Avandamet

Special warnings about Avandamet

Use Avandamet with caution if you have a problem with fluid retention or swelling. The drug has been known to cause this problem, which in turn can lead to heart failure. Also use caution if you're at risk for heart failure. Call the doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of heart failure such as a sudden weight change, fatigue, shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles or legs.

Before you start therapy with Avandamet, and at least once a year thereafter, your doctor will do a complete assessment of your kidney function. If you develop kidney problems while on Avandamet, your doctor will discontinue this medication. If you are an older person, you will need to have your kidney function monitored more frequently, and your doctor may want to start you at a lower dosage.

Poor liver function could increase the risk of lactic acidosis. Therefore, your doctor will check to make sure your liver function is normal before prescribing Avandamet, then recheck it every 2 months for the first 12 months and periodically thereafter. Warning signs of liver damage include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine, and yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes. If you develop any of these symptoms, tell your doctor immediately. You may need to discontinue treatment with Avandamet.

You should not take Avandamet for 2 days before and after having an X-ray procedure (such as an angiogram) that uses an injectable dye. Also, if you are going to have surgery, except minor surgery, you should stop taking Avandamet. Once you have resumed normal food and fluid intake, your doctor will tell you when you can start drug therapy again.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol while taking Avandamet. Heavy drinking increases the danger of lactic acidosis and can also trigger an attack of low blood sugar.

Avandamet occasionally causes a mild deficiency of vitamin B ₁₂. Your doctor will check for this with yearly blood tests and may prescribe a supplement if necessary.