Cholecystographic agent (oral route)

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Although there is no specific information comparing use of cholecystographic agents in children with use in other age groups, tests using iopanoic acid in children have not shown that these agents cause different side effects or problems in children than they do in adults.

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of cholecystographic agents in the elderly with use in other age groups, these agents are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than they do in younger adults.

Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in humans with any of these agents. Studies in animals have been done only with iocetamic acid, which has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems. However, on rare occasions, other radiopaque agents containing iodine have caused hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) in the baby when given in late pregnancy. Also, x-rays of the abdomen are usually not recommended during pregnancy. This is to avoid exposing the fetus to radiation. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Iocetamic acid, iopanoic acid, and tyropanoate pass into the breast milk, and the other agents may pass into the breast milk also. However, these radiopaque agents have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of diagnostic tests in this class. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Asthma, hay fever, or other allergies (history of) or
• Previous reaction to penicillins or to a skin test for allergies—Patients with these conditions have a greater chance of having a reaction, such as an allergic reaction.

• Heart disease—Other problems, such as low blood pressure or slow heartbeat, may occur.

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease (severe)—Serious kidney problems may result.

• Overactive thyroid—A sudden increase in symptoms, such as fast heartbeat or palpitations, fatigue, nervousness, excessive sweating, and muscle weakness may occur.

Rare

• Itching
• skin rash or hives
• unusual bleeding or bruising (with iopanoic acid only)

Symptoms of overdose

• Diarrhea (severe)
• nausea and vomiting (severe)
• problems with urination

More common

• Diarrhea (mild)
• nausea and vomiting (mild to moderate)

Less common

• Abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps
• diarrhea (severe)
• difficult or painful urination
• dizziness
• frequent urge to urinate
• headache
• heartburn
• nausea and vomiting (severe or continuing)