Amaryl (Generic)

Generic Amaryl (glimepiride) is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. This medication helps your body respond better to insulin produced by your pancreas.

Generic Amaryl is used together with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes. Insulin or other diabetes medicines are sometimes used in combination with this medicine if needed.

Take Generic Amaryl exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Generic Amaryl is usually taken once a day with breakfast or the first main meal of the day. Follow your doctor's instructions. Take Generic Amaryl with a full glass of water. Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to recognize them: headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, tremor, irritability, or trouble concentrating.

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

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects while taking Generic Amaryl:

• severe skin rash, itching, redness, or irritation;
• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, fever, unusual weakness;
• numbness or tingly feeling;
• trouble breathing;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• dark urine, clay-colored stools;
• upper stomach pain, low fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling restless or irritable, confusion, hallucinations, muscle pain or weakness, and/or seizure.

Less serious Amaryl side effects may include:

• dizziness, headache, tired feeling;
• mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea;
• increased skin sensitivity to sunlight; or
• mild itching or skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It lowers blood sugar and may interfere with your diabetes treatment. Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Generic Amaryl can make you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.

Using certain medicines can make it harder for you to tell when you have low blood sugar. Tell your doctor if you use any of the following:

• albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin);
• clonidine (Catapres);
• reserpine;
• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others.
• You may be more likely to have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if you take Amaryl with:
• clarithromycin (Biaxin);
• disopyramide (Norpace);
• exenatide (Byetta);
• fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem);
• probenecid (Benemid);
• an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), and others;
• some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
• aspirin or other salicylates (including Pepto-Bismol);
• a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin and others);
• a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI);
• sulfa drugs (Bactrim, Gantanol, Septra, and others); or
• other oral diabetes medications, especially acarbose (Precose), metformin (Glucophage), miglitol (Glyset), pioglitazone (Actos), or rosiglitazone (Avandia).

Never exceed the recommended dosage of Generic Amaryl. Missed doses should be taken as soon as the users remembers, however if it almost time for the next dosage, skip the missed dose and revert back to normal schedule. Do not take more than 2 doses of Generic Amaryl in one instance.

The ideal storage temperature to Generic Amaryl is between 15-30 degrees Celsius, (59 to 86 F). Generic Amaryl should be kept away from moisture and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep out of reach of children and pets.