Patient leaflet - Questran Light 4 g/sachet powder for oral suspension
1. What QUESTRAN LIGHT is and what it is used for
Questran Light contains the active substance colestyramine. Each sachet of Questran Light contains 4 g of colestyramine. Colestyramine belongs to a group of medicines called bile acid binding resins.
Questran Light 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. Questran Light may also be used to help stop some types of diarrhoea or itching.
2. What you need to know before you take QUESTRAN LIGHT
Do not take QUESTRAN LIGHT:
- if you are allergic to colestyramine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6), or a similar medicine.
- 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 Questran Light if:
- you are in a long-term treatment with high doses of Questran 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.
- 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.
- you receive long-term treatment, as this can cause disturbances of the acid-base balance (“hyperchloraemic acidosis”), especially if you are young and light as well as if you are suffering from renal dysfunction.
- you suffer from constipation.
Children
This medicine is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
Other medicines and QUESTRAN 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 Questran Light. Any other medicines should be taken at least 1 hour before you take your dose of Questran Light or 4 – 6 hours after you have taken your dose of Questran Light.
This is because Questran Light may change the effects of other medicines by stopping them from working so well and Questran preparations can stay in the digestive system and can stop other medicines from being absorbed by the body.
QUESTRAN 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, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine. You should not take this medicine unless your doctor recommends it.
Driving and using machines
Questran Light has not been shown to impair your ability to drive or use machines.
QUESTRAN LIGHT contains aspartame and propylene glycol
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. This medicine contains 32.5 mg propylene glycol (as alginate) in each sachet. If Questran Light has been prescribed for a child that is less than 5 years old, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before giving them this medicine, in particular if they use other medicines that contain propylene glycol or alcohol. If you or your child suffer from a liver or kidney disease, do not take/give this medicine unless recommended by your doctor. Your doctor may carry out extra checks while you are taking this medicine.
3. How to take QUESTRAN 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.
Do not use Questran Light if you suffer from exudative or bloody diarrhoea.
Package leaflet: Information for the patient Questran Light™ 4 g/sachet Powder for Oral Suspension
Colestyramine
How to make up the sachets
- 1. The contents of one sachet should be sprinkled evenly on to 150 ml (4-6 fluid oz) of water or fruit juice.
- 2. Allow to stand for 1 or 2 minutes.
- 3. Once the powder has soaked into the liquid, stir or shake it to mix in thoroughly.
Do not take this medicine in its dry form as it may cause you to choke.
Questran Light can be mixed with water, fruit juice, skimmed milk, thin soups or fruit smoothies or sauces (e.g. apple sauce). Questran Light should be taken at mealtimes, but if you are taking any other medicines, it is important that they are taken at a different time to your dose of Questran Light (see information above “Other medicines and QUESTRAN LIGHT”).
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 QUESTRAN 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 QUESTRAN 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 the forgotten dose.
If you stop using QUESTRAN LIGHT
You should not suddenly stop taking Questran Light.
Discontinuing Questran Light may pose a hazard to you if a potentially toxic drug such as digitalis (a medicine for heart failure) has been administered in such a way that it has an adequate effect while taking cholestyramine. In addition, oral blood thinners may have an increased effect after Questran Light has been deposited.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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. This is very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people). 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 include:
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- 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 and patients with renal dysfunction,
- thin or brittle bones (osteoporosis),
- rash, itching, irritation of skin, tongue or around the anus.
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- reports of obstruction of the intestine have been seen.
Side effects occurring in unknown number of patients
- anaemia,
- oedema,
- acute abdominal pain combined with nausea/vomiting with general feeling of illness (acute abdominal symptom complex), belching,
- joint inflammation, backage,
- storage of calcium in the gall bladder, abnormal smelling urine.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, 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 or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store QUESTRAN LIGHT
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store above 30°C.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and sachet after ‘EXP’. 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 QUESTRAN LIGHT contains
- The active substance is colestyramine. Questran Light sachets each contain 4 g colestyramine.
- The other ingredients are aspartame (E951), citric acid anhydrous, colloidal silicon dioxide anhydrous, orange juice flavour, propylene glycol alginate, xanthan gum.
What QUESTRAN LIGHT looks like and contents of the pack
Questran Light comes in the form of a powder and is supplied in packs of 50 sachets. Each sachet contains 4.68 g of powder. This medicine is orange-flavoured.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder Manufacturer
Neon Healthcare Limited Farmea
8 The Chase, John Tate Road, 10 rue Bouche Thomas
Hertford, SG13 7NN, ZAC d’Orgemont
United Kingdom 49000 Angers
France
This leaflet was last revised in February 2024.
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