Meridia

Brand Names

Sibutramine

What is Meridia

Meridia is a prescription medication, used against obesity and providing weight loss. Meridia acts by affecting chemicals in the brain that affect weight maintenance.

This medicine is commonly used together with diet and exercising. It is effective in the treatment of obesity that may have links with diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. It contains the following inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, NF; microcrystalline cellulose, NF; colloidal silicon dioxide, NF and magnesium stearate.

Side effects of Meridia

Meridia can cause the following side effects:

• fast, pounding or uneven heartbeats
• new or worsening shortness of breath
• agitation, hallucinations, fever, tremor, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, dilated pupils
• very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, feeling like you might pass out
• easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or any bleeding that will not stop)
• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, seizure)
• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, general ill feeling
• sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), problems with vision, speech

The warning signals may also be:

• dry mouth, upset stomach
• changes in appetite
• constipation, stomach pain
• headache, back pain, joint pain
• feeling nervous, dizzy or depressed
• flu symptoms, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough
• warmth, redness or tingly feeling under your skin
• trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• mild skin rash

Indication

Meridia acts by making you feel full more quickly. It works in the brain where it increases the levels of certain brain chemicals (including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) in certain areas of the brain. Meridia does not increase the brain chemicals production. It prevents the "reuptake" of the chemicals.

Meridia stops the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine and more of these chemicals stay in the space between the brain's nerve cells. By means of this, the chemicals activate the receptors on the next nerve cell. Such combination of actions gives you a sense of fullness and prevents eating more. However it does not impact on your appetite.

Precautions

You shoukd not take this medication if you have the following conditions:

• severe or uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)
• an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia)
• a history of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis)
• a history of heart disease (congestive heart failure, heart rhythm disorder)
• a history of heart attack or stroke
• if you are taking stimulant diet pills

It is important to discuss the safeness of this medication with your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• glaucoma
• high blood pressure
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• depression
• underactive thyroid
• epilepsy or seizure disorder
• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder
• a history of gallstones
• if you are older than 65 or younger than 16

Dosage forms

Meridia is release in capsules. The dose should be prescribed by your doctor. The standard dose of Meridia is 10 mg once daily. In some cases the dose may be increased to 15 mg once daily if there is no result after 4 weeks of using Meridia together with diet.