LACTULOSE ALTER*OS 180ML 66.7%

LATTULOSIO 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 an intestinal obstruction or narrowing (intestinal stenosis);
- you have rectal bleeding of unknown origin, you suffer from severe dehydration (excessive water loss 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 do not have a bowel movement every day. This is a misconception as this situation is completely normal for a large number of people.
It is considered, however, that constipation occurs when bowel movements are reduced compared to personal habits and are associated with the passage of hard stools. If episodes of constipation occur repeatedly, you should consult your doctor.

The treatment of chronic or recurrent constipation always requires the intervention of a doctor for diagnosis, prescription of medicines and monitoring during therapy.
Consult your doctor before taking this medicine in the following cases:
- if the need for a laxative results from a sudden change in previous bowel habits (frequency and characteristics of bowel movements) that has lasted for more than two weeks or when the use of the laxative fails to produce effects;
- if you are elderly or debilitated;
- if you suffer from diabetes, because this medicine may contain other types of sugars (lactose, galactose, tagatose);
- if you suffer from an intestinal 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 the most severe cases, dehydration (excessive water loss from the body) or hypokalemia (decrease in blood potassium levels) may occur and can cause problems to the heart, nerves and muscles (cardiac or neuromuscular dysfunctions), especially in case of simultaneous use of medicines used for heart rate problems (cardiac glycosides), medicines used to lower blood pressure (diuretics) and cortisone anti-inflammatories.

Abuse of laxatives can cause dependence (necessity to constantly 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.

Contact 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 intestine).

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

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

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
Electrolyte loss (salts in the blood), allergic reactions, skin rash, itching, urticaria.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, including any not listed in this leaflet, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 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.