OsmoPrep®
(AhZ-MO-prep)
(sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP and sodium phosphate dibasic
anhydrous, USP) Tablets
Read the Medication Guide that comes with OsmoPrep before
you take it and each time you take it. This Medication Guide does not take the
place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or your
treatment. If you have any questions about OsmoPrep, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What is the most important information I should know
about OsmoPrep?
OsmoPrep can cause serious side effects, including:
Serious kidney problems. Rare, but serious kidney
problems can happen in people who take medicines made with sodium phosphate,
including OsmoPrep, to clean your colon before colonoscopy. These kidney
problems can sometimes lead to kidney failure or the need for dialysis for a
long time. These problems often happen within a few days, but sometimes may
happen several months after taking OsmoPrep.
Conditions that can make you more at risk for having serious
kidney problems with OsmoPrep include if you:
- lose too much body fluid (dehydration)
- have slow moving bowels
- have bowels blocked with stool (constipation)
- have severe stomach pain or bloating
- have any disease that causes bowel irritation (colitis)
- have kidney disease
- have heart failure
- take water pills or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
Your age may also affect your risk for having kidney
problems with OsmoPrep.
Before you start taking OsmoPrep, tell your doctor if you:
- have kidney problems
- take any medicines for blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease
Severe fluid loss. People who take medicines that
contain sodium phosphate can have severe loss of body fluid, with severe
changes in body salts in the blood, and abnormal heart rhythms. These problems
can lead to death.
Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms of loss
of too much body fluid (dehydration) while taking OsmoPrep:
- vomiting
- dizziness
- urinating less often than normal
- headache
See “What are the possible side effects of OsmoPrep?” for
more information about side effects.
What is OsmoPrep?
OsmoPrep is a prescription medicine used in adults 18 years
and older, to clean your colon before a colonoscopy. OsmoPrep cleans your colon
by causing you to have diarrhea. Cleaning your colon helps your doctor see the
inside of your colon more clearly during the colonoscopy.
It is not known if OsmoPrep is safe and works in children
under age 18.
Who should not take OsmoPrep?
Do not take OsmoPrep if:
- you have had a kidney biopsy that shows you have kidney problems because
of too much phosphate
- you are allergic to sodium phosphate salts or any of the ingredients in
OsmoPrep. See the end of this Medication Guide for a list of ingredients in
OsmoPrep.
What should I tell my doctor before taking OsmoPrep?
Before taking OsmoPrep, tell your doctor about all of your
medical conditions, including if you have:
- any of the medical conditions listed in the section “What is the most important
information I should know about OsmoPrep?”
- irritation of the bowel (colitis). OsmoPrep can cause symptoms of irritable
bowel disease to flare-up.
- damage to your bowels
- problems with abnormal heart beat
- had a recent heart attack or have other heart problems
- symptoms of too much body fluid loss (dehydration) including vomiting, dizziness,
urinating less often than normal, or headache
- had stomach surgery
- a history of seizures
- if you drink alcohol
- are on a low salt diet
- are pregnant. It is not known if OsmoPrep will harm your unborn baby.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including
prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Any medicine that you take close to the time that you take OsmoPrep may not
work as well. Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- water pills (diuretics)
- medicines for blood pressure or heart problems
- medicines for kidney damage
- medicines for pain, such as aspirin or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (NSAID)
- a medicine for seizures
- a laxative for constipation in the last 7 days. You should not take another
medicine that contains sodium phosphate while you take OsmoPrep.
Ask your doctor if you are not sure if your medicine is
listed above.
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your
medicines to show your doctor or pharmacist when you get a new prescription.
How should I take OsmoPrep?
- Take OsmoPrep exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
- It is important for you to drink clear liquids before, during, and after
taking OsmoPrep. This may help prevent kidney damage. Examples of clear
liquids are water, flavored water, lemonade (no pulp), ginger ale or apple
juice. Do not drink any liquids colored purple or red.
You must read, understand, and follow these instructions
to take OsmoPrep the right way:
On the evening before your colonoscopy, you will take a
total of 20 OsmoPrep tablets, as follows:
- Take 4 OsmoPrep tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids.
- Wait 15 minutes.
- Take 4 more OsmoPrep tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 above, three more times. Make sure you wait 15 minutes
after each time.
On the day of your colonoscopy you will take a total
of 12 OsmoPrep tablets, starting about 3 to 5 hours before your colonoscopy, as
follows:
- Take 4 OsmoPrep tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids.
- Wait 15 minutes.
- Take 4 more OsmoPrep tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 one more time.
Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms while
taking OsmoPrep:
- vomiting, dizziness, or if you urinate less often than normal. These may
be signs that you have lost too much fluid while taking OsmoPrep.
- trouble drinking clear fluids
- severe stomach cramping, bloating, nausea, or headache
If you take too much OsmoPrep, call your doctor or get
medical help right away.
What should I avoid while taking OsmoPrep?
- You should not take other laxatives or enemas made with sodium phosphate,
while taking OsmoPrep.
- You should not use OsmoPrep if you have already used it in the last 7 days.
What are the possible side effects of OsmoPrep?
OsmoPrep can cause serious side effects, including:
- See “What is the most important information I should know about OsmoPrep?”
- Seizures or fainting (black-outs). People who take a medicine that contains
sodium phosphate, such as OsmoPrep, can have seizures or faint (become unconscious)
even if they have not had seizures before. Tell your doctor right away if
you have a seizure or faint while taking OsmoPrep.
- Abnormal heart beat (arrhythmias)
- changes in your blood levels of calcium, phosphate, potassium, sodium
The most common side effects of OsmoPrep are:
- bloating
- stomach area (abdominal) pain
- nausea
- vomiting
These are not all the possible side effects of OsmoPrep. For
more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You
may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
How do I store OsmoPrep?
- Store OsmoPrep at room temperature, between 59ºF to 86°F (15ºC to 30°C).
- Throw away any OsmoPrep that is not needed.
- Keep OsmoPrep and all medicines out of the reach of children.
General information about OsmoPrep
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than
those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use OsmoPrep for a condition for
which it was not prescribed. Do not give OsmoPrep to other people, even if they
have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them.
This Medication Guide summarizes the most important
information about OsmoPrep. If you would like more information about OsmoPrep,
talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for
information that is written for healthcare professionals. For more information,
call 1-866-669-7597 (toll-free) or go to www.Salix.com.
What are the ingredients in OsmoPrep?
Active ingredients: sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate
and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous
Inactive ingredients: polyethylene glycol 8000 and magnesium
stearate
This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration.
Last updated on RxList: 9/15/2009