What is sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
Sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate are forms of phosphorus, which is a naturally
occurring substance that is important in every cell in the body.
Sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate is used to treat constipation and to clean the bowel
before surgery, x-rays, endoscopy, or other intestinal procedures. Sodium biphosphate and sodium
phosphate enemas are also used for general care after surgery and to help relieve impacted bowels.
Sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate may also be used for other purposes not listed in
this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
You should not use this medication 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 sodium biphosphate and sodium
phosphate.
People with eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia) should not use this medication
without the advice of a doctor.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use
this medication. Before using sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate, tell your doctor if you have:
-
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 this medication is
harmful to an unborn baby. Before using sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate, tell your doctor if
you are pregnant.
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 this medication without telling your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
Use this medication 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.
To keep from getting dehydrated, drink a full glass (8 ounces) of water or other clear liquid
each time you use this medication. 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.
If you take the
tablet
form of this medicine, you will most likely start taking it
the evening before your colonoscopy, and finish taking it on the day of your colonoscopy.
For best results, take the
oral liquid
on an empty stomach when you first
get out of bed, at least 30 minutes before eating. You may also take the medicine at bedtime. In most
cases, it will work overnight.
Measure the
oral liquid
and mix it with one-half glass (4 oz) of cool water.
Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more
water to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.
When using this medication in a child, use only the forms that are specially made for
children.
Do not take the
rectal enema
by mouth. It is for use
only in your rectum.
To use the enema, lie down on your left side with your knees bent.
Remove the cap from the applicator tip and gently insert the tip into your rectum. Slowly
squeeze the bottle to empty the contents into the rectum.
For best results, stay lying down until you feel the urge to have a bowel movement. This should
occur within 2 to 15 minutes in most cases.
If you do not get any results after using sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate, call
your doctor before using another dose. Using too much of this medication in 24 hours can be harmful.
Do not use sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate for longer than 1 week unless your doctor has
told you to.
Store sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate at room temperature away from moisture
and heat. Throw away any leftover medicine after your treatment ends.
To be sure this medication 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 of sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
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.
Where can I get more information about sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
Your pharmacist has information about sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
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 this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side
effects:
-
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 side effects may include:
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. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
You should not use this medication 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 sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate.
People with eating disorders (such as anorexia or bulimia) should not use this medication
without the advice of a doctor.
Before using sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate, 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 this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as it has been prescribed by your
doctor. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended.
When using this medication in a child, use only the forms that are specially made for
children.
What should I avoid while taking sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
Do not use other laxatives while using sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate unless
your doctor has told you to.
What other drugs will affect sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
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),
mefloquine (Lariam), or halofantrine (Halfan);
-
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
sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate. 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.
What happens if I have an overdose of sodium biphosphate and sodium phosphate?
