Lactulose vs. Amitiza

• Are Lactulose and Amitiza the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Lactulose?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Amitiza?
• What Is Lactulose?
• What Is Amitiza?
• What Drugs Interact with Lactulose?
• What Drugs Interact with Amitiza?
• How Should Lactulose Be Taken?
• How Should Amitiza Be Taken?

Lactulose and Amitiza (lubiprostone) are used to treat chronic constipation.

Lactulose is also used to treat or prevent complications of liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy).

Amitiza is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome in women with constipation as the main symptom.

Lactulose and Amitiza belong to different drug classes. Lactulose is a synthetic disaccharide, a type of sugar, and Amitiza is a chloride channel activator.

Brand name for lactulose include Kristalose, Constulose, and Enulose.

Side effects of lactulose and Amitiza that are similar include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, and stomach pain or discomfort.

Side effects of lactulose that are different from Amitiza include belching.

Side effects of Amitiza that are different from lactulose include dry mouth, runny nose, cough, fever, headache, dizziness, joint/back pain, and trouble sleeping.

Lactulose may interact with antacids.

Amitiza may interact with other drugs.

Common side effects of Lactulose include:

• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• bloating,
• gas,
• belching, and
• stomach pain or discomfort.

Common side effects of Amitiza include:

• nausea,
• stomach pain,
• diarrhea,
• gas,
• bloating,
• vomiting,
• dry mouth,
• runny nose,
• cough,
• fever,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• joint/back pain, or
• trouble sleeping.

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Amitiza including:

• severe diarrhea,
• swelling of arms or legs, and
• mental/mood changes.

Lactulose solution is a synthetic disaccharide, a type of sugar that is broken down in the large intestine into mild acids that draw water into the colon, which helps soften the stools. Lactulose solution is used to treat chronic constipation. Lactulose solution is also used to treat or prevent complications of liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy). Lactulose solution is available in generic form.

Amitiza (lubiprostone) is a chloride channel activator used to treat chronic constipation in adults. Amitiza is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome in women with constipation as the main symptom.

Lactulose solution may interact with antacids. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Lactulose solution is not expected to be harmful to a fetus. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with lactulose solution. It is unknown if lactulose solution passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Our Lactulose solution Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

Lactulose may also interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, or anxiety), digoxin, metoclopramide, atropine, belladonna, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bronchodilators, bladder or urinary medications, heart rhythm medications, irritable bowel medications, nitrates, steroids, or ulcer medications.

There may be other drugs that can affect Amitiza. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

The usual adult, oral dosage of lactulose solution is 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 mL, containing 20 g to 30 g of lactulose) three or four times daily.

To treat chronic idiopathic constipation, the recommended dose of Amitiza is 24 mcg twice daily orally with food and water. To treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, the recommended dose is 8 mcg twice daily orally with food and water.