctor may need to adjust y
our dose.
If Meridia does not seem to be working well, do not increase your dosage. Check with your doctor.
Do not drink excess alcohol while taking Meridia.
Notify your do
ctor as soon as possible if you develop a skin rash, hives, or other allergic symptoms.
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Before Using This Medicine
Children¡XStudies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of Meridia in children with use in other age groups.
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Side Effects of This Medicine
If you have narrow-angle glaucoma or thyroid problems, make sure the doctor knows; Meridia should be used with caution in these circumstances. If you are prone to gallstones, be aware that weight loss
can cause more of them to form. Meridia has not been tested in people under 16 years old. It should be used with caution in those over 65. Although it has been classified as a controlled substance (p
otentially subject to abuse), the possibility of developing physical or psychological dependence is low.
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MERIDIA is a short-term drug that helps you to start losing weight and then keep on going when you are ready to carry on, on your own. Your body starts to build up a resistance to the effects of MERIDIA after a few weeks of treatment, which
When you are taking Meridia, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:
- Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarbo
xazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate])¡X Do not take Meridia while you are taking or within 2 wee
ks of taking an MAO inhibitor, and do not take an MAO inhibitor within 2 weeks of taking Meridia . If you do, you may develop severe seizures, extremely high blood pressure, or the serotonin syndrome.
Allow at least 2 weeks to pass between taking one of these medicines (Meridia or an MAO inhibitor) and taking the other
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How should this medicine be used?
The recommended starting dose of MERIDIA is 10-milligrams administered once daily with or without food. If there is inadequate weight loss, the dose may be titrated after 4 weeks to a total of 15-mill
igrams taken once daily. The 5-milligram dose should be reserved for those patients that do not tolerate the 10-milligram dose. Blood pressure and heart rate changes should betaken into consideration
when making decisions regarding dose titration. Take this medication as prescribed. Do not take it more often or longer than directed. Use in combination with other appetite suppressant medicine is ge
nerally not recommended.
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