INTRODUCTION

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER is a combination of Ispaghula and Lactitol which belongs to the group of medicines called Bulk-forming laxatives and Cathartics respectively. It is used in adults to treat chronic idiopathic constipation which is an ongoing functional bowel disorder that occurs without any known cause or identified underlying illness.    

It is thought to occur due to  due to  neurological, psychological or psychosomatic factors which is generally characterized by symptoms such as difficulty in passing stools, hard or lumpy stools, straining when defecating, feeling of incomplete evacuation after completion, and abdominal pain. 

Along treatment with LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER, your doctor might ask you to make some lifestyle changes such as consuming a high-fibre diet, adequate fluid intake or doing physical activity.  

Avoid taking LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER, if you have appendicitis (inflammation of appendix), intestinal obstruction, lesion in gastrointestinal tract, unexplained abdominal pain or bleeding, galactosemia (disturbed absorption of galactose), faecal impaction and lack of muscle tone in the colon.

Before taking LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER, inform your doctor if you have nausea and planning to undergo diathermy (electrically induced heat). LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER should be used with caution in first trimester of pregnancy and in breast-feeding women only if advised by the doctor.

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER should be used with caution in elderly patients (above 65 years and above). Consult your doctor before taking it.

The most common side effects of taking LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER are swelling of the abdomen due to gas, flatulence, abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhoea or feeling full. Consult your doctor if any of these symptoms worsen.

USES OF LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER

• Treats chronic idiopathic constipation in adults

HOW LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER WORKS

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER helps to treat chronic idiopathic constipation, where Ispaghula facilitates easy passing of stools by increasing the water content and softening the stool through slow movement in small intestine and Lactitol helps in loosening the stools by drawing more water in the small intestine (hyperosmotic effect) which facilitates bowel movements thus reducing strain while passing stools.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

Take LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER as advised by your physician. Pour LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER to a glass of water and stir briskly and consume the contents immediately which should be followed up with a glass of water. Maintain fluid intake adequately. Your doctor will decide the correct dose and duration for you depending upon your age, body weight and disease condition.

SIDE EFFECTS OF LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER

HOW TO MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS

Nausea:

Stick to simple meals. Avoid eating oily, fried and spicy foods. Do not perform any strenuous activities immediately after eating. Consult your doctor if the symptom did not improve.

Flatulence:

Eat smaller and frequent meals. Eat and drink slowly and exercise regularly. If it does not improve, consult your doctor.

Diarrhea:

Drink lot of fluids such as water, squash or fruit juice to keep yourself hydrated. Do not take any medicine on your own for treating diarrhea without consulting your doctor.

Stomach pain:

Rest and relax. Eat and drink slowly or try to have smaller and frequent meals. Keep a heat pad on your stomach. Do not self-treat on your own and consult your doctor if the symptom did not improve on its own. 

WARNING & PRECAUTIONS

INTERACTIONS

A. Drug – Drug Interactions:

Before taking LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER inform to your doctor, if you are taking any of these medicines:

• thiazide diuretics (medicines used to treat high blood pressure) Ex. chlorothiazide, indapamide
• corticosteroids (medicines used to treat inflammation) Ex. cortisone, prednisone, prednisolone
• carbenoxolone (used to treat acid peptic disease)
• amphotericin B (used to treat serious and potentially life-threatening fungal infections)

Overdosage:

If you or anyone else accidentally take too much of LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER, consult your doctor immediately or visit the nearby hospital. Overdosage symptom of LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER is diarrhoea.

SYNOPSIS

MORE INFORMATION

• Keep LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER out of reach of children
• Store below 30°C

FAQs ABOUT LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER

What is LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER used for?

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER is a combination of Ispaghula and Lactitol which belongs to the group of medicines called Bulk-forming laxatives and Cathartics respectively, which is used in adults to treat chronic idiopathic constipation.

Does LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER cause diarrhoea?

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER may cause diarrhoea if taken in much higher doses. Consume fibre rich food and drink lot of fluid if you have diarrhoea. Consult your doctor if it doesn’t improve and do not take any medicine on your own for treating diarrhea.

Is LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER safe to use for long term?

Prolonged use of LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER should be avoided, unless advised by your doctor. Chronic constipation should be treated by some lifestyle changes such as consuming high-fibre diet, adequate fluid intake or physical activity.

Can LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER be taken by pregnant or breast-feeding women?

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER should be used with caution during the first trimester of pregnancy and in breastfeeding women only if it is clearly necessary. Consult your doctor before taking LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER.

How does LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER work?

LIVOLUK FIBRE POWDER helps to treat chronic idiopathic constipation, where Ispaghula facilitates easy passing of stools by increasing the water content and softening the stool through slow movement in small intestine and Lactitol helps in loosening the stools by drawing more water in the small intestine (hyperosmotic effect) which facilitates bowel movements thus reducing strain while passing stools.

REFERENCES

1. KD. Tripathi. Drugs for Constipation and Diarrhoea. Essentials of medical pharmacology. Seventh edition. 2013. Page – 673.

2. R.S. Satoskar, Nirmala N. Rege, S.D. Bhandarkar. Osmotic Laxatives. Pharmacology and Phrmacotherapeutics. Twenty-fourth edition. 2015.

3. Malik Hassan Mehmood, Nauman Aziz, Muhammad Nabeel Ghayur, Anwarul-Hassan Gilani. Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of psyllium husk (Ispaghula) in constipation and diarrhea. NIH National Library of Medicine, National center for biotechnology information. PubMed.gov. [Revised in May 2011] [Accessed on 10th June 2022] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21082352/

4. Lactilol. NIH National Library of Medicine, National center for biotechnology information. Pubchem. [Revised in June 2022] [Accessed on 10th June 2022] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Lactitol

5. Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited. Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC). [Revised in August 2021] [Accessed on 10th June 2022] https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.5652.pdf

6. Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Torbulk. (Lactitol Monohydrate and Ispaghula Husk Powder) [Accessed on 10th June 2022] https://www.torrentian.com/pisheet/Upload/PI_Sheet/2137.pdf

7. Braintree Laboratories, Inc. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. [Revised in February 2020] [Accessed on 10th June 2022] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/211281s000lbl.pdf

USEFUL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Electrolyte panel