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Lotronex Info

2K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  VernaEileenR 
#1 ·
Hey did you know that the "new" Lotronex pill is 1 mg?! The "old" Lotronex pills were 2mgs. I knew they switched the recommended dosage to 1 mg. , but I did not know they changed the mg of the pill. I think that is great! No more cutting pills!
 
#3 ·
I could be wrong but I thought the old pills were 2mg pills which I took 2 times per day. I distinctly recall 4 mgs per day was prescribed but that I cut back at times. I did know about the doage and it's worrying me that it may not be enough. We'll see. Also, how do you get the stickers? I thought the Dr. got the stickers?
 
#5 ·
I'll have to check but I thought the new dose was 1 mg once a day INITIALLY and once you see how that goes it goes up to 1 mg 2X a day which is down from the full 2 mg up to 2X a day from the original dosage.But I will have to see if I can find this, rather than pulling it out of my fuzzy headHere is the current dosing, which is one tablet initally going up to 2 a day if needed
quote: Begin with 1�tablet a day for 4�weeks to see how LOTRONEX affects you.Although the effect of 1�tablet a day on IBS symptoms has not been studied in clinical trials, you and your doctor may decide that you should keep taking this dose if it adequately controls your IBS symptoms and you have not become constipated or had ischemic colitis while taking LOTRONEX.* If you try 1 tablet a day for 4�weeks and it does not control your symptoms, does not make you constipated, and does not give you ischemic colitis, tell your doctor. Your doctor may tell you to take 1�tablet 2 times a day, the dose that was used in clinical trials.If 1 tablet 2 times a day does not work after 4�weeks, LOTRONEX is not likely to help you and you should stop using it and call your doctor. http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/lotr...guide060502.htm
 
#7 ·
I got my written rx in the mail today.
It says: Lotronex 1mg. Take 1mg a day for one month, if needed will take one mg twice a day.Dispense 60 w/ 5 refills.Hopefully will only have to pay one copay. The way my insurance works if I receive enough pills to last me 2 months then I have to pay 2 copays. I hope it won't be in this case because then this will cost me 80.00 that I do not have.The rx that I had 2 yrs ago were for 1mg pills taken 2x a day. (I was on 4mg.)
 
#12 ·
How weird is this?! Can this be right? I called Glaxo and asked them what the "old" Lotronex mg was. The Lotronex Specialist told me that the "old" Lotronex came in TWO strengths 1mg and 2 mg. Now they only have 1 mg. only. I never heard of that? I thought all Lotronex was the same strength?
 
#17 ·
I think the 2 mg pills were only used in the clinical trials, so any of you who were in the trials may have had 2 mg pills. However, these were never available commercially and those of us who weren't in trials were prescribed 1 mg twice a day. Among the 8 studies GSK has committed to doing this time around are a few that test different doses, but none higher than 2 mg per day. It seems they are looking to establish the smallest effective dose for the most people. Of course we are all different, but don't look for 2 mg pills. All they are making now is 1 mg. (in fact, if I remember correctly from the advisory committee meeting in April GSK said it would be prohibitively expensive to make any but the 1 mg pills for which all their equipment was set up). Please, let's all play by the rules so that Lotronex stays on the market this time around. The rules are NOT that hard to follow.
 
#18 ·
I agree Julia...we MUST play by the rules this time or we risk losing Lotronex again. For example...Faxed or mailed rx's are not permitted! Prescriptions ARE NOT to be written for more than 30 tabs initially WITH NO REFILLS!Refills must also have a sticker!PLEASE stick to the rules! For ALL our sakes!
 
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