I have suspected diabetes, and my doctor has recommended 50 mg of acarbose occasionally. He wants me to use it only when diet control is not possible in the dining hall and sweet intake is compulsory. Can taking 50 mg of acarbose occasionally be harmful?

That is an interesting strategy to counteract the rise in blood sugar after eating, since Precose (acarbose) does target after meal rises. There are two problems though: acarbose can cause stomach distress, especially gas, and the starting dose is 25 mg not 50.

If I were in your position and wanted to try to blunt the rise in blood sugar post meal intermittently, I would probably take a low dose of a short acting insulin secretagogue such as Prandin (repaglinide). This will also probably take care of the rise in sugar and won’t cause the gastrointestinal discomfort. Ask your health care provider what he/she thinks about trying this instead.

JS