PRECOSE (ACARBOSE)

Rx Precose for Type II Diabetes

Precose, also called Glucobay or generic Acarbose, is a medication that helps to control blood sugar levels in people who have type II diabetes. Precose works by slowing down the digestion of the sugars you eat, thereby stabilizing your blood sugar levels and reducing other health risks. Precose or its generic alternative Acarbose is provided in a pill format and should be taken with one of your main meals. If you are interested in purchasing Precose, you will need to obtain a prescription from your doctor. The generic alternative is not manufactured by the company that makes the brand product.

How Precose Works

Precose or Acarbose is not insulin, but works by blocking the α-glucosidase enzyme which will slow the digestion of starch (a carbohydrate) in your small intestine in order for the glucose from your meal to enter your bloodstream slower. This action will prevent a sugar spike after you have a meal. Precose medication is often added to other diabetes medications, such as insulin when additional blood glucose control is needed.

Precose is not a cure for diabetes, but it is efficient at maintaining a healthy glucose level throughout your day. You can also help maintain sugar levels with a positive lifestyle change by being more active, losing weight, stop smoking, limit your alcohol intake, and eating healthier.

About Diabetes

Type II diabetes develops either when your body cannot use a sugar-processing hormone called insulin, or when it does not produce enough of this hormone. If left untreated, it can cause extreme spikes in your blood sugar and put you at risk for dangerous complications like heart and blood vessel damage, nerve damage, and kidney damage. If you have type I diabetes, your doctor may add Precose to your insulin medicine for better glucose control.

Before You Start Precose

Tell your doctor if you are currently taking unsulin so the correct Precose dosage can be determined. Ask your doctor about the safety of taking Precose if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or are breast feeding. Explain other medical conditions or allergies you have and list all OTC and Rx drugs, herbal remedies, and any supplements you take or use, to be certain Precose is safe to take.

Proper Use of Precose

Your doctor should be advised if you have any disorders of the liver or gastrointestinal tract, as these may worsen while taking Precose. During treatment, you will need to watch for signs of dangerously low blood sugar levels (such as nausea, dizziness, or extreme hunger) and eat hard candies or glucose tablets if they develop. Do not stop, start, or alter the dosage of any medications without talking to your doctor first.

Possible Precose Side Effects

• Stomach pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Bloated feeling or passing of gas

You should contact your doctor right away if any of these very serious side effects occur: unusual tiredness; persistent nausea/vomiting; severe stomach/abdominal pain; rectal bleeding; yellowing eyes/skin; dark urine.