OsmoPrep

OsmoPrep

Generic Name: sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate ( SOE dee um bye FOS foe nate and SOE dee um FOS fate)

Brand Names: Fleet Enema, Fleet Enema for Children, OsmoPrep tablets, Visicol

What is OsmoPrep?

OsmoPrep tablets contain a comination of sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate, both are forms of phosphorus, which is a naturally occurring substance that is important in every cell in the body.

OsmoPrep tablets are used for cleansing of the colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults 18 years of age or older. The tablets are taken with any clear liquid, that draws water into the colon and flushes out waste matter.

OsmoPrep may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about OsmoPrep

You should not use OsmoPrep if you have used it within the past 7 days, or if you have kidney disease, dehydration, or an electrolyte imbalance (such as high or low levels of potassium, sodium, phosphorous, or magnesium in your blood).

If you have any these conditions, you could have dangerous or life-threatening side effects on your kidneys from taking OsmoPrep.

People with eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia) should not use this medication without the advice of a doctor.

Before using OsmoPrep, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially heart disease, liver disease, recent stomach surgery, a bowel perforation or obstruction, colitis or inflammatory bowel disease, seizures, if you are older than 56 years, if you are on a low-salt diet, or if you have recently had a heart attack or recovered from drug or alcohol addiction.

Use OsmoPrep exactly as directed on the label, or as it has been prescribed by your doctor. Never use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended.

Before using OsmoPrep

You should not use OsmoPrep if you have used it within the past 7 days, or if you have:

kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);

dehydration; or

an electrolyte imbalance (such as high or low levels of potassium, sodium, phosphorous, or magnesium in your blood).

If you have any these conditions, you could have dangerous or life-threatening side effects on your kidneys from taking OsmoPrep.

People with eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia) should not use this medication without the advice of a doctor.

To make sure you can safely use OsmoPrep, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

congestive heart failure;

liver problems such as cirrhosis, or ascites (fluid around your liver);

unstable angina (chest pain);

a heart rhythm disorder (such as "Long-QT syndrome");

a history of recent heart attack, heart surgery, or bypass surgery;

a history of gastric bypass surgery or stomach stapling;

a bowel obstruction or severe constipation;

trouble swallowing;

a perforated bowel;

inflammatory bowel disease, colitis or toxic megacolon;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

a recent history of drug or alcohol addiction withdrawal.

if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual;

if you are older than 56 years; or

if you are on a low-salt diet.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether OsmoPrep will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use OsmoPrep without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: OsmoPrep pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

How should I use OsmoPrep?

Use OsmoPrep exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Never use the medication in larger or smaller amounts, or use it for longer than recommended.

To keep from getting dehydrated, drink a full glass (8 ounces) of water or other clear liquid each time you use OsmoPrep. You may be instructed not to drink or eat anything before your medical test. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink for at least 24 hours after using this medicine.

The recommended dose of OsmoPrep Tablets for colon cleansing for adult patients is 32 tablets (48 grams of sodium phosphate) taken orally with a total of 2 quarts of clear liquids in the following manner:

The evening before the colonoscopy procedure: Take 4 OsmoPrep Tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids every 15 minutes for a total of 20 tablets.

On the day of the colonoscopy procedure: Starting 3-5 hours before the procedure, take 4 OsmoPrep Tablets with 8 ounces of clear liquids every 15 minutes for a total of 12 tablets.

Colon cleansing can cause dehydration, as it causes the body to lose fluids quickly. Those fluids need to be replaced. Staying hydrated before, during, and after your bowel prep is essential. Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse how to ensure appropriate hydration during your procedure.

To be sure OsmoPrep has not caused harmful effects, your doctor may want to test your blood and check your kidney function in the days after your colonoscopy. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose or do not finish all doses required before your colonoscopy.

Do not use more than the recommended dose of this medication in any 24-hour period.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose may cause dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling, confusion, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, muscle pain or weakness, fast heart rate, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while using OsmoPrep?

Do not use other laxatives while using OsmoPrep unless your doctor has told you to.

OsmoPrep side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using OsmoPrep and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

rectal bleeding;

no bowel movement after use;

sores or ulcers around your rectum;

seizure (black-out or convulsions);

fast, slow, or uneven heart rate;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

drowsiness, confusion, mood changes, increased thirst, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting; or

swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath.

Less serious OsmoPrep side effects may include:

bloating, stomach pain;

tightness in your throat;

dizziness; or

headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: OsmoPrep side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect OsmoPrep?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

arsenic trioxide (Trisenox);

a diuretic (water pill);

droperidol (Inapsine);

narcotic medication such as fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Ionsys), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), levomethadyl (Orlaam), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) methadone (Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), propoxyphene (Darvocet, Darvon), and others;

an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), or pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam);

an antidepressant such as amitriptylline (Elavil, Vanatrip), clomipramine (Anafranil), or desipramine (Norpramin);

anti-malaria medications such as chloroquine (Arelan) or mefloquine (Lariam);

an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), and others;

medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (FazaClo, Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), thioridazine (Mellaril), or ziprasidone (Geodon);

medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, such as dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran);

migraine headache medicine such as sumatriptan (Imitrex) or zolmitriptan (Zomig);

heart or blood pressure medication such as benazepril (Lotensin), candesartan (Atacand), captopril (Capoten), eprosartan (Teveten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), irbesartan (Avapro, Avalide), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar), olmesartan (Benicar); quinapril (Accupril), telmisartan (Micardis), valsartan (Diovan), and others; or

heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinaglute), or sotalol (Betapace).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with OsmoPrep. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

More OsmoPrep resources

OsmoPrep Side Effects (in More Detail)

OsmoPrep Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

OsmoPrep Drug Interactions

OsmoPrep Support Group

3 Reviews for OsmoPrep - Add your own review/rating

OsmoPrep Prescribing Information (FDA)

OsmoPrep Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

OsmoPrep MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Visicol Prescribing Information (FDA)

Compare OsmoPrep with other medications

Bowel Preparation

Constipation

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about OsmoPrep.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.