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4.3 Overall Rating

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Most voted positive review

31 People found this comment helpful

I've had chronic diarrhea for over a year and 2 GI doctors couldn't fix it. Went to try one more and he said try this. Worked wonders. As a matter of fact it worked to well. Had to back off and only take it every third day. But it's been a great feeling not to be afraid to go somewhere unfamiliar (not knowing where the bathroom is).

Most voted negative review

8 People found this comment helpful

I have only just picked up my prescription for this drug so I'm not sure how it will work but hoping for the best after having severe IBS for 11 years. After that many years of dreading the trip to the bathroom I'm hoping it will work! Just wondering what time of day is best to take it? I'm on no other meds other than the contraception pill that I take at night.

Shared reviews and ratings

spicyskye | 25-34 | Female | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
3/14/2024
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

After getting my gallbladder out in an emergency surgery, I was having constant diarrhea no matter what I ate. I had issues for about 2 years when one of my new doctors finally suggested this. It works wonders for me! I does not work however when I eat extremely unhealthy or extremely high fatty foods. But I know that is going to be a bad time for me anyways. This saved my gut life!

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Mary | 65-74 | Female | Patient
2/13/2024
Condition: Other
Overall rating 3.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I have been ordered this for my IBS by my GI Doc. I have constipation alternating with loose stools. Have periods of severe abd pain which causes vomiting. I have gastritis and Barrett’s Esophagus. Most of the reports I am reading are people who have diarrhea. Has anyone been given this for IBS?

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Foxglen | 55-64 | Female | On medication for 1 to less than 2 years | Patient
4/28/2023
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I began having diarrhea after having emergency gallbladder removal 6 years ago. My new doctor decided to try it on me one year ago. It started working within days! I was thrilled to be able to go out again. I take one packet before supper. I mix it in a bit of warm water first to dissolve it better, then top up with a thick nectar like mango, and coconut kefir. The thick drinks take the grittiness away so it’s easy to swallow. A life saver, as I had lost a lot of weight from lymphoma. Now I’ve gained back my weight and a liitle too much more!Read More Read Less

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Cesar | 35-44 | Male | On medication for 1 to less than 2 years | Patient
2/19/2023
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 3.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Hi been taking cholestyramine for too much bile in my stomach bile reflux and bile acid diarrhea i still have my gallblader no surgeries whatsoever my 2 GI doctors coincide that it is an idiopathic (unknown) occurance been like this for more than a year recently my pharmacy gave me a refill of some other cholestyramine manufacturer and i believe this is less effective than the one i have been using and my symptoms returned more nauseous and pain in my stomach i think it is this new cholestyramine that is not working well as anybody else has this issue before? Read More Read Less

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Deborah | 65-74 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
11/15/2022
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I am so very pleased that my Dr has recommended this. I've used it for 2 weeks now and I am absolutely happy with it. I am finally starting to be able to do normal things again. I can leave my home without fear. All this happened after I had emergency gallbladder surgery. None of the specialists I saw never recommended it, it was PCP that did. I am so thankful. ??

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Blondie | 65-74 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
11/11/2022
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Oh my word! I have been suffering with severe bowel problems for several years (constant stomach/abdominal pain for years. Had a Sechat scan couple years ago which apparently came back *normal* Still suffering with symptoms getting worse my new GP prescribed me bile acid sachets which I've only started taking this morning. Already my symptoms have almost settled. What's more is the fact it has lowered my blood sugar considerably (I'm type 2) This is a Godsend!

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Ellie | 65-74 | Female | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
10/19/2022
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 4.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Works wonders for bile malabsorption syndrome. It was my lifesaver after years of diarrhea. 3 things make sure your insurance knows why you are taking it as it is also used to control cholesterol & is expensive for insurance for that use. Second the plain orange flavor is hard to dissolve. The orange vanilla dissolves well & the taste is much better. Be sure to brush your teeth after each use. It will do negative things to your teeth otherwise. Nice to be living a normal life again!!!

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Jae | 55-64 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
9/16/2022
Condition: Other
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I have taken this many years ago, too much bile after gallbladder removal. Had nausea so bad. It completely removed the nausea. I was weaned off after 4 years of taking. Recently had nausea return. Haven't been able to eat, do much, just felt so terrible. Restarted and tests ordered. After the first dose, I was able to eat. No nausea. It is time for the next dose, very little nausea. I am very happy with this. I had to go off the anti cholesterol medication a while ago for muscle pain and spasms. This didn't cause that before. So I am expecting the same as before. I am so happy that I can now do things, eat, life!Read More Read Less

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Horace | 45-54 | Male | On medication for 5 to less than 10 years | Patient
9/7/2022
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Gall bladder removal caused "bile dumping" which triggers intestines to unload -- gall bladders control rate of bile dripped in to intestines. 2nd GI doctor recommended cholestyramine, not sure why every GI does not know this trick. (Gallbladder not working properly for 10+ years before removal, so this drug would have been wonderful to control intestines.) I take this powder immediately before every big meal and intestinal problems have abated 99% of the time. Mostly skip using drug for small meals and snacks. Use a small 2-3 oz. bottle to mix powder with water; I carry small bottle to wherever the meal is and drink it just as food hits the table. Miracle drug (with a side bonus that it lowers cholesterol). Read More Read Less

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Susan | 55-64 | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
6/21/2022
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 1.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

This medicine make the extremely stomach pain.

