Nesina Met (Alogliptin (As Benzoate) And Metformin Hydrochloride)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Nesina Met Used For?
Nesina Met is a combination diabetes medication that contains two active ingredients working together to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Primary Uses
Nesina Met is used to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM). Type 2 diabetes develops when your body doesn’t make enough insulin, when the insulin doesn’t work properly, or when your body produces too much glucagon.
How It Works
Nesina Met contains alogliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor that increases insulin levels after meals and decreases sugar production in your body. It also contains metformin, a biguanide that lowers blood sugar by reducing sugar production in the liver and helping insulin work more effectively. Both medicines are oral antidiabetics that work together to help control your blood glucose levels.
Treatment Goal: The main goal is to lower your blood sugar to a level your doctor considers appropriate, which may help prevent or delay diabetes complications affecting your heart, eyes, circulation, and kidneys.
How to Take Nesina Met
Take Nesina Met exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The medication should be taken consistently at the same times each day with food to reduce stomach upset.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is one tablet twice daily. Your doctor will determine the exact amount you need based on your condition and current medications. Swallow the tablet whole with water and take it with food to reduce your chance of stomach upset. Take Nesina Met at the same time each day and continue until your doctor tells you to stop.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose, and always take with food to prevent stomach upset.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Indigestion and heartburn
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Headache
- Cold-like symptoms (stuffy nose, sore throat, tiredness)
- Rash and itchy skin
- Joint pain
- Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms (tiredness, sore red tongue, pins and needles, pale or yellow skin)
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Allergic reactions (rash, hives, swelling, breathing problems)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin reaction)
- Bullous pemphigoid (skin blisters)
- Pancreatitis symptoms (severe stomach pain reaching to back with nausea/vomiting)
- Liver problems (yellowing skin/eyes, dark urine, unusual tiredness)
- Hypoglycemia (trembling, sweating, confusion, blurred vision)
- Lactic acidosis (feeling cold, tired, dizzy, severe nausea, muscle pain, irregular heartbeat, rapid breathing)
Important Warnings
Before taking Nesina Met, it’s crucial to discuss your medical history and current medications with your doctor to ensure this medication is safe for you.
Who Should Not Take Nesina Met
Do not use Nesina Met if you are allergic to alogliptin, metformin, or any ingredients in the medication. Also avoid if you have metabolic acidosis, diabetic ketoacidosis, or are scheduled for an x-ray procedure requiring contrast dye injection. People with type 1 diabetes should not use this medication.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, liver problems, heart problems, are over 80 years old (kidney function must be checked first), drink alcohol excessively, have any allergies, or take other medications. Nesina Met should not be used in people with certain kidney problems.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Nesina Met is not recommended during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, discuss the best way to control blood sugar with your doctor. It’s unknown if Nesina Met passes into breast milk, so consult your doctor if breastfeeding. This medication should not be used in children and adolescents under 18 years.
Safety Risk: Before starting Nesina Met, discard any other medicines containing metformin or alogliptin to prevent accidental overdosing, which can cause serious side effects.
Drug Interactions
Several medications can interact with Nesina Met and affect how it works. Always inform your healthcare providers about all medications you’re taking.
Blood Sugar Alert: When taken with insulin or sulfonylureas, Nesina Met may cause low blood sugar. Carry glucose tablets or sugary snacks as recommended by your healthcare provider.
- Corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, prednisolone) for inflammation
- Cimetidine for stomach problems
- Bronchodilators for asthma (salbutamol, terbutaline)
- ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure (ramipril, lisinopril, enalapril)
- Diuretics (fluid tablets)
- Cationic drugs (amiloride, digoxin, morphine, procainamide, quinidine, quinine, ranitidine, triamterene, trimethoprim, vancomycin)
- Drugs that increase blood sugar (phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, isoniazid)
- Iodinated contrast agents
- Medicines containing alcohol
- Insulin or sulfonylureas (may cause low blood sugar)
Alcohol & Driving
Nesina Met can affect your ability to drive safely and has important interactions with alcohol that you need to be aware of.
Alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while taking Nesina Met as it increases your risk of developing lactic acidosis, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that requires hospital treatment. Alcohol also increases the risk of your blood sugar becoming dangerously low.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Nesina Met affects you. The medication may cause dizziness, and if your blood sugar becomes too low, you may feel dizzy, weak, tired, or have slower reaction times. Do not drive if you experience these symptoms.
Blood Sugar Precautions
Be extra careful with activities that can cause low blood sugar, including drinking alcohol, skipping meals, or doing unexpected vigorous exercise. These situations require additional monitoring of your blood glucose levels.
Storage
Keep Nesina Met tablets in their original blister pack until you’re ready to take them. Store in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Keep away from moisture, heat, and sunlight – don’t store in bathrooms, near sinks, in cars, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children. Take expired or unwanted medication to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Overdose Information
If you think you’ve taken too much Nesina Met, seek immediate medical attention even if you don’t feel unwell. Call the Poisons Information Centre at 13 11 26, contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department right away. Taking too much metformin can cause lactic acidosis, a serious medical emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Take Nesina Met with food to reduce your chance of stomach upset. Swallow the tablet whole with water at the same time each day.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Never take a double dose.
No, do not drink alcohol while taking Nesina Met as it increases your risk of developing lactic acidosis, a serious condition requiring hospital treatment.
Low blood sugar can occur, especially when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas. Carry glucose tablets, sugar lumps, or sugary snacks as recommended by your healthcare provider.
Continue taking Nesina Met until your doctor tells you to stop. Keep all doctor appointments so your progress can be monitored and blood tests can check your kidney function and vitamin B12 levels.
Patients over 80 years should not take Nesina Met unless their kidney function has been checked and found to be normal. Regular monitoring is important for elderly patients.
Tell your doctor if you become ill, experience stress, injury, fever, infection, or need surgery, as your blood glucose may become difficult to control during these times.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.