Welchol side effects? (Bile salt Diarrhea) - Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Message Board

SkipperH · 04-25-2004, 05:09 PM

I've been on Welchol for over a year now. Getting some side effects not documented as possiblities. Dizziness, fatigue, aches. Started about 3 months ago, ear nose and throat doc says everthing is normal. I've been on Cholestrymine, coleistid before and after about a year on those I got wierd side effects as well. I don't know if I develop a sensitivety to the drug after awhile or what. I can't get off these types of meds due to the Bile salt Diarrhea problem, wish I could. Anyone else experience this?

luvmyboys · 04-25-2004, 05:36 PM

I too have bile salt diarrhea. I take sucralfate (carafate). What is Welchol and colestid? Are they names for carafate from another country? I'm in the USA. I also had some of those side effects which were noted as rare with carafate, but cut down to 1 or 2 a day instead of 4. The side effects have gone away, but I always seem to have some nausea and fullness like things aren't moving out of my stomach like they should. I have some pretty bad belching too. I also take prevacid and xanax.

SkipperH · 04-25-2004, 05:47 PM

Those meds are just other forms of drugs which bind bile acids (to stop the diarrhea) and to lower cholesterol. I suppose I will ask the doc to change my medication again.

Katie G · 04-26-2004, 10:54 AM

Hi there - I've been on Colestid now for about a year and a half due to bile salt diarrhea, and don't have the side effects you're reporting. Sometimes I still have breakthrough diarrhea if something is upsetting my digestive system (viral or stress), but other than that, I haven't noticed any problems with Colestid. I plan to take it forever to control my bile salt diarrhea, too.

Katie G

SkipperH · 04-26-2004, 02:31 PM

Hi Katie G,
What is strange is that I don't take much of this medication, mainly one 650mg tab three times a day. The side effects I had on the other two meds were similar, fatigue, shortness of breath and a kind of pressure on my chest like someone was sitting on me. They went away when I changed meds. The main side effect this time with Welchol is dizziness. How much dosage do you take a day?