Obestat (Meridia/Reductil)

Pharmaceutical name: Sibutramine Hydrochloride

Sibutramine (si-BYOO-tra-meen) is used together with a reduced-calorie diet to help you lose weight and to help keep the lost weight from returning. Sibutramine is thought to work by increasing the activity of certain chemicals, called norepinephrine and serotonin, in the brain. This medicine is approved for use only in people who are very overweight.

Therapeutic actions:
Sibutramine produces its therapeutic effects by norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine reuptake inhibition. Sibutramine and its major pharmacologically active metabolites (M1 and M2) do not act via release of monoamines.

What is it used for?:
Leptos helps the seriously overweight shed pounds and keep them off. It is especially recommended for those who in addition to being overweight have other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It is used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet.

Contraindications and cautions:
It is not recommended to use Leptos if you:
- Are allergic to any ingredient in Leptos;
- Have an eating disorder (eg, anorexia, bulimia), uncontrolled or severe high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, increased blood pressure in the lungs, or have had a stroke;
- Have severe liver or kidney problems or you are on dialysis for severe kidney problems
- Are taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) (eg, fluoxetine), another appetite suppressant, or you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO) inhibitor (eg, phenelzine) within the last 14 days.

Side effects:
General:
Achiness, chills, fast or irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure , mental depression, painful menstruation, swelling of body or of feet and ankles, anxiety, constipation, dizziness, dryness of mouth, headache, irritability or unusual impatience , nervousness, stuffy or runny nose, trouble in sleeping

Seldom:
Bruising or red spots or patches on skin, convulsions (seizures), excessive bleeding following injury, headache (severe), rapidly changing moods, skin rash, weight gain (unusual), abdominal pain, back pain, burning, itching, prickling, or tingling of skin, change in sense of taste, diarrhea, drowsiness, increase in appetite, increased sweating, increased thirst , indigestion, nausea, unusual warmth or flushing of skin

Interactions:
Leptos may interact with many other drugs, that is way you should be cautious if you take it with such medicines like: weight-reducing agents, decongestants, antidepressants, allergy medications, and cough and cold remedies that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. Among the many drugs that pose a potential problem are the following:

Alcohol (excessive amounts); Blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin); Dextromethorphan (found in many over-the-counter cough preparations); Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. Injection, Migranal Nasal Spray); Drugs that affect platelet function; Erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE); Fentanyl (Duragesic); Fluoxetine (Prozac); Fluvoxamine (Luvox); Ketoconazole (Nizoral); Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); Meperidine (Demerol); Naratriptan (Amerge); Paroxetine (Paxil); Pentazocine (Talwin NX, Talacen); Sertraline (Zoloft); Stimulants such as amphetamines, Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Adderall, Didrex, and Ionamin; Sumatriptan (Imitrex); Tryptophan (L-Tryptophan); Venlafaxine (Effexor); Zolmitriptan (Zomig).