Name
LACTULOSE ALTER 66.7% oral solution
Lactulose


What it is and what it is used for
Lactulose Alter contains lactulose, a laxative that stimulates intestinal motility.
This medicine is indicated in adults and children for the short-term treatment of occasional constipation.
Contact your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 7 days.


What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not take Lactulose Alter
- if you are allergic to lactulose or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
- you have abdominal pain, even of unknown origin;
- if you have episodes of nausea or vomiting;
- you have a blockage or narrowing of the intestine (intestinal stenosis);
- you have rectal bleeding of unknown origin, you are severely dehydrated (excessive loss of water from the body).


Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Lactulose Alter.

Health Education Notes: Please note that in most cases, a balanced diet rich in water and fiber (bran, vegetables and fruit) can solve the problem of constipation. Many people think they suffer from constipation if they are unable to evacuate every day. This is a mistaken belief because this situation is completely normal for a large number of people.
Consider, instead, that constipation occurs when evacuations are reduced compared to personal habits and are associated with the emission of hard stools. If episodes of constipation occur repeatedly, you should consult your doctor.

Treatment of chronic or recurrent constipation always requires the intervention of a doctor for diagnosis, prescription of drugs and monitoring during therapy.
Consult your doctor before taking this medicine in the following cases:
- if the need for a laxative arises from a sudden change in previous bowel habits (frequency and characteristics of bowel movements) that lasts for more than two weeks or when the use of a laxative fails to produce effects;
- if he is elderly or debilitated;
- if you suffer from diabetes, because this medicine may contain other types of sugars (lactose, galactose, tagatose);
- if you suffer from a bowel disorder called meteorism (excessive production and accumulation of gas in the intestine). In this case, take the minimum dose at the beginning of treatment; this dose may be gradually increased according to your condition;
- if you suffer from constipation that lasts for long periods (chronic) or is frequent.

Prolonged use of laxatives can cause persistent diarrhea with consequent loss of water, mineral salts and other essential nutrients for the body.
In more serious cases, dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body) or hypokalaemia (decrease in potassium levels in the blood) may occur, which can cause problems with the heart, nerves and muscles (cardiac or neuromuscular dysfunction), especially in case of concomitant use of medicines used for problems with the heart rate (cardiac glycosides), medicines used to lower blood pressure (diuretics) and cortisone-based anti-inflammatories.

Laxative abuse can cause dependence (the need to continually increase the dosage), chronic constipation and intestinal atony (loss of normal intestinal functions).

Children
In children under 12 years of age, Lactulose Alter should only be used after consulting a doctor.


Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects:

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
Abdominal pain; flatulence (excessive gas production in the intestines).

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Abdominal distension; urgency to evacuate; diarrhea, nausea; decreased appetite; headache.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Vomit

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
Loss of electrolytes (salts in the blood), allergic reactions, skin rash, itching, hives.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system at: https://www.aifa.gov.it/content/segnalazionireazioni-avverse .
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.