Best way to gag down Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite), HELP!

[myproblem]

I have to take Prevalite (Cholestyramine) which comes in little packets of powder. I am supposedto mix it with liquid, and drink it. I tried it in limeade because I thought the strong flavor of the drink would overpower it. Gag, gag, gag! It doesn't disolve, and I could feel the bitter powder on my throat. I have to get through at least 11 days 3x a day of this. I need some suggestions.
P.S. I am 6 weeks pregnant, so that itn't improving the chances of it going down.

[dmgstar]

Prune juice works good

[Sunnysnowflake]

Vitamix is a type of blender. I just started taking this stuff again and its horrible!!! I might try it in pudding. Today I mixed it with a little OJ then after mixed well I added sprite. It wasn't bad at all! I will do that again but use a straw - I am wondering if the straw might be the answer!

[davephillyj]

What is a vitamix? My husband gags at everything. He has tried every medicine available to help with his bathroom visits since having his gallbladder taken out 10 years ago and we are going TOMORROW to see about getting some of this. He has taken welcol for the past 8 years with a little relief, but the pain he endures and not being able to eat anything but dry toasted sandwiches is to much for too long. I made him an appointment and I am making him go tomorrow. I need to know what the best way is to get this down

[Bearpoppy]

We just found the answer  to mixing the cholestramine. Put the powder and a TBSP of  dry lemonade mix with 4ozs of water into a vitamix. Turned the machine on low and mixed until there were no granules. Served over crushed ice. Honest!!  Very tasty and easy to drink.   GOOD LUCK!!

[Missugarnah9]

I've been taking Questran for several years now & had your dilemma in the beginning trying to find something to make it more palatable. Personally, I use Ocean Spray Cran/Raspberry juice & found a small battery operated "mixer" to thoroughly blend/dissolve it so it's not so gritty tasting & chug it. Hope this helps!

[kmann]

I have been taking Prevalite for about 4 weeks, and will have to take it the rest of my life. But I notice in one of your statments you were feeling bad.  In my research I discovered that Prevalite prevents your body from adsorbing certain vitamins, which may be causing you to feel bad.  But as you said it could also be the gift of life you are carrying.  I hope everything goes well.

[myproblem]

Thats a very good idea that I hadn't thought of. I can have it in s soft/semi-liquid food. I will try that. Thanks again.

[wantingtobepg]

just thought of something else, do you have to put it in liquid or could you just have a drink after you have taken it in something else?  the only reason i ask is because my son had to take an awful medication that was ground up and my pharmacist suggested that i mix it into some chocolate pudding because it conceals the taste alot better than other foods or liquids do.  don't know if this is an option?  good luck again.

[myproblem]

Okay, I tried the chocolate pudding. That wasn't too awful unles I took too big of a bite. I also tried kool-aid, but mixed it extra strong, and with lots of ice. That was the best so far. I just drank it through a straw, as fast as I could. Thanks for all the help.

[myproblem]

Thank you everyone. I did try it in a smoothie, as well as in applesauce, and hot cider. The cider was not too horrible if I let it cool just a little, and tried to drink it fast. The apple sauce was hard to swallow without gagging. The smoothie was the least revolting, but I had to use a straw. It doesn't have a strong flavor, but it's very bitter, and it's so grainy -like sand or ground nutshells. The trouble I'm having now is that I feel horrible, and I don't know if it's from the medicine, or if I just suddenly hit a new level of awful due to being pregnant. I did not feel this bad this early with my daughter, but I know it's different with every baby for most people. The pregnancy was a happy surprise, but I was taking a "category X" medication called Arava when I got pregnant. I have to take the Cholestyramine to get it out of my system. I think this is the only way to take it, so I'm very concerned. I got down one dose this morning, but have been unable to face another because of how icky I feel.

[wantingtobepg]

what if you mixed it with warm water so that it disolves and then top it up with juice.  good luck.

[cbnoble]

I know just what you are talking about.  the best way i have found is to mix it with half water to dissovle it first.  Maybe even a little less then half and then finish it off with sunny D.  It is better than orange juice or other liquids because it is thicker.
hope that helps for you!

[who_is_this]

Tell your pharmacist about the problem you are having, and ask if there is a way to make it more palatable.