Proper Use
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Do not stop using this medicine without checking first with your doctor.
Keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Do not miss any doses.
Swallow the capsule or tablet whole. Do not open, break, crush, or chew it.
If you are taking the Asacol® delayed-release tablet:
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You may take this medicine with or without food.
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Drink extra fluids so you will urinate more often and help prevent kidney problems (eg, kidney stones).
Take the Asacol® HD tablet on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
You should take the Lialda® tablets with food. All other brands of capsules and tablets can be taken with or without food.
If you have trouble swallowing the Delzicol® capsule, carefully open the capsule and take out the 4 tablets. Swallow the tablets whole and make sure all 4 are taken at the same time as one dose. Do not cut, break, crush, or chew them.
The contents of the Pentasa® capsule may be sprinkled onto soft foods (eg, applesauce or yogurt) if you have trouble swallowing the capsule. The mixture must be swallowed right away without chewing.
If you are taking the delayed-release capsule, extended-release capsule, or delayed-release tablet, part of the capsule or tablet may pass into your stool after your body has absorbed the medicine. Contact your doctor if this happens more often than 1 or 2 times.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
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For the treatment of ulcerative colitis:
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For long-acting oral dosage form (delayed-release capsules):
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Adults—800 milligrams (mg) 3 times a day.
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Children 5 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose is usually not more than 2400 mg per day, divided in 2 doses.
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Children younger than 5 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For long-acting oral dosage form (delayed-release tablets):
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Asacol®:
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Adults—800 milligrams (mg) (two 400 mg tablets) 3 times a day for 6 weeks.
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Children 5 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
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Weighing 54 to 90 kilograms (kg)—1200 mg (three 400 mg tablets) in the morning, then 1200 mg (three 400 mg tablets) in the afternoon for 6 weeks.
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Weighing 33 to less than 54 kg—1200 mg (three 400 mg tablets) in the morning, then 800 mg (two 400 mg tablets) in the afternoon for 6 weeks.
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Weighing 17 to less than 33 kg—800 mg (two 400 mg tablets) in the morning, then 400 mg (1 tablet) in the afternoon for 6 weeks.
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Children younger than 5 years of age or weighing less than 17 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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Asacol® HD:
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Adults—1600 milligrams (mg) 3 times a day for 6 weeks.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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Lialda®:
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Adults—2.4 to 4.8 grams (g) once a day.
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Children 5 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
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Weighing more than 50 kilograms (kg)—4.8 grams (g) once a day for 8 weeks. Then 2.4 g once a day.
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Weighing more than 35 to 50 kg—3.6 g once a day for 8 weeks. Then 2.4 g once a day.
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Weighing 24 to 35 kg—2.4 g once a day for 8 weeks. Then 1.2 g once a day.
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Children younger than 5 years of age or weighing less than 24 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For long-acting oral dosage form (extended-release capsules):
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Adults—
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For Apriso®: 1.5 grams (g) (four capsules) once a day as a single dose in the morning.
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For Pentasa®: 1 g (four 250 milligrams [mg] capsules or two 500 mg capsules) 4 times a day.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of ulcerative colitis:
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For long-acting oral dosage form (delayed-release capsules):
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Adults—1600 milligrams (mg) per day, taken in divided doses.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For long-acting oral dosage form (Asacol® delayed-release tablets):
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Adults—1600 milligrams (mg) (four 400 mg tablets) per day, taken in 2 to 4 divided doses.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For long-acting oral dosage form (Lialda® delayed-release tablets):
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Adults—2.4 grams (g) once a day.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Store the delayed-release capsules and delayed-release tablets in a tightly-closed container to protect them from moisture.
Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024
Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.