Colesevelam (generic Welchol)
Quantity: 180
Member Price: $70
Uses
This medication is used along with a proper diet and exercise to lower cholesterol in people with high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Lowering cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks.
Colesevelam is also used along with a proper diet and exercise to lower high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Colesevelam belongs to a class of drugs called bile acid-binding resins. Bile acid is a natural substance the liver makes by using cholesterol. This medication works by removing bile acid from the body. This causes the liver to make more bile acid by using cholesterol, which reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. It is not known how colesevelam works in lowering blood sugar.
How to use Bumex
Take this medication by mouth with a meal, usually 1 to 2 times daily or as directed by your doctor. Take the tablet form with a liquid (such as water, milk). If you have trouble swallowing the tablet, talk to your doctor about switching to the powder form of this medication.
If you are using the powder form of this medication, pour the contents of one packet into a glass. Add one cup (8 ounces/240 milliliters) of water, fruit juice, or diet soda. Stir the mixture well and drink all of it. Do not take the powder without mixing it in liquid.
Take this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time(s) each day.
It may take several weeks before you get the full benefit of this drug.
Colesevelam may decrease the absorption of other products you may be taking. Some examples include cyclosporine, glipizide, glimepiride, glyburide, levothyroxine, and phenytoin, as well as birth control pills that contain ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone. Take other medications as directed by your doctor, usually at least 4 hours before taking your colesevelam dose. Ask your pharmacist if you are not sure when to take your medications.
Information on this medication quoted from WebMD.com