Prevalite (Cholestyramine) for IBS

Overview
Prevalite is a prescription medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower blood serum cholesterol. Prevalite may be prescribed off-label in cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to treat diarrhea when other medications have failed. Prevalite is also known by its drug name, Cholestyramine. Cholestyramine is also sold under the brand name Questran.

Prevalite is a bile acid binding agent. It is believed that Prevalite works in cases of IBS by reducing the amount of bile acids in the intestines, thus reducing diarrhea.

How do I take it?
Prevalite is taken one to six times a day.

Prevalite is available in packets as a powder or in cans as an oral solution.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Prevalite lists common side effects including rash or irritation of the skin, tongue, or area around the anus, nausea, constipation, loss of appetite, vomiting, gas, and osteoporosis.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Prevalite include abnormal bleeding and hyperchloremic acidosis, a metabolic condition that can result to coma or death.

For more details about this treatment, visit:
Prevalite – RxList: http://www.rxlist.com/prevalite-drug.htm