Symlin
Generic name:pramlintide [ PRAM-lin-tide ]
Brand names: SymlinPen 120, SymlinPen 60
Drug class:Amylin analogs
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 14, 2021.
What is Symlin?
Symlin is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. Pramlintide lowers blood sugar in three ways. It slows the rate that food moves from your stomach to your intestines, which keeps your blood sugar from rising too fast. Symlin also lowers the amount of glucose (sugar) your liver produces. Lastly, pramlintide triggers the feeling of fullness after meals to help control your appetite and decrease how much food you eat.
Symlin is used together with insulin to treat type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Symlin is usually given after other diabetes medicines have been tried without success.
Warnings
Do not mix Symlin and insulin together in the same syringe.
You should not use this medicine if you have a digestive condition called "delayed gastric emptying."
Call your doctor if you have severe nausea that lasts for several days. This may be a sign that your dose is too high. If you skip a meal, do not take your dose of Symlin. Wait until your next meal.
You should not use Symlin if you cannot recognize symptoms of low blood sugar. Severely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may occur within 3 hours after your Symlin injection. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, vision problems, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery.
Before using this medicine
You should not use Symlin if you are allergic to pramlintide or metacresol, or:
if you have a digestive condition called "delayed gastric emptying"; or
if you cannot recognize symptoms of low blood sugar.
To make sure Symlin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
a history of delayed gastric emptying;
problems with vision (blindness, trouble reading);
if you are unable to check your blood sugars regularly; or
if you have had severe hypoglycemia more than once in the past 6 months.
It is not known whether Symlin will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.
It is not known whether pramlintide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Symlin should not be used in children.
How should I use Symlin?
Use Symlin exactly as it was prescribed for you. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. When you first start using Symlin, your insulin dose will change. Do not use your medicines in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Symlin is injected under the skin, at the same time as your insulin injection but in a separate injection. Do not self-inject your medicines if you do not fully understand how...
