Any side effect or problems with Cholestyramine?

I've posted in the past ...basically I had diarrhea for 10 years. I was told it was IBS, but I felt it was something else. After going thru multiple Drs and tests I finally found a web site that described my symptoms. I believe I have Habba syndrome. Many people who have chronic diarrhea have Habba Syndrome instead of IBS. If you want to see if you too have that instead of IBS then you can go to habbasyndrome.com. Dr. Habba, whom the syndrome was named after, uses Cholestramine to stop the diarrhea. I have been taking Cholestyramine since mid January 09.

The problem is a possible side effect of the Cholestyramine. I'm not sure it's from Cholestyramine. Approx. a month ago I started to have a problem with my right hand swelling and on many days it's hard to make a tight fist. Also, the middle finger joint on the 4th finger feel like it's stuck closed when I try to make a fist and when I open my hand to a flat palm and that finger sort pops open. In this last week it's started to happen on my left hand and it's progressed much faster than it did in the right hand. I can type ok, it's just when I go to make a fist or have to use my hands a lot, it's become impossible to work with my clay sculpture. I'm worried this might get a lot worse. I just don't know what it is or where to start looking. The only new thing I've added is the Cholestramine. Although I have cut out most fats, all dairy, and white flour products (breads, cakes,etc). I'm on a very restricted diet, but the diet keeps the pain in my sides and under my rib cage and upper stomach away. (If anyone is looking for a diet that seems to make the diarrhea less and stops the pain around the gallbladder, the one I'm using can be found on gallbladderattack.com). so I'm wondering if I might be depleted of some mineral or vitamin from taking Cholestyramine. I'm not sure what what this is. I'm wondering if it could be Rheumatoid arthritis. Does anyone know if taking Cholestyramine could bring it on? Any ideas or suggestions would be very helpful...thanks

The only side effect I've ever heard people complain about with Questran (that's the name brand name) is gas.

All of the drugs in that family--Questran, Welchol, Colestid--are NOT absorbed by the body; they stay exclusively in the digestive tract. I can't imagine why it would cause swelling.

One side effect they do all have is that they interfere with the absorption of fat-soulable vitamins. Bile is needed to break down fat, which allows you to get the fat soluable vitamins. All three drugs bind up bile and keep it from working as effecitvely. Which is good in people like you and me, who have too much bile, but it still can cause problems, when taken long term, with fat-soluable vitmain absorption (not with any other types of vitamins, though). You may want to do as I do, which is take a general multi-vitamin.

And you should probably see a doctor about the swollen hands, as that sounds like a symptom of something else. People retain fluid for many reasons, and the hands are a common place for that to show up. Make sure you are getting at least 8 glasses of water a day, because sometimes not drinking enough water can cause you to retain fluid. Also, when you go to see the doctor, take along a copy of your diet, because there might be something in it that's contributing to the fluid retention.

Although this thread is old I want to share my experience, as it may help others. I have been taking Cholestyramine for approximately a year. As most people have found, it completely relieved my symptom of bile salt diarrhea due to having my gallbladder removed. However, in the past month I have been experiencing edema (swelling) in my lower legs, ankles, and feet, which becomes painful as the fluid continues to collect. Also, as another poster mentioned, my middle finger of my right hand is becoming stuck when I try to open and close my hand, which is also painful.

I stopped taking the Cholestyramine when the swelling had been collecting for an entire month. After one day of discontinuing the medication the swelling completely disappeared. I saw my gastroenterologist a few days ago and he said he has never heard of such symptom related to Cholestyramine and that I should separate the variables - look at anything I am doing differently with diet, supplements, etc. I was taking two new vitamins, so I discontinued those; however, the swelling remains. I also have tried taking the Cholestyramine with and without food and at night instead of in the morning.

This new problem is having a devastating effect on my life. After two days without the Cholestyramine I found myself on the floor of a public restroom in severe pain and with explosive diarrhea. The swelling is not healthy, as it is a sign that something is wrong within the body, but I certainly cannot go about my work day with the bile salt diarrhea. I had been on disability and was finally able to return to my job thanks to the Cholestyramine.

I plan to continue to investigate this issue and go to UC San Francisco Medical Center, if necessary. In the meantime, I am going to try WelChol and any other available brand names to see if I can tolerate those. I will post any information I am able to collect and wish you all well.