Questran
Questran is cholestyramine 4g sachets, a powder mixed into a drink to bring down high cholesterol and calm the itch caused by a partly blocked bile duct.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per sachet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4g | 10 sachets | $127.50 | $12.75 |
| 4g | 20 sachets | $221.00 | $11.05 |
| 4g | 30 sachets | $306.00 | $10.20 |
| 4g | 50 sachets | $434.50 | $8.69 |
- Category
- Cholesterol Management
- Active ingredient
- Cholestyramine
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Powder for oral suspension
- Strengths
- 4g
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Therapeutic Class
- Bile Acid Sequestrant
- Pharmacological Class
- Resin
- Minor Side Effects
- Constipation, Bloating, Nausea
- Moderate Side Effects
- Heartburn, Stomach discomfort
- Dosage Forms
- Powder for oral suspension
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Onset Time
- 1–3 weeks
- Storage Instructions
- Store in a cool, dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- Warfarin, Thiazide diuretics, Thyroid hormones
- Age Restrictions
- Use with caution in children.
What you will receive
Questran is the originator brand name, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Questran.
- The same active ingredient (Cholestyramine) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
What Questran strengths and pack sizes do you offer?
You can order generic cholestyramine 4g sachets in packs of 10, 20, 30 or 50. The pack contains generic cholestyramine, not the original Questran. Larger packs cost less per sachet.
How is Questran delivered to Hong Kong?
Generic cholestyramine sachets ship in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing outside about the contents. If a parcel does not arrive within the delivery window or arrives damaged, it is sent again free, or refunded if that is not possible.
Does Questran have other names?
Questran is a brand name of cholestyramine, which is also sold as Prevalite. Here, cholestyramine can be bought online as generic Questran. These are generics, not the original brand.
Can I take other medicines with Questran?
Yes, though the timing needs a little planning. Cholestyramine binds other medicines in the gut, so swallow anything else at least an hour ahead of your sachet, or leave four to six hours between the two. Thyroid tablets, warfarin, digoxin and vitamin A, D, E and K supplements are among those affected.
Can I mix cholestyramine with juice or milk?
Yes, either one is fine, and so are water and thin soup. Avoid fizzy drinks, which make the powder foam up. Mix a dose just before you drink it and stir as you sip, since the grains sink quickly.
Is Questran taken long term?
For cholesterol it is normally a long-term medicine, because levels rise again when the sachets stop. You cannot feel high cholesterol, so blood tests show whether it is working. When the reason is itching from a blocked bile duct, a shorter course may be enough.
What else is cholestyramine used for?
It also treats diarrhoea caused by bile acid malabsorption, where bile acids that should be taken back up further along the bowel reach the colon and pull water into the stool. It can follow surgery that removes part of the small bowel, and it is used in Crohn's disease.
About Questran
What Questran does
Questran comes as 4g sachets of cholestyramine powder to stir into a drink. The resin passes through the gut without being absorbed into the bloodstream. The liver builds bile acids from cholesterol and releases them to help digest fatty food; the resin captures those acids so they leave with the stool rather than being recycled, and the liver draws on circulating cholesterol to make replacements. LDL ("bad") cholesterol then falls.
The usual reasons to take it are cholesterol that stays high despite diet and other measures, and the itch that comes with a partly blocked bile duct, as in primary biliary cirrhosis, a liver condition that slowly damages the small bile ducts.
How to take a sachet
Never swallow the powder dry: it can catch in the throat. Tip one sachet into a glass of water or another cold drink and stir. The grains do not dissolve, so give it another stir as you drink, and add a drop more liquid at the end to wash out what has settled. Soup or applesauce works if you would rather mix it into food. A sachet is usually taken before a meal or at bedtime, one to six times a day, with plenty of fluid through the day. Some people mix a whole day's doses the evening before and keep them in the fridge.
Side effects
Constipation is the complaint people mention most, and it can be hard to shift. Bloating, wind, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, heartburn, indigestion and appetite loss are also reported; most of these settle as the gut gets used to the resin. Unusual bleeding, such as from the gums or the back passage, needs urgent attention.
Taking it with other medicines
The resin does not tell bile acids from other things in the gut, so tablets, capsules and vitamins swallowed at the same time can be carried out with it and never absorbed. If you take anything else, put it an hour before the sachet, or wait four to six hours after. The sachets themselves need nothing special: keep them in their box until each dose.
Sources
- Cholestyramine Resin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus
- Colestyramine 4 g Powder for Oral Suspension - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 15799 — electronic medicines compendium (emc)