Actigall

Actigall is a prescription medication used to non-surgically treat and prevent gallstones. Actigall is a bile acid, a natural substance produced by the liver. It helps to decrease the formation of gallstones by dissolving the cholesterol necessary to make gallstones and suppressing production of cholesterol in the liver and absorption in the intestines. 

Actigall comes in capsule form. It is taken 2 or 3 times daily, with food.

Common side effects include stomach pain, diarrhea, and headache. 

Actigall can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.

Actigall is a prescription medication used to dissolve small gallstones (non-surgically) and to prevent gallstone formation in very overweight patients experiencing rapid weight loss. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Actavis Pharma, Inc.

Common side effects include:

• stomach pain
• diarrhea
• constipation
• nausea
• headache
• indigestion
• dizziness
• vomiting
• cough
• sore throat
• runny nose
• back pain
• muscle and joint pain
• hair loss
• viral infection

This is not a complete list of Actigall side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• antacids containing aluminum such as Amphojel, Gaviscon, Maalox, and Mylanta
• cholestryramine (Questran)
• clofibrate (Atromid-S)
• colestipol (Colestid)
• medications that lower cholesterol levels
• medications that contain estrogen, including birth control pills

This is not a complete list of Actigall drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Actigall including the following:

• frequent urination or pain when you urinate
• cough with fever

Actigall can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Actigall affects you.

Do not take Actigall if you:

• are allergic to Actigall or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to bile acids
• have calcified cholesterol stones, radiopaque stones, or radiolucent bile pigment stones
• have compelling reasons for a cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gall bladder) such as unremitting acute cholecystitis, cholangitis, biliary obstruction, gallstone pancreatitis, or biliary-gastrointestinal fistula

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain food. In the case of Actigall, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking Actigall, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Actigall or to any of its ingredients
• have or have had diseases of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, or bile duct
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Actigall falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Actigall. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Actigall crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk, caution should be exercised when Actigall is administered to a nursing mother.

Take Actigall exactly as prescribed.

Actigall comes in oral capsule form and is taken 2 to 3 times a day.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Actigall at the same time.

Dissolution of gallstones may take months to years of therapy, and complete dissolution does not occur in all patients.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight

The recommended dosage of Actigall for the treatment of gallstones is 8-10 mg/kg/day divided in 2 or 3 doses. 

The recommended dosage of Actigall for the prevention of gallstones in patients undergoing rapid weight loss is 300 mg 2 times a day.

If you take too much Actigall, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Actigall is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose if suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Actigall at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.