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Patient Information Sheet
Pramlintide Acetate (marketed as Symlin)
PDF Print Version
This is a summary
of the most important information about Symlin. For details, talk to
your healthcare professional.
What Is The Most Important Information About Symlin?
·
Symlin is used with insulin
to lower blood sugar, especially high blood sugar that happens after
meals.
·
Symlin is given at
mealtimes. The use of Symlin does not replace your daily insulin but
may lower the amount of insulin you need, especially before meals.
·
Even when Symlin is
carefully added to your mealtime insulin therapy, your blood sugar
may drop too low, especially if you have type 1 diabetes. If this
low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) happens, it is seen within 3
hours after a Symlin injection. Severe low blood sugar makes it hard
to think clearly, drive a car, use heavy machinery or do other risky
activities where you could hurt yourself or others.
·
Symlin should only be used
by people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who:
-
already use their insulin as prescribed,
but still need better blood sugar control.
-
will follow their doctor’s instructions.
-
will follow up with their doctor often.
-
will test their blood sugar levels
before and after every meal, and at bedtime.
-
understand how to adjust Symlin and
insulin.
What Is Symlin?
Symlin is an
injectable medicine for adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to
control blood sugar. Symlin slows down the movement of food through
your stomach. This affects how fast sugar enters your blood after
eating. Symlin is always used with insulin to help lower blood sugar
during the 3 hours after meals.
Symlin has not been
studied in children.
Who Should Not Use Symlin?
Do not use Symlin if
you:
What Are The Risks?
See, “What Is The
Most Important Information About Symlin?”
-
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia):
Symlin is used with insulin to lower your blood sugar, but your
blood sugar may drop too low, especially if you have type 1
diabetes.
When starting
Symlin, reduce your doses of insulin before meals as recommended
by your doctor to reduce the chance of low blood sugar.
-
Nausea
is the most common side effect with Symlin
-
Other side effects include
decreased
appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, dizziness, or
indigestion. Symlin also can cause reactions at the injection site
including redness, minor bruising, or pain.
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Professional?
Before you start
taking Symlin, tell your healthcare professional
about all of your medical conditions including if you are:
-
pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
It is not known
if Symlin can harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor will
decide how to best control your blood sugar levels during
pregnancy.
-
breastfeeding.
It is not known if Symlin
passes into your milk and if it can harm your baby. You and your
doctor will decide the best way to feed your baby if you are using
Symlin.
Are There Any Interactions With Drugs Or Foods?
Keep a list of all
the medicines you take. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you
take including prescription and non-prescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements. Symlin can slow down how other
medicines pass through your stomach and may affect how much of them
get into your body. Therefore, you may have to change the times you
take certain medicines.
How Should I Use Symlin?
- You must use Symlin exactly as prescribed. The amount of
Symlin you use will depend on whether you have type 1 or type 2
diabetes. You and your doctor will decide if you can use
Symlin.
- Never mix Symlin and insulin. You must use different
syringes for Symlin and insulin because insulin can affect Symlin
when the two are mixed together.
- Do not use Symlin if the liquid in
the vial looks cloudy.
- If you miss or forget a dose of Symlin, wait until the next
meal and take your usual dose of Symlin at that meal. Do not take
more than your usual dose of Symlin.
- Once you reach your recommended dose of Symlin, talk to your
doctor about changing your insulin doses to better control your
blood sugar. You may have to increase your long-acting insulin to
prevent high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) between meals. Insulin
changes should be directed by your doctor based on blood sugar
testing.
-
If you stop taking Symlin for any reason,
such as surgery or illness, call your doctor.
Symlin: FDA approved 03/2005
Patient Information Sheet: Created 05/2005
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Date created: July 18, 2005, updated August
24, 2005 |
