What is Trulance?
Trulance is a prescription medication that is used to treat constipation in adults. The generic medication is called plecanatide. It treats constipation caused by:
- Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC)
- Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C)
Constipation is often treated with laxative medications. Trulance is not a laxative. This medication is designed to work like a peptide (a type of protein) your body naturally makes, called uroguanylin. Animal studies found that uroguanylin works in your small intestine to help your stool form with the right amount of fluid.
Trulance works by binding to a receptor called the guanylate cyclase-C receptor. This results in an increase in intestinal fluid and movement. Increased fluid in the intestines can help treat constipation, which often occurs when your stool has too little fluid. When the stool is dry, it becomes hard and difficult to pass.
What are the side effects of Trulance?
Trulance can cause side effects. However, the side effects are different for everyone — some people may have few or no side effects.
Diarrhea is the most common Trulance side effect. In clinical trials, 4% to 5% of people taking Trulance experienced diarrhea. Diarrhea often starts in the first month of treatment, and it can be severe. If you have severe diarrhea, stop taking Trulance and call your doctor as soon as possible.
Other possible Trulance side effects include:
- Stomach bloating
- Stomach tenderness
- Flatulence (gas)
- Nausea
- Urinary tract infection
- Dizziness
- Sinus infection
- Upper respiratory tract infection
This is not a complete list of Trulance’s side effects; other side effects can occur. Talk to your doctor if you have side effects that bother you or if they do not go away.
How do you take Trulance?
Take Trulance exactly as prescribed by your doctor. It is usually taken once daily, but Trulance can be taken at any time of day. You can take Trulance with or without food. This medication should be swallowed whole. If you miss a dose, you should skip that dose and take your next dose at your scheduled time.
If you have trouble swallowing, you can crush the Trulance tablet and mix it in applesauce. You can also place the whole tablet in a glass of water and stir for about 10 seconds to dissolve it. You should consume the applesauce or water right away; do not save it for future use.
What should you know before using Trulance?
Before you start taking Trulance, you should consider the following:
Talk to your doctor about all of the medications you are taking. This should include all prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and minerals, and creams or ointments.
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to Trulance or any of the ingredients in Trulance tablets.
Trulance tablets do not contain gluten or lactose.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before taking Trulance. It is unknown if Trulance can harm an unborn baby or if it passes into breast milk.
You should not take Trulance if you have a bowel blockage, also called intestinal obstruction.
There are no documented serious drug interactions between Trulance and other medications.
This medication should be avoided in people younger than 18 years old. The safety and efficacy of Trulance has not been studied in children or adolescents younger than 18 years old.
Keep this medication out of the reach of children. Children younger than 6 years old should not take Trulance. Studies in mice found that even a single dose of Trulance can cause death due to dehydration.
FAQs
What is the difference between Trulance and Linzess?
Trulance (plecanatide) and Linzess (linaclotide) are prescription medications that are used to treat chronic idiopathic constipation and IBS with constipation. Both medications treat constipation by increasing the amount of fluid in your intestine after binding to the guanylate cyclase-C receptor. Trulance and Linzess are both generally effective at treating constipation.
The biggest difference between these two medications is the dose and how you take them. Trulance is only available as a 3 mg tablet taken once a day with or without food. Linzess is available as 72 mcg, 145 mcg, and 290 mcg capsules. Linzess must be taken on an empty stomach.
How much does Trulance cost?
A 30-day supply of Trulance costs several hundred dollars if you buy it at your local pharmacy. However, you can buy Trulance online with a valid prescription from Northwestpharmacy.com at a much more affordable price.
When you buy Trulance online, your prescription will be delivered to your door, saving you time and money.