Two goals, one therapy

Two goals, one therapy. Now, Welchol is the first and only therapy approved to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and primary hyperlipidemia

Healthy Starts

Learn about managing your type 2 diabetes and/or high LDL cholesterol with Welchol.

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Learn about simple but important changes you can make for a healthier you.

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Important Information About Welchol (colesevelam HCl)

Welchol, along with diet and exercise, lowers LDL or "bad" cholesterol. It can be taken alone or with other cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins.

Welchol, along with diet and exercise, also lowers blood sugar levels in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus when added to other anti-diabetic medications (metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin).

Welchol lowers LDL cholesterol in boys, and in girls who have had a menstrual period, ages 10 to 17 years, with a condition known as heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disorder that causes high cholesterol) alone or with other cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins after inadequate control with diet alone.

Welchol should not be used to treat type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Welchol has not been studied with all anti-diabetic medications.

Welchol is not for everyone, especially those with an intestinal blockage, those with blood triglyceride levels of greater than 500 mg/dL, or a history of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) due to high triglyceride levels.

Welchol has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.

Tell your doctor if you have high triglycerides (greater than 300 mg/dL).

Tell your doctor if you have stomach or intestinal problems, including gastroparesis (when the stomach takes too long to empty its contents), abnormal contractions of the digestive system, major gastrointestinal tract surgery, if you have trouble swallowing, or if you have vitamin A, D, E, or K deficiencies. Welchol for Oral Suspension is recommended for, but not limited to, use in children 10-17 years of age.

Welchol has known interactions with glyburide (a drug for diabetes), levothyroxine (a drug used to treat an underactive thyroid) and certain birth control pills. Welchol has not been studied with all combinations of drugs and supplements. Please tell your doctor about all medications and supplements you may be taking before beginning Welchol, as your doctor may tell you to take your other medications and supplements 4 hours before taking Welchol.

Remember to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Welchol for Oral Suspension should not be taken in its dry form. Welchol for Oral Suspension is recommended for, but not limited to, appropriate pediatric patients as well as any patient who has difficulty swallowing.

Phenylketonurics: Welchol for Oral Suspension contains 48 mg phenylalanine per 3.75 gram dose.

In clinical trials, the adverse reactions observed in = 2% of patients, and more commonly with Welchol than placebo ("sugar pill"), regardless of investigator assessment of causality seen in:

Adults with high LDL ("bad" cholesterol) were: constipation (11.0% vs 7.0%), dyspepsia (8.3% vs 3.5%), nausea (4.2% vs 3.9%), accidental injury (3.7% vs 2.7%), asthenia (3.6% vs 1.9%), pharyngitis (3.2% vs 1.9%), flu syndrome (3.2% vs 3.1%), rhinitis (3.2% vs 3.1%) and myalgia (2.1% vs 0.4%).
Pediatric patients with high "bad" cholesterol were: nasopharyngitis (6.2% vs 4.6%), headache (3.9 vs 3.1%), fatigue (3.9% vs 1.5%), creatine phosphokinase increase (2.3% vs 0.0%), rhinitis (2.3% vs 0.0%) and vomiting (2.3% vs 1.5%).
Adult patients with type 2 diabetes were: constipation (8.7% vs 2.0%), nasopharyngitis (4.1% vs 3.6%), dyspepsia (3.9% vs 1.4%), hypoglycemia (3.0% vs 2.3%), nausea (3.0% vs 1.4%) and hypertension (2.8% vs 1.6%).

Ask your doctor if Welchol is right for you.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please click here for Full Product Information for Welchol.

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Two goals, one therapy