CLASS and MECHANISM of Action
Generic Avandia is an oral anti-diabetic drug from the thiazolidinedione class. It improves your ability to control blood glucose by making your body more sensitive to insulin.
Generic Avandia works differently than some other diabetes medicines. It does not cause your body to make more insulin. Instead, Generic Avandia can help your body use its natural insulin better. This lowers your blood sugar and can help keep it under control.
Active Ingredients: rosiglitazone maleate
Inactive Ingredients: hypromellose 2910, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol 3000, sodium starch glycolate, titanium dioxide, triacetin, and 1 or more of the following: synthetic red and yellow iron oxides and talc.
What is Generic Avandia PRESCRIBED For?
Generic Avandia is an oral antidiabetic agent which acts primarily by increasing insulin sensitivity. Generic Avandia is used in the management of type II diabetes mellitus (also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] or adult-onset diabetes). Generic Avandia improves glycemic control while reducing circulating insulin levels.
How Should I Take Generic Avandia?
Generic Avandia can be administrated once or twice daily with or without food. Daily doses range from 4 to 8 mg either with or without other antidiabetic medications. The dose is adjusted to give the best control. Follow the directions of your health care professional while taking Generic Avandia.
Tablets should be kept at room temperature, 15-30°C (59-86°F).
Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.
Keep container tightly closed and protect from light.
Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.
What are the CONTRAINDICATIONS for taking Generic Avandia?
Tell your doctor if you have heart problems or heart failure. Generic Avandia can cause your body to keep extra fluid which leads to swelling and weight gain. Extra body fluid can make some heart problems worse or lead to heart failure. If you have swelling or fluid retention, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, an unusually rapid increase in weight, or unusual tiredness while taking Generic Avandia, call your doctor right away.
You should not take Generic Avandia if you have liver problems. Blood tests should be used to check for liver problems before starting and while taking Generic Avandia. Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, or if you experience unexplained tiredness, stomach problems, dark urine or yellowing of skin while taking Generic Avandia.
Generic Avandia is contraindicated to persons that have type I diabetes, or are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis. In such cases is recommended to call the doctor for treatment with insulin.
Some women using Generic Avandia have started having menstrual periods, even after not having a period for a long time due to a medical condition. You may be able to get pregnant if your periods restart. Talk with your doctor about the need for birth control.
Generic Avandia is contraindicated to persons that are pregnant, plan to be pregnant or are breast-feeding.
What Happens if I MISS A DOSE?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.
NOTE: Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What happens if I OVERDOSE?
Symptoms of overdose with Generic Avandia are signs of low blood sugar, such as hunger, headache, confusion, irritability, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, tremors, sweating, fast heartbeat, seizure (convulsions), fainting, or coma.
If an overdose is suspected call your local emergency immediately.
What are the possible SIDE EFFECTS of Generic Avandia?
Your doctor should check your eyes regularly. Very rarely, some people have experienced vision changes due to swelling in the back of the eye while taking Generic Avandia.
More common side effects may include:
- headache;
- high blood sugar;
- low blood sugar;
- back pain;
- fatigue;
- respiratory tract infections;
- sinus inflammation
- swelling
Less common side effects may include:
- anemia (low blood cell count);
- diarrhea
Rare side effects may include:
- congestive heart failure
What other drugs can INTERACT with Generic Avandia?
If you are using any of the following drugs:
- gemfibrozil (Gemcor); orGeneric Avandia (Rosoglitazone)
- rifampin (Rifater, Rifadin, Rimactane).
you may not be able to take Generic Avandia, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring.
If you take Generic Avandia with other drugs that raise blood sugar you may have hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Below are listed drugs that can raise blood sugar:
- diuretics (water pills);
- birth control pills and other hormones;
- steroids (prednisone and others);
- seizure medicines (Dilantin and others); and
- diet pills or medicines to treat asthma, colds or allergies.
- phenothiazines (Compazine and others);
- thyroid medicine (Synthroid and others);
- isoniazid;
You may also experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if you are taking Generic Avandia with other drugs that lower blood sugar. Below ate listed some of these drugs:
- sulfa drugs (Bactrim and others);
- a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI);
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
- probenecid (Benemid).
- aspirin or other salicylates (including Pepto-Bismol);
- beta-blockers (Tenormin and others).
Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Additional Information
Remember: Generic Avandia is not an oral form of insulin, and cannot be used in place of insulin.
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