Welchol
(colesevelam)
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Lowers cholesterol and helps lower blood sugars.
Skip Upsides & Downsides section. Skip to side effects section.
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Can be taken as a tablet or as a sprinkled packet that's mixed with water, juice, or diet soft drinks.|Welchol (colesevelam) may be a good option for people who have high cholesterol and diabetes.|Welchol (colesevelam) is another option for people that can't tolerate statin medications.|It's able to be used in children over the age of 10.
Lowest price near you
- Price before coupon$203.07
- Lowest price with coupon$27.5486% savings
Quick facts about Welchol
- Drug class: Cardiovascular
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: No lower cost generic available
Upsides
- Can be taken as a tablet or a sprinkled packet that's mixed with water, juice, or diet soft drinks.
- Welchol (colesevelam) may be good for people with high cholesterol and diabetes since it can help with both conditions.
- Welchol (colesevelam) is a good option for people that can't tolerate statins.
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What to expect from Welchol, on one page
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Downsides
- Welchol (colesevelam) can make you feel really constipated.
- Welchol (colesevelam) doesn't lower cholesterol as well as other drugs.
- It interacts with many other medications by reducing their absorption in the body.
- Welchol (colesevelam) can increase the amount of triglycerides (fats) in some people, so your doctor may perform blood work to check your triglyceride levels.
- It's not recommended for use in children under 10 years of age.
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What to expect from Welchol, on one page
Download Fact SheetHow it works
Welchol (colesevelam) is a bile acid sequestrant that reduces the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs from food.
Quick facts about Welchol
- Drug class: Cardiovascular
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: No lower cost generic available
Used for
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Hereditary high cholesterol (Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia)
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Powder
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Prices and coupons
Skip prices section. Skip to what to expect section.Prices and coupons for 60 (625mg) tablets of colesevelam near
Pay as low as$54.89Retail priceRetail priceLearn more- AlbertsonsGet free coupon$27.54
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$27.54 - CostcoGet free coupon$28.32
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See more prices and coupons in your areaWhat to expect when you take Welchol (colesevelam) for High cholesterol
Skip what to expect section. Skip to side effects section.- First few hoursHoursFirst few daysDaysFirst few weeksWeeksFirst few monthsMonths
- Effectiveness
- Starts to kick inFull effects
- First few hoursHoursFirst few daysDaysFirst few weeksWeeksFirst few monthsMonths
- Possible side effects
- Constipation
- Upset stomach
- Nausea
- Reduced vitamin absorption
Side effect rates for Welchol (colesevelam)
From 2025 clinical trials of Welchol when taken for diabetes
- Constipation7%7%2%2%
- Low blood sugar3%3%3%3%
- Indigestion3%3%1%1%
- Nausea3%3%2%2%
- High blood pressure3%3%2%2%
- Back pain2%2%1%1%
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Where we got our data »
The placebo bar shows how common a side effect was for people taking a sugar pill instead of Welchol.
Welchol (colesevelam)
Placebo
People taking Welchol felt side effect more
People taking Welchol felt side effect less
No difference
Risks and Warnings for Welchol (colesevelam)
Skip risks section. Skip to common concerns section.- Higher risk if:
- › Gastrointestinal tract surgery
- › Gastroparesis
- › Gastric motility disorders
Welchol (colesevelam) can lead to constipation, so in people with gastrointestinal issues (such as gastroparesis/GI motility disorders), this can lead to problems like bowel obstruction. Therefore, it's important that your doctor knows about these problems before they prescribe Welchol (colesevelam).
Pharmacist Q&A
Welchol (colesevelam) questions for
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this drug for?
This medication treats hyperlipidemia (high lipid levels) in adults.Common concerns from people taking Welchol (colesevelam)
Final section. Do you want to return to drug navigation?Pregnancy
Research studies with animals haven’t found a risk to unborn babies, but it hasn’t been properly studied in humans.
Tip: Always talk with your doctor before you take any medication while pregnant.FDA pregnancy category for Welchol
BProbably safe
Interactions
- Many medications interact with Welchol (colesevelam), so check with your doctor or pharmacist which ones need to be taken at different times of the day.
- It interacts with many other medications by reducing their absorption in the body.