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Meridia helps the seriously overweight shed pounds and keep them off. It is especially recommended for those who in addition to being overweight have other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It is used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet. Meridia works by boosting levels of certain chemical messengers in the nervous system, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Most important fact about Meridia

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.

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For sibutramine, the following should be considered:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sibutramine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Sibutramine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that sibutramine causes birth defects when used in doses many times higher than the usual human dose. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

It is not known whether sibutramine passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. A mother who is taking this medicine and who wishes to breast-feed should discuss this with her doctor.

Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of sibutramine in children with use in other age groups.

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of sibutramine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

What side effects may occur?

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Meridia.

More common side effects may include
Abdominal pain, acid indigestion, anxiety, back pain, constipation, cough increase, depression, dizziness, dry mouth, flu symptoms, headache, increased appetite, insomnia, joint pain, loss of appetite, loss of strength, nasal inflammation, nausea, nervousness, painful menstruation, rash, sinus inflammation, stomachache, sore throat.

Recommended dosage

The starting dose is 10 milligrams once daily. If you have not lost at least 4 pounds after 4 weeks, the doctor may increase the dose to 15 milligrams daily. This is the maximum; if weight loss still fails to appear, Meridia will be discontinued.

For those who experience side effects at the 10-milligram level, a 5-milligram dose may prove sufficient. Use of Meridia for longer than 1 year has not been studied.

Although doctors have had little experience with overdoses of Meridia, increased heart rate and blood pressure are possible results. Since any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences, seek medical attention immediately if you suspect an overdose.