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Questran (Kwest-tran) is a medicine which is usedin hypercholesterolaemia, relieving diarrhoeaassociated with radiotherapy, ileal resection,Crohn's disease, vagotomy or diabetic vagalneuropathy and relieving itchiness linked to liverproblems. Questran contains colestyramineanhydrous. It is supplied by Bristol-Myers SquibbHoldings Limited.

Your medicine

Questran reduces the amount of cholesterolabsorbed into the body. It can also help to relievecertain types of diarrhoea and in people with liverproblems it can help to relieve itchiness.

Other information about Questran:

people starting treatment with this form of thismedicine may be prescribed a low dose toreduce the chance of side-effects

Do not share your medicine with other people. Itmay not be suitable for them and may harm them.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you howmuch medicine you should take. It also tells youhow often you should take your medicine. This isthe dose that you and your prescriber have agreedyou should take. You should not change the dose of

your medicine unless you are told to do so by yourprescriber.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell oryou do not think it is working, then talk to yourprescriber.

When to take your medicine

Some medicines work best if they are taken at aspecific time of day. Getting the most from yourmedicine can also be affected by what you eat,when you eat and the times at which you take othermedicines. Make sure you follow any specificinstructions given to you by your prescriber or thatare in the Patient Information Leaflet that comeswith this medicine.

In the case of Questran:

take other medicines at least one hour beforeor four to six hours after you take Questran

How to take your medicine

Some medicines have specific instructions abouthow to take them. This is because they work betterwhen taken correctly. These instructions can includegetting the right dose and special instructions forpreparing the medicine. Make sure you follow anyspecific instructions given to you by your prescriberor that are in the Patient Information Leaflet thatcomes with this medicine.

In the case of Questran:

do not take the powder in the original dryform. Add the dose to either water, fruit juice,thin soups, skimmed milk or pulpy fruits thathave a high water content such as applesauce. Mix well to a uniform consistencybefore you take it

If you are having problems taking this medicine, youshould talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They

may be able to give you advice on other ways totake your medicine or other medicines that areeasier for you to take.

Taking too much of your medicine

Taking extra doses of some medicines can beharmful. In some cases even one extra dose cancause you problems. If you take extra doses of yourmedicine, you must get medical advice immediately.You may need a test to assess the effect of takingextra doses. This is because the effects of takingtoo much medicine are very complex so it is veryimportant that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinicor NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers

with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

Stopping your medicine

Suddenly stopping your medicine may cause youroriginal condition to return. This is why you mustspeak to your prescriber if you are having anyproblems taking your medicine.

If you are not having any problems taking thismedicine then do not stop taking it, even if you feelbetter, unless advised to do so by your prescriber.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber,pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 084546 47.

Looking after your medicine

The instructions on how you should keep your

medicine are on the pharmacy label. You shouldkeep your medicine in the original container. Thiswill help to keep your medicine in the best conditionand also allow you to check the instructions. Do nottake the medicine if the packaging appears to havebeen tampered with or if the medicine shows anysigns of damage. Make sure that the medicine is outof the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Questran:

do not store in temperatures above 30C

You must not take the medicine after the expiry dateshown on the packaging. If you have any unused

medicine, return it to your pharmacist who willdispose of it safely.

Whether this medicine is suitable for you

Questran is not suitable for everyone and somepeople should never use it. Other people shouldonly use it with special care. It is important that theperson prescribing this medicine knows your fullmedical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicinewith special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

are allergic or sensitive to or have had areaction to any of the ingredients in themedicine

have biliary problems have a family history of fructose intolerance have glucose-galactose malabsorption

problems have sucrase-isomaltase deficiency

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe thismedicine with special care or may not prescribe it atall for a child who is under six years of age.

Over time it is possible that Questran can becomeunsuitable for some people, or they may becomeunsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that

Questran has become unsuitable, it is important thatthe prescriber is contacted immediately.

Side-effects

A medicine is only made available to the public if theclinical trials have shown that the benefits of takingthe medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information onthe medicine's effects, both intended andunintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others mayonly be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It isdifficult to predict which side-effects you will havefrom taking a particular medicine, or whether you

will have any side-effects at all. The important thingis to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you arehaving problems with your medicine.

