mesalamine

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Take this medication by mouth with a meal, once a day or as directed by your doctor. Swallow this medication whole. Do not crush, chew, or break the tablets. Doing so can keep the drug from being released properly into the colon. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day. Do not keep taking this medication longer than directed by your doctor. Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: drugs that may harm your kidneys (e.g., NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, indomethacin), methotrexate. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not share this medication with others. Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., kidney and liver function tests, sigmoidoscopy, complete blood count) may be performed regularly to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: ringing ears, severe dizziness, sweating, rapid breathing.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other medications that are broken down into mesalamine (e.g., sulfasalazine, olsalazine); or to salicylates (e.g., aspirin); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney problems, liver problems, asthma, abnormal emptying of stomach contents into the intestine (pyloric stenosis), pancreas problems (pancreatitis), certain heart conditions (i.e., myocarditis, pericarditis). This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. This medication may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for stomach bleeding, especially when combined with this medication. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Caution is advised when using this drug in older adults because they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially kidney problems and effects on the blood (e.g., blood dyscrasias). This medication is similar to aspirin. Children and teenagers should not take aspirin or aspirin-related medications (e.g., salicylates) if they have chickenpox, flu, or any undiagnosed illness, or if they have just been given a live virus vaccine (e.g., varicella vaccine), without first consulting a doctor about Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store at room temperature between 59-77 degrees F (15-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage up to 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Headache, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, diarrhea, or gas may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Infrequently, this medication may make your symptoms worse rather than better (acute intolerance syndrome or sensitivity reaction). Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of these unlikely but serious side effects: worsening stomach pain/cramping, worsening bloody diarrhea, fever, headache. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: joint/back pain, dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting, severe stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing eyes/skin, signs of infection (e.g., fever with persistent sore throat), easy bleeding/bruising, chest pain, fast heartbeat, change in the amount of urine. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.