Lanthanum

Lanthanum is used to reduce blood levels of phosphate in patients with kidney disease. High levels of phosphate in the blood can cause bone problems. Lanthanum is in a class of medications called phosphate binders. It works by preventing absorption of phosphate from food in the stomach.

Lanthanum comes as a chewable tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken three times a day with or immediately after meals. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take lanthanum exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Chew the tablets completely before swallowing; do not swallow the tablets whole. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of lanthanum and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every 2 to 3 weeks.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Lanthanum may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

<ul>
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upset stomach</li>
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vomiting</li>
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stomach pain</li>
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diarrhea</li>
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constipation</li>
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problems with the dialysis graft</li>
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headache</li>
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dizziness</li>
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blurred vision</li></ul>Lanthanum may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.</p> <p></p> <p></p>

Before taking lanthanum, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to lanthanum or any other medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. if you are taking cinoxacin (Cinobac) (no longer available in the US); ciprofloxacin (Cipro); dicumarol; digoxin (Lanoxin);enoxacin (Penetrex) (no longer available in the US); gatifloxacin (Tequin); indomethacin (Indocin); iron salts; isoniazid (INH, Nydrazid); ketoconazole (Nizoral); lomefloxacin (Maxaquin); moxifloxacin (Avelox); nalidixic acid (NegGram) (no longer available in the US); norfloxacin (Noroxin); ofloxacin (Floxin); salicylate pain relievers such as aspirin, choline magnesium trisalicylate (Tricosal, Trilisate), choline salicylate (Arthropan), diflunisal (Dolobid), magnesium salicylate (Doan's, others), and salsalate (Argesic, Disalcid, Salgesic); sparfloxacin (Zagam); tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocyline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin), and tetracycline (Sumycin); or trovafloxacin and alatrofloxacin combination (Trovan) (no longer available in the US), take them 2 hours before or after lanthanum. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had an ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or bowel obstruction.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.