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Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
Check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, decreased vision, or any other change in vision occurs during your treatment. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
This medicine may increase the risk of bone fractures in women. Ask your doctor about ways to keep your bones strong to help prevent fractures.
This medicine may cause women to ovulate, which could increase the chances of pregnancy. If you are a woman of childbearing potential, you should discuss birth control options with your doctor.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, unusual tiredness or weakness, weight loss, or yellow eyes or skin. These may be symptoms of liver problems.
If you are rapidly gaining weight, or having shortness of breath, or excessive swelling of hands, wrist, ankles, or feet, check with your doctor immediately. These may be symptoms of heart problems or your body keeping too much water.
Pioglitazone and glimepiride combination can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, this can also occur if you delay or miss a meal or snack, exercise more than the usual amount, drink alcohol, or when you take other types of diabetes medicine. Symptoms of low blood sugar may include anxiety; behavior change similar to being drunk; blurred vision; cold sweats; confusion; cool, pale skin; difficulty with thinking; drowsiness; excessive hunger; fast heartbeat; headache (continuing); nausea; nervousness; nightmares; restless sleep; shakiness; slurred speech; or unusual tiredness or weakness. It is important that you learn which symptoms of low blood sugar you usually have so that you can treat it quickly.
Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may also occur if you do not exercise as much as usual, have a fever or infection, do not take enough or skip a dose of your diabetes medicine, or overeat or do not follow your meal plan. Symptoms of hyperglycemia may include blurred vision; drowsiness; dry mouth; flushed, dry skin; fruit-like breath odor; increased urination (frequency and volume); ketones in the urine; loss of appetite; sleepiness; stomachache, nausea or vomiting; tiredness; troubled breathing (rapid and deep); unconsciousness; or unusual thirst.
If symptoms of low blood sugar or high blood sugar occur, check your blood sugar level and then call your doctor for instructions.
