Lialda: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking
Lialda® (
mesalamine) if you have:
- Pyloric stenosis (narrowing of the outlet of the stomach)
- Liver disease, including liver failure or cirrhosis
- Kidney disease, including kidney failure (renal failure)
- Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Lialda Warnings and Precautions
Warnings and precautions to be aware of before taking Lialda include the following:
- The medication may be less effective in people with pyloric stenosis, which can delay the release of Lialda into the colon (where it is effective).
- Lialda may cause a worsening of ulcerative colitis. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if your ulcerative colitis symptoms become worse when you start taking the drug.
- The medication may cause kidney damage. Your healthcare provider should check your kidney function (using a blood test) before you start Lialda and again periodically thereafter. You should not take Lialda if you have kidney disease, including kidney failure (renal failure).
- It is not known if people with liver disease can safely take Lialda. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking the medication if you have liver disease, including liver failure or cirrhosis.
- Lialda is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it is probably safe for pregnant women, although the full risks are not known. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using the drug while pregnant (see Lialda and Pregnancy).
- Lialda passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug (see Lialda and Breastfeeding).
- Lialda can interact with certain medications (see Lialda Drug Interactions).
