Lotronex (Alosetron Hydrochloride) Patient Information: How Should I Take the Drug at RxList

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May 27, 2012

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) »

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common ailments of the bowel (intestines) and affects an estimated 15% of people in the US. The term, irritable bowel, is not a particularly accurate one since it implies that the bowel is responding irritably to normal stimuli, and this may or may not be the case. The several terms used for IBS, including spastic colon, spastic colitis, and mucous colitis, attest to the difficulty of getting a descriptive handle on the ailment. Moreover, each of the other names is itself as problematic as the term IBS.

IBS is best described as a functional disease. The concept of functional disease is particularly useful when discussing diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The concept applies to the muscular organs of the gastrointestinal tract; the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, and colon. What is meant by the term, functional, is that either th...

Read the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) article »

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Lotronex Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking alosetron (Lotronex)?

Do not use alosetron if you have:

constipation (especially if it is your main IBS symptom);
a history of severe or ongoing constipation;
obstruction or perforation of your intestines;
Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or diverticulitis;
blood clots or circulation problems affecting your intestines;
severe liver disease; or
if you are also taking fluvoxamine (Luvox) to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any of the conditions listed above.

Serious or fatal side effects on the stomach and intestines have occurred in some people taking alosetron. In rare cases, alosetron has caused severe constipation, or ischemic colitis (caused by reduced blood flow to the intestines).

Stop taking alosetron and call your doctor right away if you develop new or worsening constipation, stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, or blood in your stools (bowel movements). If constipation does not improve or if it gets worse, do not start taking alosetron again until you talk to your doctor.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether alosetron passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not take alosetron without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Older adults and those who are ill or debilitated may be more likely to have serious complications from constipation.

This medicine should not be given to a child younger than 18 years old.

How should I take alosetron (Lotronex)?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

Alosetron can be taken with or without food.

Stop taking alosetron and call your doctor if you become constipated while taking alosetron.

Alosetron does not improve the symptoms of IBS for everyone. When alosetron does work well, it helps reduce stomach pain and discomfort, bowel urgency, and diarrhea. Some or all symptoms may improve within one to two weeks of treatment.

Alosetron is not a cure for irritable bowel syndrome. If you stop taking alosetron, symptoms may return within one week.

Stop taking alosetron if your IBS symptoms do not improve after 4 weeks of treatment. If you stop taking alosetron, do not start taking it again without your doctor's advice.

Store alosetron at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

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