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown

abnormal laboratory test results c onstipation diarrhoea gastrointestinal problems increased risk of bleeding metabolic problems if Questran has been

taken for a prolonged period of time skin irritation

tas te c hanges

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about aside-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feelvery ill, get medical help straight away. Contact yourprescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on0845 46 47.

Taking other medicines

If you are taking more than one medicine they may

interact with each other. At times your prescribermay decide to use medicines that interact, in othercases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact dependson your specific circumstances. Your prescriber maydecide to use medicines that interact, if it is believedthat the benefits of taking the medicines togetheroutweigh the risks. In such cases, it may benecessary to alter your dose or monitor you moreclosely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicinesthat you are taking so that they can consider allpossible interactions. This includes all the medicineswhich have been prescribed by your GP, hospitaldoctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife orpharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about

medicines which you have bought over the counterwithout prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Questran:

digitalis tetracy cl ine chlorothiazide warfarin l ev othy roxi ne vitamins A, D and K fo lic ac id

The following types of medicine may interact withQuestran:

medicines that are metabolised by the liver

If you are taking Questran and one of the abovemedicines or types of medicines, make sure your

prescriber knows about it.Complementary preparations and vitamins

Medicines can interact with complementarypreparations and vitamins.

Make sure you tell your prescriber the names of allthe complementary preparations and vitamins thatyou are taking or are planning to take.

Your prescriber can then decide whether it isappropriate for you to take combinations that areknown to interact.

In the case of Questran:

QuestranQuestran 4g oral powder sachetsWhen used in relieving itchiness linked to liver problems

Provided by www.medicines.org.uk/guides Page 1 of 2 Last updated 28 Aug 12Copyright 2010 Datapharm

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this medicine may interact with folic acid orfat soluble vitamins A, D and K

If you have been prescribed Questran you shouldonly take something on the above list on the specificadvice of your prescriber or pharmacist.

Driving and operating machinery

When taking any medicine you should be aware thatit might interfere with your ability to drive or operatemachinery safely.

Like all medicines Questran can cause side effects.You should see how this medicine affects you andthen judge if you are safe to drive or operatemachinery. If you are in any doubt, talk to yourprescriber.

Diet

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In somecases, this may be harmful and your prescriber mayadvise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Questran:

this medicine may reduce your body's abilityto absorb fat soluble Vitamins A, D and Kfrom your food if taken for a prolonged periodof time

this medicine may reduce folic acid levels inchildren with familial hypercholesterolaemia

Your doctor may recommend that you take vitaminA, D and K or folic acid supplements while you aretaking Questran.

Alcohol

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Questran:

there are no known interactions betweenalcohol and Questran

Family planning and pregnancy

Most medicines, in some way, can affect thedevelopment of a baby in the womb. The effect onthe baby differs between medicines and also

depends on the stage of pregnancy that you havereached when you take the medicine.

Careful consideration needs to be given to the risksand the benefits of using this medicine duringpregnancy.

You need to discuss your specific circumstanceswith your doctor to make a decision about whetheryou are going to take this medicine duringpregnancy. You should only take this medicineduring pregnancy if your doctor thinks you need totake it. If the decision is that you should not haveQuestran, then you should discuss whether there is

an alternative medicine that you could take duringpregnancy.

Breast-feeding

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk andmay reach your baby through breast-feeding.

Before you have your baby you should discussbreast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They willhelp you decide what is best for you and your baby

based on the benefits and risks associated with thismedicine. You should only breast-feed your babywhile taking this medicine on the advice of yourdoctor or midwife.

Ingredients of your medicine

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may alsocontain other, additional ingredients that help ensurethe stability, safety and effectiveness of themedicine. They are also added to improve themedicine's taste and appearance and to make iteasier to take. Some may be used to prolong the lifeof the medicine.

You should check that you are able to take theingredients in your medicine, especially if you haveany allergies.

Questran contains: acacia citric acid anhydrous orange juice flavour pol ys or bate 80 sucrose colestyramine anhydrous propylene glycol alginate

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients inyour medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacistto see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. Ifyou have reacted badly to Questran before, do nottake Questran. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacistor nurse as soon as possible.

QuestranQuestran 4g oral powder sachetsWhen used in relieving itchiness linked to liver problems

Provided by www.medicines.org.uk/guides Page 2 of 2 Last updated 28 Aug 12Copyright 2010 Datapharm