Miglitol (By mouth)

MIG-li-tol

Helps control blood sugar in patients who have diabetes mellitus.

Drug classes

Antidiabetic (About this – PubMed Health)

Uses

Uses of This Medicine

Miglitol is used to treat high blood sugar levels that are caused by type 2 diabetes. Normally, after you eat, your pancreas releases insulin to help your body store excess sugar for later use. This process occurs during normal digestion of food. In type 2 diabetes, your body does not work properly to store the excess sugar and the sugar remains in your bloodstream. Having high blood sugar can lead to serious health problems in the future. Proper diet is the first step in managing type 2 diabetes but often medicines are needed to help your body. Miglitol is a medicine that slows the digestion of sugars so your body has time to store extra sugar. Sometimes another medicine called sulfonylurea can be used in combination with miglitol to help your body store more sugar.

This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.

Other uses (PubMed Health)

How To Use

Tablet

Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often.

Take the tablet at the start (with the first bite) of your main meals.

If a dose is missed:

If you remember the dose while you are still eating or right after you finished your meal, take the dose right away. Otherwise, wait until your next main meal to use your medicine.

You should not use two doses at the same time.

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:

Store the tablets at room temperature away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep the medicine bottle closed tightly.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Certain drugs can increase the level of sugar in your blood and make it harder for you to control your diabetes. Some of these drugs are diuretics (water pills such as Lasix® or Dyazide®), steroids (such as Prednisone®), Dilantin®, estrogen, birth control pills, niacin, and some cold and allergy drugs. Make sure your doctor knows if you are using any of these drugs.

Medicines used to help digest food (such as Donnazyme®, Pancrease®, or Creon®) should not be taken at the same time as miglitol.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are using any other medicines, especially those for your heart, stomach, blood pressure, or to treat your diabetes.

When Not To Use

You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to miglitol or if you have a bowel disorder such as colitis, Crohn’s disease, or a blockage in your bowels.

Warnings

Talk to your doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or any problems with digestion or your bowels.

Because of the way miglitol works, it is likely to cause gas. This is normal and should get better over time.

To keep your diabetes under control, follow the diet that your doctor ordered, exercise regularly, and test your urine or blood for sugar as your doctor ordered.

Miglitol by itself does not cause low blood sugar the way some other medicines to treat diabetes can. But, if you also use other anti-diabetes medicine, miglitol can work with these other medicines to make your blood sugar even lower.

If your blood sugar gets too low, you may feel weak, drowsy, confused, or very hungry. You may also sweat, shake, or have blurred vision, a fast heartbeat, trouble concentrating, or a headache that won’t go away.

Make sure you know what to do if your blood sugar gets too low. Teach your friends, co-workers, or family members what they can do to help you if you have low blood sugar.

You may need to keep a supply of glucose tablets or gel with you to treat low blood sugar. Regular table sugar may not work as well for low blood sugar, because miglitol keeps your body from absorbing regular sugar quickly.

Tell your doctor if you start to have more problems than usual with low blood sugar.

Possible side effects

Summary More details

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

Gas, diarrhea, or stomach discomfort

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

More side effects of this drug

Brand names include

Glyset

There may be other brand names for this medicine.