Overdose
If too much lactulose is ingested, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of water and electrolytes may occur. These manifestations of the drug may then have to be treated with other drugs and should be under the supervision of a doctor. The doctor will then decide on the measures necessary to treat the symptoms.
If one or more intakes of lactulose are omitted, the drug may lose its effectiveness. However, it is not recommended to increase the amount of the medication on your own the next time you take it. Here too, the doctor should be asked for advice so that he can adjust the therapy individually.
Side effects
The following adverse drug reactions are known in connection with lactulose:
- Thin chairs up to diarrhea
- Disturbances in the water balance
- Disturbances in the electrolyte balance
- Increased sodium level in the blood
- Slight abdominal pain
- Flatulence
- Nausea, vomiting
In most cases, the initial complaints subside with continued treatment. However, if diarrhea and the resulting disturbances in the water/electrolyte balance due to high doses of lactulose occur, this may have to be treated and must therefore be presented to a doctor. Even if other of the above mentioned side effects are observed, the doctor should be informed and decide on further action (discontinuation, dose changes).
Interactions
Before taking lactulose, you should discuss with your doctor what other medications (or dietary supplements) you are taking. For example, some dehydrating agents (diuretics) and corticosteroids (adrenal cortex hormones) or the antifungal agent Amphotericin B can further increase the potassium loss that can be caused by lactulose. In this case, the efficacy of cardiac glycosides (e.g. digitoxin) is then increased, which can lead to cardiac arrhythmia.
Application for infants and toddlers
In younger children it is possible that an existing fructose intolerance has not yet been diagnosed and therefore a consultation with the doctor should be made before therapy with lactulose.
