Diamox
Diamox 250mg tablets are generic acetazolamide, taken for glaucoma and to prevent altitude sickness, sold here as a single 250mg tablet strength in packs of 30 to 360.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250mg | 30 tablets | $31.50 | $1.05 |
| 250mg | 60 tablets | $44.40 | $0.74 |
| 250mg | 90 tablets | $62.10 | $0.69 |
| 250mg | 120 tablets | $78.00 | $0.65 |
| 250mg | 180 tablets | $100.80 | $0.56 |
| 250mg | 360 tablets | $194.40 | $0.54 |
- Category
- Eye Care · Heart & Blood Pressure
- Active ingredient
- Acetazolamide
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet, Extended release capsule
- Strengths
- 250mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Glaucoma · Altitude sickness
- Therapeutic Class
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor
- Pharmacological Class
- Diuretic
- Minor Side Effects
- Dizziness, increased urination
- Moderate Side Effects
- Tingling in hands, taste changes
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet, Extended release capsule
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Teva
- Onset Time
- 1–2 hours
- Duration
- 8–12 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store in a dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- Topiramate, Aspirin
What you will receive
Diamox is the originator brand name, made by Teva. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Diamox.
- The same active ingredient (Acetazolamide) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Diamox strengths and pack sizes can I order?
It is generic acetazolamide tablets, not the original Diamox. It comes in 250mg strength, in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 or 360 tablets. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
Can I cancel my Diamox order before delivery to Hong Kong?
Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours if not yet dispatched. Every order ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing outside about the contents. Tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking; standard airmail takes 14 to 21 business days, 30 at most, and is untracked.
What dose of Diamox is used for altitude sickness?
Adults usually take one 250mg tablet twice a day, beginning a day or two before the climb. Some courses use half a tablet per dose instead. Swallow it with water, and take it with food if it upsets your stomach.
When should I start taking Diamox before going to altitude?
Begin 24 to 48 hours before you start climbing, and keep taking it for at least 48 hours after you reach your highest point. Starting early gives the medicine time to change your breathing before the air thins out.
Can I drink alcohol with Diamox?
Alcohol is not off-limits, but it adds to the drowsiness and light-headedness acetazolamide can cause, so keep it light while you are taking the tablets. Keep water going too, especially at altitude.
Why do fizzy drinks taste strange on Diamox?
A flat or metallic taste in carbonated drinks is one of the best-known effects of acetazolamide. It comes from the way the medicine changes taste perception rather than from the drink itself, and it fades after the course ends.
Does Diamox make you urinate more?
Yes — it is a mild diuretic, so more trips to the toilet than usual are normal, particularly in the first few days of a course. Drinking water steadily through the day keeps you comfortable and makes kidney stones less likely.
About Diamox
What Diamox tablets are used for
Diamox is the brand name for acetazolamide, and the tablets sold here are generic acetazolamide 250mg. People usually come to it for one of two reasons. In glaucoma, pressure inside the eye rises and can damage the optic nerve; acetazolamide brings that pressure down. At altitude it is taken before and during a climb or a fast ascent to a high city, to cut the chance of headache, nausea and breathlessness. It is also used for fluid build-up (oedema) in heart failure and as an extra medicine in some forms of epilepsy.
How acetazolamide works
Acetazolamide blocks an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase, which the body uses to make bicarbonate and move fluid around. In the eye that means less aqueous humour (the clear fluid inside the eyeball) is produced, so pressure falls. In the kidneys it pushes out more water and salts, which is why it acts as a mild diuretic (water tablet). At altitude the same change makes the blood slightly more acidic, and that nudges you to breathe more deeply — helpful when each breath carries less oxygen. It works best started before the climb.
Taking Diamox 250mg tablets
Doses depend on what it is for. For glaucoma, 250mg one to four times a day is usual; altitude courses are shorter and often start at half that. Swallow the tablets with water, and take them with a meal if they leave you feeling sick.
Side effects
Pins and needles in the hands, feet or around the mouth are the complaint people mention most, along with a changed sense of taste — cola and beer often taste flat or metallic. Nausea, tiredness, drowsiness and extra urination are common too, and most settle as the body adjusts. Acetazolamide belongs to the sulphonamide family, so a sulfa allergy rules it out.
A few effects matter more. A rash with blisters or peeling skin, or swelling of the lips or face, needs urgent treatment. Unusual bruising or bleeding, a sore throat with fever, pain in the back or side, or yellowing of the eyes can point to blood or kidney problems. Kidney stones are a known risk on long courses.
Storing the tablets
Keep Diamox in the pack it came in, somewhere cool and dry rather than next to a radiator or a bright window. Altitude courses are short, often a few days either side of the trip; glaucoma treatment usually continues long term.
Sources
- Acetazolamide: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Glaucoma Treatment - American Academy of Ophthalmology — aao.org