Colestipol oral tablet side effects: A detailed guide

Key takeaways

• Colestipol oral tablet is prescribed for treating high cholesterol in adults. Along with a balanced, nutritious diet, it reduces elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in adults with hypercholesterolemia who don’t respond adequately to diet alone.
• Common side effects include abdominal pain and cramps, flatulence, indigestion, and mild constipation.
• Most side effects caused by colestipol go away on their own within a few days or weeks as you continue treatment.

Overview

Specifically, colestipol oral tablet is used along with a balanced, nutritious diet to reduce elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in adults with hypercholesterolemia who do not respond adequately to diet alone.

This article describes possible side effects of colestipol oral tablet. For more information about colestipol, talk with your doctor.

Colestipol oral tablet is a generic version of the brand-name drug Colestid. Colestipol also comes in granules that you mix with a liquid and swallow. But this form isn’t described in this article. To learn more about this form, talk with your doctor.

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More common side effects of colestipol

Colestipol oral tablet may cause mild or serious side effects. Here are some of the more common side effects of this medication.

Commonly reported side effects of colestipol oral tablet include: 

• abdominal pain and cramps
• flatulence
• indigestion
• mild constipation*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of colestipol in detail” section.

Mild side effects of colestipol

Colestipol may cause certain mild side effects. Usually, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome. 

Mild side effects of colestipol oral tablet that occurred in studies include: 

• abdominal pain and cramps
• appetite loss
• bloating
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• fatigue
• headache
• indigestion
• pain in the back, muscles, or joints
• nausea and vomiting
• swelling in the hands or feet
• difficulty sleeping
• weakness
• mild constipation*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of colestipol in detail” section.

Colestipol oral tablet may cause more mild side effects than those listed earlier. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information. 

Serious side effects of colestipol

Colestipol may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from colestipol oral tablet, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medications safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while taking colestipol tablet and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

Serious side effects of colestipol oral tablet that occurred in studies include:

• increased risk of bleeding
• severe constipation*
• migraine*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of colestipol in detail” section.

Allergic reaction

For some people, colestipol oral tablet can cause an allergic reaction. In studies, these reactions were rare.

In general, symptoms of an allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to colestipol oral tablet, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Common questions about side effects of colestipol

Here are answers to some common questions about the side effects of colestipol oral tablet. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can colestipol be used for diarrhea? If so, does taking the drug for this use cause different side effects compared to when it’s taken for other uses?

Colestipol is not approved to treat diarrhea. However, a doctor may still prescribe the drug for this use or for other off-label uses. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about the side effects of colestipol if they prescribe it for diarrhea.

Does colestipol cause weight loss?

No, colestipol doesn’t cause weight loss. This side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

Appetite loss is a side effect reported with colestipol. And, over time, appetite loss can lead to weight loss. But this side effect often goes away as you continue taking colestipol.

Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your weight and how to manage it.

Note: Colestipol is not approved as a medication for weight loss or weight management. It should not be taken for this purpose. 

How long do side effects of colestipol typically last?

Most side effects caused by colestipol go away on their own within a few days or weeks as you continue treatment.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that bother you or don’t go away. They can check your symptoms and determine the best way to manage them. 

Does colestipol cause long-term side effects?

No, long-term side effects aren’t expected with colestipol oral tablet. In studies, specific side effects weren’t seen in people who had taken the drug for a long time. Long-lasting side effects after treatment ended also weren’t reported.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about possible long-term side effects of colestipol. 

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Side effects of colestipol in detail

You’ll find details on some of the side effects of colestipol oral tablet in the following sections.

Constipation

In studies, constipation was common in people taking colestipol oral tablet. This side effect is usually mild. However, it can be severe in rare cases.

With constipation, you have difficulty or an inability to have a bowel movement. Symptoms may include having less than three bowel movements per week, straining to have a bowel movement, and passing hard, small stools.

Certain factors can increase the risk of constipation with colestipol oral tablet. These include not consuming enough fluids or dietary fiber while taking colestipol.

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of constipation, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend taking in more fluids and dietary fiber. Your doctor may also recommend a treatment for constipation. An example is MiraLAX. Your doctor may also lower your colestipol dosage. Or they may suggest temporarily or permanently stopping treatment with colestipol if your symptoms don’t improve or become severe.

Indigestion

Indigestion was common in studies of people taking colestipol oral tablet. This side effect is usually mild.

With indigestion, your body doesn’t digest food as usual. Symptoms may include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and bloating in your abdomen.

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of indigestion, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend treatment, such as famotidine (Pepcid). They can also review home remedies for indigestion, such as eating slowly and avoiding foods that trigger symptoms.

Migraine

Migraine were rare in studies involving people taking colestipol oral tablet. This side effect may be serious.

With migraine, you experience a severe headache. It may cause pain on one side of your head, and it may be a throbbing or pulsing type of pain. It may involve increased sensitivity to sound and light, nausea and vomiting, and feeling faint.

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of migraine headache, tell your doctor. They may recommend a treatment to use as needed if you have another migraine headache. Examples include acetaminophen (Tylenol), sumatriptan (Imitrex), and rimegepant (Nurtec ODT).

If you continue experiencing migraine headaches while taking colestipol, your doctor may suggest stopping treatment. They can then recommend other treatments for your condition instead.

Warnings for colestipol

Here are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking colestipol oral tablet.

Warnings 

It may not be safe for you to take colestipol oral tablet if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether colestipol oral tablet is a safe treatment option for you.

Before taking colestipol oral tablet, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:

• vitamin or mineral deficiencies, such as low vitamin D
• chronic constipation
• low thyroid activity
• migraine
• fast heart rate
• past allergic reaction to colestipol

Colestipol and pregnancy 

It’s not known whether colestipol oral tablet should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Colestipol and breastfeeding

If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. Colestipol may reduce vitamin absorption, which may have an effect on a nursing infant.

Colestipol and alcohol

Colestipol oral tablet is not known to interact with alcohol.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with colestipol oral tablet.

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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