Symlin

Generic name: Pramlintide
Drug class: Amylin analogs

Usage of Symlin

Symlin is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. Pramlintide lowers blood sugar in three ways. It slows the rate that food moves from your stomach to your intestines, which keeps your blood sugar from rising too fast. Symlin also lowers the amount of glucose (sugar) your liver produces. Lastly, pramlintide triggers the feeling of fullness after meals to help control your appetite and decrease how much food you eat.

Symlin is used together with insulin to treat type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Symlin is usually given after other diabetes medicines have been tried without success.

Symlin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to Symlin: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

severe ongoing nausea; or

severe hypoglycemia - headache, dizziness, drowsiness, vision problems, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, fast heart rate, feeling jittery.

Common Symlin side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite; or

headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Symlin

You should not use Symlin if you are allergic to pramlintide or metacresol, or:

if you have a digestive condition called "delayed gastric emptying"; or

if you cannot recognize symptoms of low blood sugar.

To make sure Symlin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

a history of delayed gastric emptying;

problems with vision (blindness, trouble reading);

if you are unable to check your blood sugars regularly; or

if you have had severe hypoglycemia more than once in the past 6 months.

It is not known whether Symlin will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.

It is not known whether pramlintide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Symlin should not be used in children.

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How to use Symlin

Usual Adult Dose for Diabetes Type 1:

15 mcg suBCutaneously, injecting immediately prior to each major meal Comments: -Mealtime insulin doses (including premixed insulins) should be reduced by 50%. -Dose should be increased to next increment (30, 45, or 60 mcg) when no clinically significant nausea has occurred for at least 3 days. -If significant nausea persists at the 45 or 60 mcg dose level, dose should be decreased to 30 mcg. -If the 30 mcg dose is not tolerated, discontinuation should be considered. Use: Adjunctive treatment in patients with type 1 diabetes who use mealtime insulin therapy and who have failed to achieve desired glucose control despite optimal insulin therapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Diabetes Type 2:

60 mcg subcutaneously, injecting immediately prior to each major meal Comments: -Mealtime insulin doses (including premixed insulins) should be reduced by 50%. -Dose should be increased from 60 to 120 mcg prior to each major meal when no clinically significant nausea has occurred for at least 3 days. -If significant nausea persists at the 120 mcg dose, dose should be decreased to 60 mcg. Use: Adjunctive treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes who use mealtime insulin therapy and who have failed to achieve desired glucose control despite optimal insulin therapy.

Warnings

Do not mix Symlin and insulin together in the same syringe.

You should not use this medicine if you have a digestive condition called "delayed gastric emptying."

Call your doctor if you have severe nausea that lasts for several days. This may be a sign that your dose is too high. If you skip a meal, do not take your dose of Symlin. Wait until your next meal.

You should not use Symlin if you cannot recognize symptoms of low blood sugar. Severely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may occur within 3 hours after your Symlin injection. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, vision problems, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery.

What other drugs will affect Symlin

Other drugs may interact with pramlintide, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

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