WelChol Forums

Since I had my gall bladder removed in April I had had stomach pain etc. After having a colonoscopy and in endoscopy the doc gave me welchol. He said it would solve my stomach problems. I can find no info for any indication other than high cholesterol. Has anyone heard of using welchol for stomach problems?????????? Pat ## rI too was givenwelchol after gall bl ## MedLinePlus has an article detailing the specific details on this medication. The active ingredient in Welchol, which is Colesevelam binds to bile acids, since those who have had their gall bladders removed may sometimes experience gastro-intestinal issues due to excess bile, it is sometimes prescribed to help alleviate such issues. Is it helping either of you?

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How long does it take WelChol to get out of your system once you quit taking it after the last dose? ## I've been off welchol for nearly 6 months. My skin reacted very badly and after biopsies, I was diagnosed with a " drug rash/reaction. How long does it remain in the bloodstream after you stop taking it? ## Hello Ellie, Surprisingly WelChol does not have a listed half life on the National Institute of Health. This could mean a number of things but ultimately it means that there is no real way to give you an efficient answer. It will come down to how fast your body is able to metabolize the drug and really the only person who would be able to give you an educated guess would be your primary care doctor. This is my first time encountering a prescription drug that doesn't hav...

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for high cholesterol ## Did you mean Welchol? Can you please double check the name? If so, it is most commonly used to treat high cholesterol. The FDA lists its typical side effects as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, runny nose, and joint/muscle aches.

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are there any negative effects of wechol ## is there sideafects with welchol 3.75g i am taking nexium xanax and cozar ## I take 6 Welchol daily and have terrible belching and fullness in the stomach. I also take zetia and diltiaz and metoprolol for high cholesterol. Total chol count is 221,HDL38,LDL121 and Tri 211. Had triple bypass in 2008. I am allergic to all statin drugs. Is there anything else to take in place of Welchol? ## All medications carry the risk of causing side effects. The FDA lists the typical ones for Welchol as possibly including nausea, joint/muscle aches, dizziness, and headaches. WoodyL, has your doctor ever had you try Fenofibrate? It can cause similar side effects, but it is not a statin class medication.

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I am on Welchol and have nausea and stomach pain and discomfort, as well as pressure all the time, in and out of the bathroom with diarrhea. I have stopped taking it 2 days ago, but still have the same problem. How long does it take to get out of your system? Thanks. ## Have you consulted your doctor? The symptoms you've described can all be normal side effects of this medication. However, if they are that severe, then you will probably need to switch to a different medication. ## Hey this is the second reference I have found that indicates side effects can persist past stopping the drug. (See Thread: Side Effects of WeCHol). Someone replied to the first thread by dismissing the possibility that the persistent side effects could be linked to a drug you are no longer taking. I'm ...

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I have high cholesterol, along with panic disorder. Obviously I terrified of drugs. I was prescribed Welchol, and I'm staring at the thing like it's going to close up my throat. Anyone have some positive feedback that will help me take this? Thank you so very much. ## Hello, Melissa! How are you? I am very sensitive to medications myself, so I understand how you feel, I usually dread needing to take anything new. Regarding this one, as with any medication, it works great for some people and they experience no problems from it, while the opposite may be true for others. The FDA lists its typical side effects as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, and joint/muscle aches. Are you on any other medications?

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I was prescribed Welchol for type 2 diabetes. My fasting blood sugar went from the mid 200's to the low 100's. But it upset my stomach so badly I stopped taking it.I would really like to start taking it again because it is the only thing I have found that works for my diabetes. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do to prevent stomach upset? ## Hello, Radar! How are you? I'm sorry about the problem you experienced. Have you made sure to take it with a meal? The manufacturer suggests you do so, to help prevent the nausea. That means to take it, just as your eating, not before. The FDA lists its other typical side effects as possibly including dizziness, headache and joint/muscle aches. Have you informed your doctor? They may have other ideas to help prevent the nausea.

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Was given WelChol and started taking it last week. Many symptoms caused my Dr to stop it today. Still have many symptoms. How long doew it take to get out of the system? ## Hello, Roger! How are you feeling? Have things improved, yet? You weren't on it for very long, so things should likely improve after a week or so. What symptoms were you experiencing? The FDA lists its typical side effects as possibly including nausea, back pain, constipation, headache and muscle aches.

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Re action Welchol powder. Throat came itchy and closed. Could not breath, what a scary day that was. What a awaking. I don't know what made me breath again. ## Did you seek medical attention? Did you make sure to mix it according to the instructions? Learn more WelChol details here. If you took it properly, then that could have been an allergic reaction and your doctor should be informed. ## I mixed it with a lot of water and lemonade(16oz), because it was so sweet the 1st 3 times I tried. Should have known then something was wrong. My throat was so itchy and kept coughing most of the day. Thought it was from the VOG in Hawaii. I had trouble taking the pills also, wanted to vomit and started to lose feeling in my right foot. Just didn't connect. ## I also had a bad reaction the ...

