Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your healthcare professional will make. For tegaserod the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to tegaserod. Also tell your healthcare professional and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Tegaserod has not been studied in pregnant women. Before taking this medicine, make sure your healthcare professional knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding—It is not known if tegaserod passes into the breast milk. Many medicines pass into breast milk and they may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies. Mothers who are taking this medicine and wish to breast feed should discuss this with their healthcare professional and be sure they understand the risks and benefits of the medicine.

Children—Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and there is no specific information comparing the use of tegaserod in children with use in other age groups.

Adolescents—Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and there is no specific information comparing the use of tegaserod in adolescents under the age of 18 with use in other age groups.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been specifically studied in older people. Therefore it may not be known whether they work the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of tegaserod in older patients with use in other age groups.

Note:

Studies on this medicine have only been done in women patients and there is no specific information about the use of tegaserod in male patients.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of tegaserod. Make sure you tell your healthcare professional if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Abdominal adhesions or
• Bowel obstructions or intestinal blockage (or history of) or
• Diarrhea or
• Gallbladder disease or gallstones (or history of) or
• Hypersensitivity to tegaserod or any of its components or
• Liver disease or
• Kidney disease or
• Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (severe stomach pain with nausea and vomiting)—Tegaserod should not be used if you have any of these conditions

• Abdominal pain, new or sudden worsening of—Tegaserod should be stopped immediately