Patient leaflet - Colestyramine Light 4 g powder for oral suspension
1. What Colestyramine Light is and what it is used for
Colestyramine Light is supplied as sachets. Each sachet contains 4 g of the active substance colestyramine.
Colestyramine belongs to a group of medicines called bile acid binding resins.
It is used to lower your body’s level of cholesterol (a type of fat) which can cause heart disease. This medicine works in the digestive system and absorbs the cholesterol-containing bile acids, which then pass out through the body
in the faeces.
Colestyramine Light may also be used to help stop some types of diarrhoea or itching.
2. What you need to know before you take Colestyramine Light
Do not take Colestyramine Light:
- if you are allergic to colestyramine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- if you have an illness which results in your bile duct being completely blocked (e.g. gall stones). Check with your doctor if you are unsure.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Colestyramine Light:
if you are in a long-term treatment with high doses of Colestyramine Light as it may reduce the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins from the diet. These include vitamins A, D and K. Therefore your doctor may suggest you take a vitamin supplement.
- if this medicine is being given to a child where there is a family history of high blood cholesterol levels, an additional supplement of folic acid may be advised.
Children
This medicine is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
Other medicines and Colestyramine Light
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. If you are taking any other medicines it is important that they are taken at a different time to your dose of Colestyramine Light.
Any other medicines should be taken at least 1 hour before you take your dose of Colestyramine Light or 4 - 6 hours after you have taken your dose of Colestyramine Light.
This is because Colestyramine Light may change the effects of other medicines by stopping them from working so well and colestyramine preparations can stay in the digestive system and can stop other medicines from being absorbed by the body.
Colestyramine Light with food, drink and alcohol
It is recommended that your alcohol intake is kept within the recommended guidelines as advised by your doctor, as alcohol can increase your cholesterol level.
If you have been prescribed this medicine to reduce your cholesterol levels, it is recommended that you follow a low fat diet as advised by your doctor.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, you should not take this medicine, unless your doctor recommends it.
Driving and using machines
Colestyramine Light has not been shown to impair your ability to drive or use machines.
Colestyramine Light contains aspartame
This medicine contains 30 mg aspartame in each sachet. Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine. It may be harmful if you have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder in which phenylalanine builds up because the body cannot remove it properly.
Colestyramine Light contains propylene glycol
This medicine contains 32.49 mg propylene glycol in each sachet.
3. How to take Colestyramine Light
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
To lower cholesterol levels
The recommended dose is 3 - 6 sachets a day. This can be taken as a single dose or divided doses up to 4 times a day.
To relieve itching
The recommended dose is one or two sachets each day.
To manage diarrhoea
The recommended dose is 3 - 6 sachets a day. This can be taken as a single dose or divided doses up to 4 times a day.
Children (6 - 12 years)
The dose to be given to children will depend on the child’s weight, which the doctor will work out for you. Children under 6 years
This medicine is not recommended for children under the age of 6.
How to make up the sachets
Empty the contents of one sachet evenly on the surface of 150 ml (4 - 6 fluid oz) of water or fruit juice. Stir or shake to make a uniform suspension and drink. Stir before its administration.
Do not take this medicine in its dry form as it may cause you to choke.
Colestyramine Light can be mixed with water, fruit juice, skimmed milk, thin soups or fruit smoothies or sauces (e.g. apple sauce).
Keep taking your medicine until your doctor tells you to stop. Your doctor will want you to have regular check-ups whilst you are taking this medicine.
If you take more Colestyramine Light than you should
Go to your nearest hospital Casualty Department or tell your doctor immediately.Take the empty container and any remaining sachets with you.
If you forget to take Colestyramine Light
If you miss a dose do not worry. Take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue as before.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The most frequent side effect seen is constipation. To minimise this effect you will usually start with a low dose and increase it slowly until you are taking the full number of sachets as prescribed by your doctor. This side effect usually reduces over time.
Other side effects, less common, include:
- bloatedness,
- wind (flatulence),
- feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting,
- diarrhoea,
- heartburn,
- anorexia, weight loss or gain,
- indigestion (dyspepsia),
problems with your body’s ability to absorb food correctly leading to grey, bulky or smelly stools (steatorrhea),
- increased tendency to bleed, which may also be seen with vitamin D, vitamin K or vitamin A deficiency (which may rarely result in night blindness),
- increased level of chloride in the blood (hyperchloremic acidosis) especially in children,
- thin or brittle bones (osteoporosis),
- rash, itching, irritation of skin, tongue or around the anus.
Rare reports of obstruction of the intestine have been seen.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Colestyramine Light
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and sachet. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Colestyramine Light contains
- The active substance is colestyramine. Colestyramine Light sachets contain 4 grams of colestyramine and no sugar.
- The other ingredients are: aspartame, citric acid, colloidal anhydrous silica, natural orange flavour, propylene glycol alginate, xanthan gum.
What Colestyramine Light looks like and contents of the pack
Colestyramine Light comes in the form of a powder and is supplied in packs of 50 sachets.
This medicine is orange-flavoured.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Laboratorios Rubió, S.A.
Industria, 29. Pol. Ind. Comte de Sert
08755 Castellbisbal
Barcelona
Spain
This leaflet was last revised in March 2019
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