Actigall

Why should Actigall not be prescribed?

Do not take these medications if you are sensitive to or have ever had an allergic reaction to ursodiol or to other bile acids.

Actigall will not dissolve certain types of gallstones. If your doctor tells you that your gallstones are calcified cholesterol stones, radio-opaque stones, or radiolucent bile pigment stones, you are not a candidate for treatment with Actigall.

Also, if you have biliary tract (liver, gallbladder, bile duct) problems or certain liver and pancreas diseases, your doctor may not be able to prescribe Actigall for you.

Special warnings about Actigall

Although Actigall is not known to cause liver damage, it is theoretically possible in some people. Your doctor may run blood tests for liver function before you start to take Actigall and again while you are taking it.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Actigall

If Actigall or Urso are taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Actigall or Urso with the following:

• Aluminum-based antacid medications
• Cholesterol-lowering medications, such as cholestyramine, clofibrate, colestipol hydrochloride, gemfibrozil, and lovastatin
• Estrogens such as conjugated estrogens
• Oral contraceptives

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. So far, there is no evidence that ursodiol can harm an unborn baby; but to be safe, the medication is not recommended during pregnancy. Caution is needed during breastfeeding; it is not known whether ursodiol taken by a nursing mother passes into her breast milk.

Recommended dosage for Actigall

ACTIGALL

Dissolving Gallstones

The recommended daily dosage is 8 to 10 milligrams per 2.2 pounds of body weight, divided into 2 or 3 doses.

Preventing Gallstones

The usual dose in people losing weight rapidly is 300 milligrams twice a day.

URSO 250

Primary biliary cirrhosis

The recommended adult dosage is 13 to 15 milligrams per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day, divided into 4 small doses taken with food.

Overdosage

Although there have been no reports of overdose with Actigall, the most likely symptom of severe overdose would be diarrhea. Since any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences, you should seek medical attention immediately if you suspect an Actigall overdose.