Phoslo
Phoslo tablets are calcium acetate 667mg, a phosphate binder taken with meals to lower high phosphate levels in chronic kidney disease. Packs hold 30 to 360 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 667mg | 30 tablets | $43.80 | $1.46 |
| 667mg | 60 tablets | $53.40 | $0.89 |
| 667mg | 90 tablets | $63.00 | $0.70 |
| 667mg | 120 tablets | $72.00 | $0.60 |
| 667mg | 180 tablets | $99.00 | $0.55 |
| 667mg | 360 tablets | $183.60 | $0.51 |
- Category
- Bone Health
- Active ingredient
- Calcium Acetate
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet, Capsule
- Strengths
- 667mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Hyperphosphatemia
- Therapeutic Class
- Phosphate Binder
- Pharmacological Class
- Calcium salt
- Minor Side Effects
- Nausea, Gastrointestinal discomfort
- Moderate Side Effects
- Constipation
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet, Capsule
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Fresenius Medical Care
- Onset Time
- Immediate with food
- Duration
- During meal digestion
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature away from moisture.
- Drug Interactions
- Tetracyclines, Fluoroquinolones
What you will receive
Phoslo is the originator brand name, made by Fresenius Medical Care. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Phoslo.
- The same active ingredient (Calcium Acetate) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Phoslo strengths and pack sizes are available?
Phoslo comes as generic calcium acetate tablets in 667mg. Packs range from 30 up to 360 tablets. It is generic calcium acetate, not the original Phoslo. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How is Phoslo delivered to Hong Kong?
Phoslo orders to Hong Kong go by tracked courier in 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, or standard airmail in 14 to 21 business days, up to 30, untracked. Very large orders over 120 units may be split into several parcels.
Can I take Phoslo without food?
No. The tablet has to be in the stomach alongside the phosphate it is meant to catch, so one taken between meals passes through with almost nothing to do. Take it during a meal or straight afterwards, with the number of tablets matched to how big the meal is.
Can I take Phoslo with other medicines?
Some are better kept apart from it. Calcium acetate holds back the absorption of iron tablets, levothyroxine and antibiotics in the tetracycline and quinolone groups when they are swallowed together, so those are usually moved to another time of day.
Is Phoslo the same as calcium carbonate?
They are both calcium salts and both can bind phosphate, but calcium acetate binds more phosphate for each milligram of calcium it brings in. That is why it is the usual choice when calcium intake has to stay low, while calcium carbonate is often taken simply as a calcium supplement.
Can I take vitamin D with Phoslo?
Yes, and the two often go together in kidney disease. Vitamin D raises how much calcium the gut takes up, though, so a large dose alongside these tablets can push blood calcium up — thirst, tiredness, confusion and passing a lot of urine are the signs to watch for.
Does Phoslo mean I can eat what I like?
No. The tablets only catch phosphate from food eaten with them, so a diet heavy in cola, processed cheese, cured meats and nuts still pushes phosphate levels up. What you eat and what you swallow with it work as a pair.
About Phoslo
What Phoslo tablets do
Each Phoslo tablet holds 667mg of calcium acetate, and packs run from 30 up to 360 tablets. They are phosphate binders, used in chronic kidney disease when the kidneys can no longer clear enough phosphate from the blood. The result is hyperphosphataemia (phosphate building up in the blood), which is common in people on long-term dialysis. Left alone, high phosphate pulls the body's calcium balance out of step, which is the main reason it is treated.
How calcium acetate works
The binding happens in the gut, and only while there is food there. A tablet breaks down into calcium and acetate; the calcium catches phosphate released from the meal, and the two pass through the bowel and leave in the stool instead of reaching the blood. Swallowed between meals, with nothing to catch, a tablet does very little.
Taking Phoslo with meals
Picture a light breakfast: one or two tablets. Now the main meal of the day, which holds the most phosphate: more tablets. That is the rule, with the count scaled to the meal rather than fixed for the day.
They are swallowed whole with water, during the meal or straight after, because a tablet needs food in the stomach to bind anything. Store the pack somewhere cool and dry.
Side effects, and calcium that creeps up
The usual complaints are digestive: feeling sick, constipation or looser stools, wind, and a smaller appetite than before. Most people find these ease off after a week or two. Because every tablet brings calcium as well as removing phosphate, blood calcium can drift too high over time. That creeps up slowly, with tiredness, thirst, muscle weakness, confusion or passing more urine than usual.
Medicines that clash with Phoslo
Calcium in the gut can tie up other medicines swallowed at the same time, stopping them being absorbed properly. Iron tablets, levothyroxine, and antibiotics of the tetracycline and quinolone families are the ones most often affected; leaving a few hours between them and Phoslo avoids the clash. Calcium supplements and calcium-based antacids add to the calcium the tablets already bring.
Sources
- Calcium Acetate: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Renacet 475mg tablet - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 4646 — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)