The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
Review by Sharonbelle (taken for 6 months to 1 year):
User Rating:
10
Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: Doctor said this will help my blood pressure, high cholesterol and diarrhea. I also had gall bladder removed. It works. I'm 69 and plan to stay on it. Tired of looking for restrooms.
Review by welcol the works (taken for 5 to 10 years):
Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: Had my gallbladder taken out, got chronic diarreha immediately even by just sipping water. I started off with 2 pills 3x a day, then got too constipated then was able to keep lowering the dose until one pill works for everyday use, but no greasy foods for me. Thanks to Welchol, I can enjoy life again and not live it in the bathroom.
19 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for High Cholesterol: SEVERE Headache (Migraines) and Nausea, some hives and itching after two weeks on medication. I am allergic to Statins (severe muscle pain), and this was my last resort. Genetic High Cholesterol. Diet is my only option at this point. I am a 52 year old female, 125 lbs, 5'5". Stop taking this after two weeks on samples Doctor gave me.
23 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I have a similar experience to other reviewers. I had my gallbladder removed in 2002. And have had irritable bowel syndrome for 15 years, with each year it seems to get worse. I couldn't tolerate spending 1/2 my day in the bathroom. It was so awful that I looked for where the bathroom was at a restaurant before I ordered, just so I knew where to go when the meal was done. When the stomach cramps and the, "oh poop, I gotta poop" feeling came on. By the 2nd day of taking Welchol, it started working for me. I only went to the bathroom once, the entire day! For me, that was a miracle. I still try not to eat trigger foods or drink coffee (I LOVE coffee, but my stomach thinks otherwise) But at least I can live a normal life again, something I had forgotten about.
34 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I got my gallbladder removed a little over 2 years ago. I could not eat anything. Most drinks would even make me sick. I have seen several doctors, but the GI doctor gave me Welchol and I take two 625mg pills twice a day with food. I no longer have to watch what I eat. I have been prescribed several meds prior to Welchol, but nothing helped. 4 pills sounds like a lot, but if needed I can even take 6 pills per day. I never have to take more than 4 though. Ask your doctor for these. You will not be sorry!
25 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I had my gall bladder out in 1998. I suffered with the diarrhea 5-8 times a day and was miserable. What is even worse, I am obese and so doctors didn't believe me that I was having watery diarrhea so often. I didn't get prescribed anything until 2011 so 13 years of suffering. I was first given Colestid but found I could not tolerate the powder. A new doctor prescribed Welchol. At first I only needed to take 4 a day and it worked. But now I find that sometimes the 6 a day doesn't completely work so I believe I have something else going on-lactose or gluten allergy maybe. I have to take the Welchol on time 3 times a day or the next day I am back to square one. I take 2 big tablets, 3 times a day.
17 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I had diarrhea for a year and a half following gall bladder removal. I am so grateful to be able to eat without running to the bathroom within ten minutes. The day after I began taking Welchol, I won a dualthlon, probably because I didn't need to use the restroom and I ate a decent breakfast. Thanks for giving me my life back!
25 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: Just had gall bladder removed and then came the runs that won't stop for days. Started on Welchol and 30 mins later I was normal. It's great.
25 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for High Cholesterol: Too soon to tell if it is lowering cholesterol, but did want to mention it is very easy to take, but can cause abdominal bloating. I had such gas pains, didn't know how to get comfortable. Doctor suggested Miralax which did the trick with the bloating.
16 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: After I had my gallbladder out, I had bile salts diarrhea - the as-soon-as-you-eat-your-body-fire hoses-it-out sort. Very uncomfortable, and I lost about 40 pounds before my doctor finally prescribed Welchol. I take one at breakfast and one with dinner (just before the meal - not hours, which is very handy), and it has worked miracles. Highly recommend talking to your doctor if after your gallbladder surgery you're trying to live on dry toast.
51 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for High Cholesterol: Have been on Welchol Oral Suspension or Tabs for a little less than a year, my LDL-C went down about 38%. Oral Suspension is a nice option, just mix in water bottle with 3/4 filled with water, shake it and have with my dinner.
31 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for High Cholesterol: I suffered severe diarrhea for many months after gall bladder removal (due to lipid "dumping"), until my doctor prescribed a similar medicine that worked great, but it was a powder which was inconvenient, so he switched me to Welchol which also worked great. The prescription was for 6 pills a day but I never needed that many unless I ate something ridiculously greasy and fatty for every meal, say, fried chicken with french fries and a shake. Otherwise, I just took 1 pill before lunch and 1 before dinner. None needed with breakfast because I just had fruit and skim milk. After about 8 years, my body adjusted to "no gall bladder" but this medicine helped me be able to keep a job and get out of the house away from the bathroom until then.
20 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: Did not need to take full dose of six tablets daily - only one tablet each morning and years of "dumping" syndrome following meals has completely stopped! Fabulous, unexpected results.......love my GI doctor for prescribing this medicine!
61 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Hyperlipoproteinemia Type IIa, Elevated LDL: Only been taking it for about a month for high cholesterol. I have problems with the statins. So far, Welchol has been pretty low on the side effects. I have only noticed some minor constipation if I do not take enough liquids.
22 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: This works for diarrhea after gall bladder removal. I am so thankful for those of you who wrote comments, it spurred me to ask my doctor for a prescription. All I take is two pills with breakfast a day, sometimes only one pill. There are no side effects, and it has relieved my sometimes 5 times a day bathroom runs and given me my normal life back!
67 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I spent two years with chronic diarrhea. After I had major surgery, the surgeon noted that my gall bladder was very scarred. When my general practitioner saw this, he suggested I might be suffering what he called "chronic dump" (leaking gall bladder) which might be causing my...well, chronic dump! He gave me a prescription for Welchol (1 per day). He said that it was a low dosage of the drug and I shouldn't have any problem with side effects (I do take all my daily vitamins and supplements about 4 hours after the Welchol for absorption reasons). Not only has this drug worked wonders for me, I only take it as needed.
94 users found this comment helpful.
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Welchol (colesevelam) for Diarrhea, Chronic: I have had diarrhea every morning with pain. After reading about gall bladder removal I found that some try Welchol to help because it is a bile sequestor. It works great for me.
I went to a gastroenterologist and told him about my findings and he said "Congratulations" you diagnosed yourself. He gave me a years prescription for Welchol. I take three in the morning and am doing quite well. Wish I had known about this several years ago. Before Welchol I could barely leave my home before noon. Now I can travel again. So far, no side effects. Thank Goodness.
120 users found this comment helpful.
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