What is Belviq?
Belviq influences the chemical signals within the brain that control appetite. Lorcaserin is a drug that helps you feel fuller with smaller portions of food. Belviq is a combination of exercises and diet to combat overweight. Belviq can be employed to help treat weight gain that could be due to high cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Belviq does not treat any health problem that has an underlying cause (such as diabetes, heart disease, or excessive blood pressure). Continue taking other medicines your doctor prescribes to treat these issues.
Warnings
Do not take Belviq if you are expecting. Weight loss during pregnancy could harm an unborn child, even if you're overweight. Drug interactions that are serious can happen when certain medicines are taken in conjunction with lorcaserin. Inform your health care providers about the medications you take now and any medications you stop or start taking. Before taking Belviq, inform your physician whether you suffer from diabetes, congestive cardiac failure, a heart valve problem, sickle cell anemia, myeloma, or leukemia, kidney or liver disease, or an abnormality in your penis (such as Peyronie's Disease). Belviq could cause addiction and should only be used by the patient for whom it was prescribed. Store the medication in a safe location where no one else can get to it.
Inform your doctor if you don't lose 5 percent or more of your weight before taking the medication for 12 weeks. Belviq is only a part of a full program of treatment that includes exercise, diet, weight control, and even the testing of your blood sugar.
Before you take this drug
It is not recommended to use Belviq if you have an allergy to lorcaserin. Do not take the lorcaserin drug if you are expecting. Weight loss during pregnancy could harm an unborn baby, even if you're overweight. Inform your doctor immediately if you fall pregnant while receiving treatment. To make sure that lorcaserin is safe for you, inform your physician if you've ever experienced:
- Congestive heart failure.
- A heart valve disorder.
- Heart block or slow heartbeats (especially 3rd or 2nd grade "AV block").
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Myeloma, leukemia, or leukemia.
- Liver or kidney disease.
- A physical defect in the penis (such as Peyronie's disease).
In studies of clinical research, a higher percentage of people who took Belviq developed cancer than people who took an unactive placebo. It's not known whether lorcaserin is the cause of the development of cancer. Talk to your doctor regarding your personal risk of developing cancer while taking Belviq. It is recommended not to breastfeed when taking lorcaserin. Belviq is not a prescription drug to be used by anyone younger than 18 years of age.
How to take Belviq?
Follow the exact dosage of Belviq prescribed by your physician. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Don't take this medication in greater or lesser quantities or for a longer time than the recommended time. The standard tablet is typically consumed twice per day. The extended-release tablet should be taken once per day. Follow the instructions of your physician.
Take your tablets with extended release whole, and don't crush, chew, or break them. You can take Belviq without or with food. At a minimum, you should lose 5 percent of your initial weight within your first twelve weeks of taking Belviq as well as following a diet that is low in calories. Contact your physician if you are not losing at least 5% of your beginning body weight after taking the drug for 12 weeks.
Belviq is just one part of a full treatment that includes exercises, diet, weight control, and even monitoring your blood sugar levels. Be sure to follow your diet, medications, and exercise regimens closely. Be sure not to share Belviq with anyone else. Keep the medication in a safe place where others are unable to access it. Keep at room temperature, away from heat and moisture. Make a note of the medicine you have purchased. It is important to be aware if you are using the medicine improperly or without a prescription.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Do the dose you missed as soon as you can remember. Avoid your missed dose if you are nearing the time for the next dose. Don't take any extra medication to make up for the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
For medical emergencies, seek emergency medical attention or contact the Poison Help line toll-free at 1-800-222-1222.
What should be avoided?
Avoid driving and other hazardous activities until you understand how lorcaserin affects your body. Your reaction could be affected. Avoid taking cold, cough, or allergy medicines when you are taking lorcaserin. Don't use any other prescription or non-prescription products for weight loss without consulting your physician's recommendation.
Side effects of Belviq
Get immediate medical attention. If you are experiencing symptoms that indicate you are experiencing an allergic reaction to Belviq, This could include symptoms of hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your lips, face, and tongue.
Stop taking Belviq and consult your physician immediately if you are suffering from:
- Unexpected changes in mood or behavior. thoughts of suicide or harming yourself.
- Dry eyes and blurred vision.
- Sensations of being right in front of you or being separated from your body.
- Memory problems, difficulty concentrating.
- Breast swelling (in women or men), nipple discharge.
- Penis erections that are painful or last for more than four hours.
- Heart issues: fast heart rate, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. You may also experience constant weakening or swelling of your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
- Serotonin levels are high in the body, causing hallucinations, agitation, and fever, a rapid heart rate, hyperactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, an inability to control, and fainting.
- Extreme nervous system reaction: very rigid (rigid) muscles and sweating; high fever; confusion; quick or irregular heartbeats; tremors as if you're about to faint.
Common Belviq side effects can include:
- Headache, fatigue, and dizziness.
- Dry mouth, cough.
- Nausea, constipation.
- Back discomfort back pain.
- Lower blood sugar (in those with diabetes).
This is not an exhaustive list of all the adverse effects. Other side effects could be present. Contact your physician for advice regarding medical effects. You can report any adverse reactions to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Interaction with other drugs
Discuss with your physician all the medications you currently take and any new medications you begin or stop taking, in particular:
- Cabergoline.
- Linezolid.
- Lithium.
- St. John's wort.
- Tramadol.
- John's wort.
- Tryptophan (also known as L-tryptophan).
- Any antidepressant, of whatever kind.
- Cough or cold medicine that contains the ingredient dextromethorphan (a stimulant for coughs)
- Erectile dysfunction medications (avanafil, sildenafil, and tadalafil), Cialis, Levitra, Viagra, and more.
- Medications to treat anxiety, mental illness, or a mood problem. medication to treat mental illness, anxiety, or a mood disorder.
- A "triptan" migraine headache medicine—such as almotriptan, frovatriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, and many more.
This list isn't complete. Other drugs can interact with lorcaserin. This includes medications that are prescribed and available over the counter, as well as vitamins and herbal products. The interactions of all potential types are included in this guide to medications.
