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Starlix (na-TEG-li-nide) is used to treat a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly. Using Starlix alone, or with metformin or a thiazolidinedione (other types of oral antidiabetic medicines), will help to lower blood sugar when it is too high and help restore the way you use food to make energy. Many people can control type 2 diabetes with diet alone or with diet and exercise. Following a specially planned diet and exercising will always be important when you have diabetes, even when you are taking medicines. To work properly, the amount of Starlix you take must be balanced against the amount and type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do. If you change your diet, your exercise, or both, you will want to test your blood sugar to find out if it is too low. Your health care professional will teach you what to do if this happens. Starlix does not help patients who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes because they cannot produce insulin from their pancreas gland. Their blood glucose is best controlled by insulin injections. Starlix does not help patients who have already been treated with other antidiabetic medicines for a long time. Starlix may be used together with metformin or a thiazolidinedione, but should not take the place of these medicines. Starlix is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form: Oral Tablets (U.S.) Nateglinide is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat type 2 (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes (formerly called 'adult-onset') in people whose diabetes cannot be controlled by diet and exercise alone. Nateglinide belongs to a class of drugs called meglitinides. Nateglinide helps your body regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It decreases the amount of glucose by stimulating the pancreas to release insulin. Nateglinide comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken three times daily. Take nateglinide any time from 30 minutes before a meal to just before the meal. If you skip a meal, you need to skip the dose of nateglinide. If you add a meal, add a dose of nateglinide. Your doctor may gradually increase your dose, depending on your response to nateglinide. Monitor your blood glucose closely. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take nateglinide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than directed by the package label or prescribed by your doctor. Nateglinide controls diabetes but does not cure it. Continue to take nateglinide even if you feel well. Do not stop taking nateglinide without talking with your doctor. Brand names: - Nateglinide - Starlix |