# Does questran stop working



## lookingood (Sep 12, 2002)

could anyone tell me if questran ever stops working or gets where it dont work as good after taking it for a long period of time? Also my Dr. has told me to play around with it until I find the right dosage for me, which is hard to do. Right now Im taking one dose in the morning which seems to hold me thur the day but then the next morning I have 2 or 3 loose bowel movements again. Do you think I should try some at night also? Another question, sometimes after I take my dose I start to feel bloated and sometimes this lasts all day, is this normal when you first start taking this and if so does this go away in time? Thanks for you input !!


----------



## Katydid (Jul 17, 2001)

I've been taking Questran for about 4 years. It's still working fine for me. It has taken away the loose BMs..they're now formed, but it didn't help as much with the frequency and urgency issue. I'm on Elavil for the time being, which takes care of that.I take the Questran 1 scoop in the morning, and 1 scoop in the evening before bed. The amt. can be tinkered with (such as a heaping scoop, level scoop or less than a level scoop) in my case...but it would never work for me at just one scoop per day.I would definitely try the 1 in the am and 1 in the pm if I were you. Just make sure you're drinking adequate liquid with it and space out any other medications you may be on appropriately according to instructions.Any time you try a new medication it has a chance of having some mild effects until your system becomes accustomed to it. I think the majority of complaints I've heard about Questran had more to do with heartburn...not bloating. For me, the name brand worked better than the Generic form. The generic seemed to cause flatuence more often..but that's just my experience with it.


----------



## lookingood (Sep 12, 2002)

Thanks Kathy, I guess I will try to take some tonight also. Do you take your with food or on a empty stomach? On my can it says questran light so I guess its not the generic kind.Do you find that you can eat anything you want while taking the questran or do you still have to watch what you eat? Thanks for your input !!!


----------



## Katydid (Jul 17, 2001)

I don't know that it makes a difference whether you take it with food or not. I don't worry about that, although I think most times, I'm taking it on a empty stomach. But I am on other medication, and you do have to space that out...never closer than 1 hour between taking your other meds(or supplements, vitamins, etc.) and then taking Questran, and after Questran is taken, no medications until 4 hours have passed.Questran doesn't give you a free pass to indulge in all kinds of foods. But I do know I can tolerate some foods better now than before I was put on the Questran. Stress can also cause break through attacks.And if it says 'Questran' Light, it would be the name brand. If it just says Cholestryamine(sp), that would more than likely be the Generic.


----------



## Jennifer7 (Nov 13, 2000)

My husband has been on the generic for a while & it was working pretty well, but he had to change pharmacies & they had a different brand. It is in the packets. It doesn't taste as good, mix as well, and worst of all, he's been having problems. I wonder if the kind in the canister has sucrose in it. I'm wondering if that is the problem. Any thoughts?Jennifer


----------



## Katydid (Jul 17, 2001)

Hi JenniferI can't really be of much help as far as the kind that comes in the packets (although I have heard of others using that type.)I know when I had been on the name brand, and then had to switch to the generic, I thought it was all in my head that it wasn't working as well. I had a friend with pharmacy connections check for me, and they found out that whatever the differenc is, there is a slight one.. That pharmacist takes Questran himself, and said he never recommends that people taking it for bile control use the generic..if they have a choice with their insurance. If you look at the labels, everything seems the same...%s of ingredients, etc. My name brand and generic even both came from the same manufacturer. I found on the generic, I had more bloating and gas starting in the afternoon and lasting into the evening. When on the name brand, Ididn't have that problem at all. As far as controlling the loose BMs they both seemed to be equally effective...the generic just seemed to have more unwanted side effects.


----------



## loulou (Jan 18, 2001)

I've played around with the dose alot. Like just one dose at night. Or two doses at night. Or one dose in the morning and one dose at night. Or one dose in the morning and two doses at night. I believe six doses is the maximum. For me I'm trying to make it through the night so the two doses at night is the best...although I might try three doses sometime. Also maybe you could do halves!Hope this helps, LouLou


----------



## Kim Insko (Oct 31, 2001)

I have found that about 1/2 scoop in the morning works for me, unless it is that time of the month, then I use a full scoop. I also get bloated, sometimes severely. I try to drink alot of water and occassionaly take oval for the gas and bloating. I still have loose bm's, but it's like, oh no, here it is, and then it's gone. I have been taking it for about a year and change my dose on a regular basis.Good luck,kimba


----------

