LINZESS – Uses, dosage, effectiveness, and side effects

LINZESS or Linaclotide is a medicine used to treat bowel-related symptoms, disorders, and diseases. As it is widely used as a prescription drug for treating chronic constipation and chronic cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, it has the street name of LINZESS for constipation. It is preferably used for cases where an adult has constipation as the primordial symptom.

The medicine works by stimulating bowel movements in patients.

How does it work?
The secretion of water and chloride in the intestines is increased due to LINZESS. It leads to softening stools, as well as stimulating bowel movements. For better results, the dose should neither be less nor more than the amount prescribed by the doctor. Consult a professional and well-trained medical authority immediately in case of an overdose.

Usage
You need to take the exact amount of LINZESS as prescribed by your doctor as taking smaller or larger amount might result in undesired side effects.

Usage of LINZESS for constipation

• LINZESS is prescribed to be taken in the morning, at least 30 minutes before the very first meal.
• The medicine comes in a capsule shell, which is meant to be swallowed as-is. So, don’t chew, break or crush the medicine while taking it.
• Some people find it difficult to swallow capsules of LINZESS constipation prescription drug. They can open the capsule and have it with a spoonful of water or applesauce.
• Avoid keeping the mixture, LINZESS and water or applesauce for later consumption. While taking it with applesauce, you still need to take it 30 minutes before your first or morning meal.
• In some cases, Linaclotide capsules can also be given through a gastronomy or nasogastric (NG) tube.
• The prescribed amount for adults with constipation is usually 290 micrograms or 0.029 grams orally.

Usage of LINZESS for IBS

• Take about 145 micrograms or 0.0145 grams orally about 30 minutes before having breakfast or first meal of the day.
• Swallow whole capsules; don’t chew or break.

Remember to go through all medication guides, instructions sheets, and patient information given by your doctor before having LINZESS for constipation. Though it is an effective medicine, LINZESS needs to be taken with caution as its side effects can be multiple and severe in intensity.

Important instructions for Linaclotide or LINZESS for constipation
While taking LINZESS, you need to follow certain instructions to avoid its side effects and undesired consequences. Moreover, following these instructions will allow you to make the most out of the medicine, popularly used for treating constipation in adults. These are discussed in brief below:

• • • • Linaclotide might take about two weeks to alleviate various symptoms related to bowel movement. Therefore, you need to start monitoring changes only after such time period. You might need to consult your doctor in case there’s no effect on bowel symptoms even after using the medicine for 3 or 4 weeks.
      • LINZESS is prone to extreme temperatures. Thus, store it at room temperature. It is also sensitive to moisture. Therefore, keep it away from moist places. Do not store it at places that experience an excess amount of heat.
      • Taking Linaclotide by minors might result in severe dehydration and/or diarrhea. Therefore, keep it away from children and seek immediate medical help, if consumed by a child or a minor.
      • LINZESS comes with a special protective casing that protects it from external conditions. Therefore it needs to be kept in its original case. Don’t keep it in places easily accessible by children or among eatables.

Side effects of LINZESS
Don’t worry if you skip a dose of Linaclotide from your LINZESS medication routine. Don’t take an additional dose for covering up the skipped one, as an overdose of LINZESS can yield a number of undesired side effects. Some typical side effects of LINZESS are:

• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Bloating
• Stomach pain

When to stop taking LINZESS or Linaclotide
In some cases, taking Linaclotide might result in allergic reactions. The most common symptoms are hives and swelling of the face, tongue, throat, and/or lips. You need to avoid taking your next LINZESS dosage, if you have one or more of the following:

• Severe diarrhea
• Lightheadedness
• Increased thirst or urination
• Leg cramps
• Confusion
• Feeling of unsteadiness
• Irregular heartbeats
• Muscle weakness

Avoid taking LINZESS while having these drugs
When you are on LINZESS for constipation, you need to avoid some other prescription drugs or products to avoid undesired health conditions. These include:

• Over-the-counter products
• Medical prescription drugs
• Vitamin products
• Herbal products