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Does anyone know the possible MEDICAL cause of the pain. Is the colesevelam preventing the uptake or processing of some other nutrient that is causing these cramps? Does anyone know of any remedies that get at the CAUSE (ie, is it a vitamin or other lipid I am not absorbing correctly?). I know I can just take tylenol or something, but I don't want to be on those pain killers every day as they cause other problems as we all know. Welchol works to stop the intestinal issues (gall bladder removed). But the pain in my feet is debilitating. ## Actually, this medication has been known to cause general myalgia as a side effect, according to the FDA, along with headache, flatulence, constipation and abdominal pain. Thus, a pain reliever may be your only option. Have you consulted your docto...

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There's no question that Welchol has been moderately effective at lowering my LDL cholesterol, but monthly prescription cost (including Welchol loyalty program discount) has doubled since I started taking it in 2013. Ridiculous! I've found internet references to Welchol being on the market as early as 2005, which means development costs have long since been recovered. Current pricing, which includes a $50 increase within the past 30 days alone, is nothing short of extortion. I'm out! Back to statins which work just as we'll. I can learn to live with the chest pains, but I can never reconcile being taken advantage of. ## Hello Dave! How are you? Rather than the statins, if they are causing you chest pain, you may want to ask about trying something such as Fenofibrate, whi...

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I was precribed welchol for my colostrol and I want to know if it is ok. Thanks ## I'm not sure, but I have taken Zocor, Crestor and Lipitor and all three have made me so sore in the joints and muscles that I found it hard to even move. Now the Dr. has prescribed the Welchol, I have taken this for +- 3 weeks now and NO side effects. ## 2/2/09 Ray Pennington - Are you still O.K? It'll be 3 years now for you. I'm supposed to start taking it. Can't take statins either. ## Possible side effects: - Nervous system disorders ... Common: headache - Gastrointestinal disorders ... Very Common: flatulence, constipation; Common: vomiting, diarrhea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, stool abnormalities, nausea - Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders ... Uncommon: myalgia Sourced f...

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for colesterol ## WelChol contains the active ingredient Colesevelam, which is a bile acid sequestrant, it is used along with diet and exercise to help reduce LDL cholesterol. Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, flatulence and constipation. Learn more WelChol details here. Are there any comments or questions?

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high cholesterol drug ## For anyone else looking for information, the name of the medication is actually Welchol and to is used in combination with diet and exercise to reduce LDL cholesterol. You can learn more Welchol details here. Side effects typically include nausea, headache, diarrhea and vomiting. Are there any questions or comments?

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Has anyone else gotten severely dry skin while taking welchol? I've had mildly dry skin all my life, but since getting on welchol about 9 months ago, my finger tips get so dry they crack. ## The Mayo Clinic has quite an extended list of side effects pertaining to this drug, but oddly enough, I can't seem to find any side effects of WelChol (Colesevelam) that relate to dry skin. Maybe you can see if there's anything listed there that might be in line with what you're experiencing: mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR600465/DSECTION=side-effects Learn More: WelChol Details The only conclusion I can reach is that the medication may be making you dehydrated at a much quicker rate than you might usually be. So drinking lots of water may help lessen the severity of dry sk...

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I have been on Zetia for some time and now on Welchol as well so I want to know if I can gave grapefruit with these medications ## I didn't find any warnings listed between these two medications and grapefruit. Learn more Zetia details here. Learn more Welchol details here. But you should double check this information to be certain. Are those the only medications you take?

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I am trying to figure out why I was prescribed with this medicine. I am not diabetic. Could you please let me know if it can be used for any other diagnosis. ## Welchol, which contains the active ingredient Colesevelam is used to treat high cholesterol, not diabetes. Side effects may include: nausea, headache, constipation and abdominal pain. Learn more: Are there any other comments or questions?

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Is There a Paitient Assistance Program For Welchol for low income people ## I did find that the manufacterer of welchol has a PAP for welchol and I am going to my doctors office today to pick up my first supply ## That is correct, there is a program available, your doctor has to apply for you. The contact phone number for it is 866-268-7327, just in case anyone needs it in the future. Are there any comments or questions?

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What are side effects ## WelChol contains the active ingredient Colesevelam and is used to help lower LDL cholesterol. Side effects may include: nausea, drowsiness, headache and abdominal pain. Read more: Are there any questions and comments?

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colesevelam ## I'm having sevre muscle and joint pain. I'm taking 6x625 mg Welchol pills per day. Can they be the cause?? ## WelChol contains the active ingredient Colesvelam, this is used to help lower cholesterol. Muscle and joint pain is a common side effect of these types of medications, there have been many problems with these types of symptoms. You may wish to speak to your doctor regarding a solution or a different medication option. You can read more here: Are there any other questions?

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