Avandia

Rosiglitazone is used alone or with other medicines to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (noninsulin-dependent diabetes). It is used together with diet and exercise.

Tell to your doctor if you are allergic to Rosiglitazone or to any other medications. You should also inform your healthcare providers if you are allergic to foods, dyes, or animals. Safety and efficacy of this medication have not been established in children.

Pregnancy category C – The use of Rosiglitazone during pregnancy is warranted only if benefits justify risks to the fetus and only when no alternative management is appropriate. There are no adequate studies whether Rosiglitazone can pass through breast milk or if it could cause harmful effects to the infant. Discuss with your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby.

Taking Rosiglitazone with any of the following medications is usually not recommended, but with exception in some cases. Dosage or frequency of one or both of your medicines may be changed if both medicines are prescribed together.

• Abiraterone
• Balofloxacin
• Besifloxacin
• Ceritinib
• Ciprofloxacin
• Dabrafenib
• Enoxacin
• Entacapone
• Fleroxacin
• Flumequine
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Insulin
• Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
• Insulin Bovine
• Insulin Degludec
• Insulin Detemir
• Insulin Glulisine
• Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
• Lanreotide
• Levofloxacin
• Lomefloxacin
• Moxifloxacin
• Nadifloxacin
• Norfloxacin
• Octreotide
• Ofloxacin
• Pasireotide
• Pazufloxacin
• Pefloxacin
• Pixantrone
• Prulifloxacin
• Rufloxacin
• Sparfloxacin
• Tosufloxacin

Taking Rosiglitazone with any of the following medications may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. Dosage or frequency of one or both of your medicines may be changed if both medicines are prescribed together.

• Acebutolol
• Atenolol
• Betaxolol
• Bisoprolol
• Bitter Melon
• Carteolol
• Carvedilol
• Celiprolol
• Esmolol
• Fenofibrate
• Fenofibric Acid
• Fenugreek
• Furazolidone
• Gemfibrozil
• Glucomannan
• Guar Gum
• Iproniazid
• Isocarboxazid
• Labetalol
• Levobunolol
• Linezolid
• Methylene Blue
• Metipranolol
• Metoprolol
• Moclobemide
• Nadolol
• Nebivolol
• Nialamide
• Oxprenolol
• Penbutolol
• Phenelzine
• Pindolol
• Practolol
• Procarbazine
• Propranolol
• Psyllium
• Rasagiline
• Rifampin
• Safinamide
• Selegiline
• Sotalol
• Timolol
• Tranylcypromine
• Trimethoprim

Some medical conditions can interact with this medication. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
Angina

• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Type 1 diabetes — Should not be used in patients with these conditions.
• Patient with kidney disease -- Should not use this drug in combination with metformin in patients with this condition.
• Diabetic macular edema
• Edema
• Heart attack
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Fever
• Infection
• Surgery
• Trauma
• Fragile bones

Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Excessive use of medication is not recommended. This medicine should be taken with or without meals. You should do regular exercises. Special diet from your doctor should be followed as well. Starting dose for adult patient is 4 mg per day, taken as a single dose or divided into two doses. Your doctor may adjust your dose up to 8 mg per day.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is near for your next dose, skip the missed dose and start again to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Store the medication in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep out of reach of children. Do not keep expired medications.

Check with your doctor if:

• If you have chest pain or discomfort, nausea, pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck, shortness of breath, sweating, or vomiting. These may be symptoms of a heart attack.
• If you are rapidly gaining weight or having shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, extreme tiredness or weakness, irregular breathing, irregular heartbeat, or excessive swelling of the hands, wrist, ankles, or feet, check with your doctor right away. These may be symptoms of a heart problem or edema.
• If you have abdominal or stomach pain, dark urine, a loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These may be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
• If blurring of vision, difficulty in reading, or any other change in vision occurs while you are taking this medicine. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist.
• Your doctor will be checking you regularly to monitor the effectiveness of the medication. Blood tests may be ordered for undesirable effects. Tell your doctor that you are using this medicine before undergoing any kind of surgery or medical procedures.

Some pregnant women who are taking this medicine can be at risk. This medicine may cause ovulation for women who are having ovulation problems or those who had irregular periods in the past. This may increase their chance of becoming pregnant. Discuss birth control options with your doctor if you are a woman of childbearing potential.

Rosiglitazone may increase the risk for bone fractures in women. Discuss with your doctor the ways to keep your bones strong to help prevent fractures. Drinking alcohol while using this medication may cause severe low blood sugar. Discuss with your doctor if you have any concerns with this matter. Avoid using any other medication without discussing it first with your doctor.

Discuss with your doctor the ways on how to prevent side effects of this medication. In addition, diabetic patients may need special counseling regarding pregnancy as well as diabetes medicine dosing changes that might occur due to lifestyle changes. When are planning to travel, you should keep your recent prescription as well as your medical history with you. You should make allowances for changing time zones and keep your meal times as close as possible to your usual meal times.

Carrying a medical identification card stating that you have diabetes can be helpful in emergency cases. Fluid retention may lead to heart problems if worsened. You should know what to do if fluid retention occurs. Rosiglitazone and metformin combination can cause low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include:

• Anxiety
• Behavior change similar to being drunk
• Blurred vision
• Cold sweats
• Confusion
• Cool, Pale skin
• Difficulty in thinking
• Drowsiness
• Excessive hunger
• Fast heartbeat
• Persistent headache
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Nightmares
• Restless sleep
• Shakiness
• Slurred speech
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Management for low blood sugar include eating glucose tablets or gel, corn syrup, honey, or sugar cubes, or drink fruit juice, non-diet soft drinks, or sugar dissolved in water. You should also monitor your blood sugar levels. In addition, you should always have a Glucagon kit with you if severe symptoms of low blood sugar occur. Members of your family also should know how to use it. If you are not taking this medication correctly, high blood sugar can occur. Symptoms of high blood sugar include:

• Blurred vision
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Flushed
• Dry skin
• Fruit-like breath odor
• Increased urination (frequency and amount)
• Ketones in the urine
• Loss of appetite
• Sleepiness
• Stomachache
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Tiredness
• Troubled breathing (rapid and deep)
• Unconsciousness
• Unusual thirst

Check your blood sugar level and consult with your doctor for instructions.

If any of the following side effects occur, check with your doctor right away:

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• Blurred vision
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Decrease in the amount of urine
• Dry mouth
• Flushed, dry skin
• Fruit-like breath odor
• Increased hunger
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Noisy, rattling breathing
• Pain in the shoulders, arms, jaw, or neck
• Pale skin
• Rapid or unusual weight gain
• Sweating
• Swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
• Trouble breathing
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Chills
• Cold sweats
• Coma
• Confusion
• Dark urine
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Fast heartbeat
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Nightmares
• Seizures
• Shakiness
• Slurred speech
• Blue lips and fingernails
• Changes in vision
• Coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
• Hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• Itching or skin rash
• Light-colored stools
• Redness of the skin
• Yellow eyes or skin

Less serious side effects:

• Ear congestion
• Fever
• General feeling of discomfort or illness
• Hoarseness or other voice changes
• Injury
• Joint pain
• Muscle aches and pains
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Shivering
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Trouble sleeping
• Back pain
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Lightheadedness
• Pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones

Not all side effects are listed above. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.