Uses

Ionamin is used in combination with diet and exercise to help you lose weight.

How to take

Use Ionamin as directed by your doctor. Take Ionamin by mouth before breakfast or 10 to 14 hours before bedtime unless directed otherwise by your doctor. Swallow Ionamin whole. Do not break, crush, or chew before swallowing.

Side effects

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome: bad taste in mouth, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, dry mouth, exaggerated sense of well being; headache, nervousness, overstimulation, restlessness, sleeplessness, upset stomach. Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur: severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bizarre behavior, changes in sex drive, chest pain, decreased sexual ability, fainting, fast or irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes; pounding in the chest; shortness of breath; swelling of the legs and feet; tremor.

Symptoms of overdose may include aggressive behavior, confusion, depression, exaggerated reflexes, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, nausea, panic, rapid breathing, severe or persistent dizziness, diarrhea, or restlessness; severe tiredness, stomach cramps, tremor, vomiting.
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Precaution

Do NOT use Ionamin if: you are allergic to any ingredient in Ionamin or other sympathomimetics (eg, pseudoephedrine); you are taking dexfenfluramine, fenfluramine, furazolidone, guanadrel, guanethidine, or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (eg, phenelzine) in the last 14 days; you have moderate to severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid, glaucoma, heart or blood vessel disease, or severe narrowing of the blood vessels; you have high blood pressure in the lungs; you are in an agitated state, or have a history of substance abuse.

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Some medical conditions may interact with Ionamin. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you: if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding; if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement; if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances; if you have a brain or spinal cord disorder, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol or lipid levels.

Ionamin may cause dizziness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Ionamin with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
Do NOT take more than the recommended dose or use for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor. Doing so may increase the risk of serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if you are not able to exercise as well as you could before you started taking Ionamin.

Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using Ionamin.

Avoid drinking alcohol with Ionamin.

Diabetes patients-Ionamin may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.
Use Ionamin with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects.
If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Ionamin while you are pregnant. It is not known if Ionamin is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Ionamin.

After you have taken Ionamin for a few weeks, it will usually not work as well as when you began taking it. Talk with your doctor if Ionamin stops working well. Do not take more medicine than prescribed.

Some people who use Ionamin for a long time may develop a need to continue taking it. People who take high doses are also at risk. If you stop taking Ionamin suddenly, you may have withdrawal symptoms. These may include extreme tiredness, mental depression, trouble sleeping, irritability, or mental, mood, or personality changes.

Drug interactions

Some medicines may interact with Ionamin. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following: Dexfenfluramine, fenfluramine, furazolidone, or MAOIs (eg, phenelzine) because the risk of serious side effects, such as increasing headache, high blood pressure, slow heart rate, elevated temperature, or possibly fatal lung problems, may be increased; Serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors (eg, fluoxetine) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Ionamin; Guanadrel or guanethidine because their effectiveness may be decreased by Ionamin.

Ask your health care provider if Ionamin may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of Ionamin, take it as soon as possible. If it is after 12 pm, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Ionamin at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Ionamin out of the reach of children and away from pets...