WELCHOL Reviews (COLESEVELAM HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 2.7 (60 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare WELCHOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on WELCHOL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR WELCHOL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 2 | High Cholesterol | Constipation, gas, bloating | I read the normal dose was six 625mg pills a day. My dr put me on two twice a day. I was taking it because of high cholesterol/LDL and I am a 15 year CABG survivor and cannot tolerate statins. I am normally very regular, but this stuff made me plug up like concrete. I felt bloated and had bad gass, and when I did go I bled like a stuck pig. After two episodes of that I gave the drug up and regularity returned in a few days. Also no more rectal bleeding. I'm trying to control my numbers now with diet and Niaspan. | M | 60 | 2 weeks | 11/24/2009 | 4 | High Cholesterol | Right in the very beginning I had constipation but that stopped. Now I have none. | My numbers have decreased but not my triglycerides. I will continue to use and see if that improves. | F | 52 | 3 months | 4/8/2009 | 5 | high cholesterol | Moderate gas and constipation...much worse at high altitude. | It works. My cholesterol and LDLs have dropped to very low levels and I can eat pretty much what I want but still watch my diet. | M | 63 | 3 years | 3/13/2009 | 2 | High Cholestrol | I had no side effects while on Welchol. | It didn't lower my cholestrol at all. The LDL totals went up big time (bad) along with HDL (good). I watch my fat and sugar intake. If this drug had worked I would have stayed on it. I didn't even mind the 6 horse size pills a day. I can't tolerate statins. They make my brain numb and my muscles weak. I felt very good on Welchol, but that's because it wasn't doing anything. | F | 54 | 6 months | 3/11/2009 | 5 | IBS & Post Gall bladder surgery | A slight tendency toward constipation, but considering the prevalence of diarrhea previously, I can live with it. After decades of suffering, I count this a miracle drug. | M | 2 years | 2/13/2009 | 1 | High cholesterol | Constipation, gas, ringing in ears | I was glad to see someone else above complained about ringing in the ears as a side effect of Welchol, because that's what I experienced. Besides the constipation and bloating that are a noted side effect, about 10 days after starting Welchol I started to get the ringing in my ears -- at random, multiple times a day. I finally stopped the Welchol due to the constant constipation and gas problems (just not worth the discomfort), and lo and behold the ringing in my ears stopped about a week later. Haven't had any ringing since (and never had any before), so I'm sure it was the Welchol. Just like statins, too many side effects. Would not recommend. | M | 52 | 4 months | 9/14/2008 | 5 | Gallbladder Removed | None. | Gallbladder was not functioning properly; thus, it was removed. It continuously leaked into my intestines causing irritation. I used Welchol to bind excess bile and flush it out my system. I used it for about 8 months after the removal of the gallbladder. It worked great for me. | M | 35 | 8 months | 7/18/2008 | 2 | high total cholesterol and high LDL | constipation, gas and general GI discomfort; sore throat; and ringing in ears which started about one week after starting Welchol and continued until I stopped. | Had tried statins several years ago but had way too many serious side effects. My cardiologist recently convinced me to try Welchol for three months, but the GI distress plus the new ringing in my ears (which I never ever had before) forced me to stop after the three months. Did reduce my LDL, but only slightly. Not worth the side effects. | M | 60 | 3 months | 6/22/2008 | 5 | IBS-D | none | Stopped my IBS-D and the pain and cramps on day one. Only had three attacks in 6 months. I can travel again and eat things I never have been able to in years. This has changed my enjoyment of life, have suffered 30 years with this until Welchol. | M | 55 | 9 months | 5/20/2008 | 5 | BILE SALT DIAHHREA - NO GALLBLADDER | NONE | I had my gallbladder out in 98. They put me on Questran. That was horrible - terrible constipation! Then they put me on Welchol - still binds the excess bile in the digestive tract but no side effects. Best of all no bile salt D and I can eat all the fat I want. 3 tablets after breakfast and dinner. They are BIG pills, but I don't care. Gave me my life back. I can however see how someone with a gallbladder could wind up with too little bile in their system from these pills and wind up with terrible side effects / that however was not my situation. I had too much bile to start with. | F | 42 | 5 years | 2/9/2008 | 1 | high cholesterol | Took it for over 3 years but the last 8 months I was having continued bowel problems. Constipation and such and then my colon started hurting and was full of discomfort just before I relieved myself. I've stopped it now and feel much better | M | 58 | | 2/6/2008 | 5 | biliary problems | weight gain, stiff neck, weird dreams, legs hurt | F | 46 | | 10/20/2007 | 1 | High lipids | Gastritis, abdominal pain, nausea | Stopped taking it when I got Ischemic colitis | M | 64 | | 8/6/2007 | 2 | High lipids | Extreme gas, loose stools, abdominal pain. | During treatment I ended up with ischemic colitis and was hospitalized. Do not know if it caused it. Once stopped, however, my colon settled down and is now OK. | M | 63 | 90 days | 6/21/2006 | 3 | High Cholesterol | None that I am aware of. | Took in conjunction with Niaspan and Lipitor. Niaspan and Welchol alone did not seem to reduce cholesterol significantly -only when Lipitor was added was significant reduction seen. So I don't know to what extent Welchol is helping. | M | 44 | 5 years | 5/11/2006 | 5 | Stomach Troubles | Ocasional muscle and joint aches. | My gall bladder was removed 3 years ago, and 2 years ago i developed many problems because of it, I could no long er eat meat, because anything with fats in it would upset my stomach. Now, it's like everytihng is back to normal, I feel normal again. this is my miracle drug! | F | 21 | 3 weeks | 7/20/2005 | 1 | for high cholesterol | sick after every meal to much bile and constipation and also muscle weakness | M | 76 | 2 weeks | 3/27/2005 | 4 | high cholesterol | I don't notice any major side effects other than an upset stomach once in a while. | I have only been taking it for one month but it seems fine for my body. No pains or complaints yet. | F | 22 | 1 months | 1/5/2005 | 1 | cholesterol | upset stomach | F | 50 | 20 days | 11/18/2002 | 1 | High Chlosterol | Dy throat, dry cough, dizzy, headache. All over bad feeling | F | 60 | 2 months | 7/5/2002 |