Acetazolamide is used for:

Treating certain types of glaucoma, epilepsy, or edema (fluid buildup) in combination with other medicines. It is also used to treat or prevent symptoms of mountain sickness. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. It reduces fluid pressure in the eyeball by decreasing fluid formation in the eyeball. It also increases the removal of water from the body by the kidney. It also may block certain nerve discharges that may contribute to seizures.

Do NOT use Acetazolamide if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Acetazolamide
• you have adrenal gland problems, low blood levels of potassium or sodium, kidney problems, liver problems (eg, cirrhosis), high blood levels of chloride, or other electrolyte problems

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Acetazolamide :

Some medical conditions may interact with Acetazolamide. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have kidney stones, a lung disease, glaucoma (eg, chronic non-congestive angle-closure glaucoma), diabetes, or difficulty breathing
• if you have had a severe allergic reaction (eg, a severe rash, hives, breathing difficulties, or dizziness) to any other sulfonamide medicine such as acetazolamide, celecoxib, certain diuretics (eg, hydrochlorothiazide), glyburide, probenecid, sulfamethoxazole, valdecoxib, or zonisamide

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Acetazolamide. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Salicylates (eg, aspirin) because the risk of toxic side effects of Acetazolamide may be increased
• Other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (eg, methazolamide), cyclosporine, quinidine, phenytoin, amphetamine, or sodium bicarbonate because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased
• Primidone, salicylates (eg, aspirin), lithium, or methenamine because the effectiveness of these medicines may be decreased

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Acetazolamide may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Acetazolamide :

Use Acetazolamide as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Acetazolamide may be taken with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
• Drink plenty of water or fluids while taking Acetazolamide.
• When you first start taking Acetazolamide , it may cause an increase in urine or in frequency of urination. To prevent this from affecting sleep, try not to take any dose later than 6 pm.
• If a dose is missed, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Acetazolamide.

Important safety information:

• Acetazolamide may cause drowsiness or temporary vision changes. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Acetazolamide. Using Acetazolamide alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Acetazolamide may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Avoid exposure to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Acetazolamide. Use a sunscreen or protective clothing if you must be outside for a prolonged period.
• Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Acetazolamide.
• Acetazolamide may interfere with certain lab tests. Make sure your doctor and laboratory personnel know you are taking Acetazolamide.
• Diabetes patients - Acetazolamide may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.
• LAB TESTS, including blood electrolyte levels, complete blood cell count, or platelet levels, may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Acetazolamide with caution in the ELDERLY because they may be more sensitive to its effects.
• Use Acetazolamide with extreme caution in CHILDREN; safety and effectiveness have not been confirmed.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Acetazolamide during pregnancy. Acetazolamide is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Acetazolamide.

Possible side effects of Acetazolamide :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Blurred vision; changes in taste; constipation; diarrhea; drowsiness; frequent urination; loss of appetite; nausea; vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood in urine; changes in hearing; convulsions; dark, bloody stools; dark urine; fast breathing; fever; lack of energy; lower back pain; red, swollen, or blistered skin; ringing in the ears; sore throat; tingling of the arms or legs; unusual bleeding or bruising; vision changes; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.