Micronase

• More common side effects may include:
  Bloating, heartburn, nausea

Micronase, like all oral antidiabetics, may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) especially in elderly, weak, and undernourished people, and those with kidney, liver, adrenal, or pituitary gland problems. The risk of hypoglycemia can be increased by missed meals, alcohol, other medications, fever, trauma, infection, surgery, or excessive exercise. To avoid hypoglycemia, you should closely follow the dietary and exercise plan suggested by your physician.

• Symptoms of mild hypoglycemia may include:
  Cold sweat, drowsiness, fast heartbeat, headache, nausea, nervousness

• Symptoms of more severe hypoglycemia may include:
  Coma, pale skin, seizures, shallow breathing

Eating sugar or a sugar-based product will often correct mild hypoglycemia.

Severe hypoglycemia should be considered a medical emergency, and prompt medical attention is essential.

Why should Micronase not be prescribed?

You should not take Micronase if you have had an allergic reaction to it or to similar drugs such as Glucotrol or Diabinese.

Micronase should not be taken if you are suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis (a life-threatening medical emergency caused by insufficient insulin and marked by excessive thirst, nausea, fatigue, pain below the breastbone, and fruity breath).

Special warnings about Micronase

It's possible that drugs such as Micronase may lead to more heart problems than diet treatment alone, or diet plus insulin. If you have a heart condition, you may want to discuss this with your doctor.

If you are taking Micronase, you should check your blood or urine periodically for abnormal sugar (glucose) levels.

It is important that you closely follow the diet and exercise plan recommended by your doctor.

The effectiveness of any oral antidiabetic, including Micronase, may decrease with time. This may occur either because of a diminished responsiveness to the medication or a worsening of the diabetes.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Micronase

If Micronase is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Micronase with the following:

Airway-opening drugs such as Proventil and Ventolin
Anabolic steroids such as testosterone and Danazol
Antacids such as Mylanta
Aspirin
Beta blockers such as the blood pressure medications Inderal and Tenormin
Blood thinners such as Coumadin
Calcium channel blockers such as the blood pressure medications Cardizem and Procardia
Certain antibiotics such as Cipro
Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Clofibrate (Atromid-S)
Estrogens such as Premarin
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
Furosemide (Lasix)
Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
Isoniazid (Nydrazid)
Itraconazole (Sporanox)
Major tranquilizers such as Stelazine and Mellaril
MAO inhibitors such as the antidepressants Nardil and Parnate
Metformin (Glucophage)
Niacin (Niacor, Niaspan)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn, and Voltaren
Oral contraceptives
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Probenecid (Benemid)
Steroids such as prednisone
Sulfa drugs such as Bactrim or Septra
Thiazide diuretics such as the water pills Diuril and HydroDIURIL
Thyroid medications such as Synthroid

Be careful about drinking alcohol, since excessive alcohol consumption can cause low blood sugar.