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Susan Tucker | 75 or over | Female | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
6/15/2022
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

After gall bladder surgery, I had problems and was prescribed this med. Totally helped with diarrhea but became very constipated after a week. I have also had a couple of severe heartburn episodes. Has anyone else had the heartburn problem?

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BrandonORG | 35-44 | On medication for 10 years or more | Patient
3/22/2021
Condition: chronic diarrhea due to bile acid malabsorption
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I had my gallbladder removed in 2014, it was very difficult for me since anything I ate I had to use the restroom 20 minutes later. One thing is donâ??t use anti-diarrhea medication with this. It will cause sleeping issues. Other than side effects it helped a lot, make sure you find out the perfect dosage and not to over do it.

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Rose One | 65-74 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
2/20/2020
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I've been fighting with chronic diarrhea for 30 years and it got worse after I had my gall bladder removed. Nothing else was working, including prescription medications, so I was pretty much housebound at this point. I knew that cholestyramine did work for me before, when I was prescribed it once before for high cholesterol. So I asked my current doctor to let me try it for diarrhea. I can now go places again, but I do have a couple of side effects. I do have a lot of smelly gas. I can't take the full prescribed dose either.(Could that be a good side effect?) I take only half a packet once a day and usually skip it altogether one day a week. I don't get constipated this way. I am diabetic, but can't use NutraSweet so I get the packets sweetened with sucrose and make sure I count that as most of my daily sugar allowance.(I am not on insulin, just medication.) In any case, I am now free to go places again, and the painful cramps I also had to deal with, are now getting fewer and farther between, and less painful. I am worried about the possibility of weight gain though, that I read about in some of the other reviews. I can't walk much, so I don't lose weight easily. All in all, cholestyramine might be the answer for me.Read More Read Less

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Jean 0 | 65-74 | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
9/23/2019
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

After Colin cancer in 2008 I lost my gall bladder 2 years later ,no have rarely gone more than a few days without diarrhea, it just ran from me no control at all. Hated going anywhere with out a lot of Imodium. Took a young practitioner, who works with my gastrointestinal dr to make this suggestion, it�s a lifesaver only restriction for me is take it at least 4 hours after any other meds or 4 hours before . I do this works like a charm .

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Anonymous | 75 or over | On medication for 1 to less than 2 years | Patient
9/30/2018
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 4.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Have used for the last two years, one 4oz package a day after breakfast. Recently it has suddenly become less effective towards the end of the day. Combining this drug with one generic imodium 2-mg anti-diarrheal tab, I find, restores efficacy for the entire 24 hour period.

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Dubsy | 55-64 | Male | On medication for 2 to less than 5 years | Patient
5/7/2018
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I had my gall bladder removed several years ago and then suffered from chronic diareahe. This medicine works brilliantly and I take it religiously ,only downside is I have put on a considerable amount of weight

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PMPTERP | 45-54 | Female | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
11/10/2017
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Had my gallbladder removed 10 years ago. Had diarrhea afterward which continued to become more frequent until I had it constantly. Doctor prescribed this but it did not work the first time. Come to find out I had colitis. Once I got the inflammation under control from the colitis, I was switched to this and it works wonderfully. Haven't had an episode since I sarted and my fear of having an accident has greatly declined. This has firmed up my stool considerably (it hadn't been firm for 5-10 years). Not getting this issue resolved earlier has resulted in other problems, i.e., my contracting my muscles to prevent an accident had me actually squeezing things out unintentionally, my rectum shrunk because it hadn't held stool in it for so long - I am working on retraining my muscles so that they work properly after not working properly for so long. I am going to biofeedback therapy and it is working wonders. Hoping to be back to normal in all regards this uyear. Read More Read Less

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iowarose | 75 or over | On medication for 1 to 6 months | Patient
8/17/2017
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 4.7
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

My chronic diarrhea hit me hard and totally unexpected. Use of this medication stopped the problem immediately. I find it a little gritty but the alternative worse and so take it faithfully. I mix it with a small amount of water to dissolve and add juice or any brightly flavored drink that strikes me at the time. I plan to use packets when traveling as they are convenient. The relief of not having to live in the toilet or being otherwise embarrassed by accidents is a wonder. I have had some trouble sleeping and a "hyper" sensation at times, but I hope these symptoms reduce with time. It feels so good to eat again without fear of repercussion. Read More Read Less

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Patmlem | 35-44 | Male | On medication for less than 1 month | Patient
7/27/2017
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 3.3
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

Worked great. However I think I am allergic to it. Had trouble sleeping because my throat was swelled up. I also noticed it made my lips numb when taking the medicine.

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Glenda Walters | 65-74 | Female | On medication for 10 years or more | Patient
11/28/2016
Condition: Chronic Diarrhea
Overall rating 5.0
Effectiveness
Ease of Use
Satisfaction

I had suffered with chronic diarrhea for many years following gall bladder surgery. I went to a gastroenterologist and he put me on this medication. It started working immediately and has been a virtual life saver for 15 yrs. I had no life before this because I couldn't go in public without using the bathroom several times a day. This has been a miracle drug for me. No side effects at all.

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