Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking remular as follows:
- Take the medication at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the medication. Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals helps to maintain appropriate blood levels of remular needed to derive the desired beneficial effects and also prevent toxicity with the medication.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your physician.
- Remular can induce some nausea and vomiting, especially when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. Remular can also induce extreme constipation and abdominal distention, leading to functional intestinal obstruction and abdominal pain. Proper hydration measures and compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations can help with relief from constipation. If you experience any further bothersome constipation, report it to your physician for a recommendation on laxative/stool softener use. Observing compliance with fiber intake recommendations in the diet can also help with preventing episodes of constipation with the medication.
- Remular can also induce hepatic dysfunction and liver toxicity, leading to fatal liver failure. Individuals can present with symptoms of liver failure, such as, jaundice with yellowing of skin and eyes, itching of skin, upper right abdominal pain, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, confusion and disorientation, fluid retention in the body with swelling, and compromised appetite. Remular could best be avoided for a safer alternative or used with extra caution with close watch for signs and symptoms of liver failure in individuals with history of compromised liver function.
