Volumen

This section provides information on the proper use of a number of products that contain barium sulfate. It may not be specific to Volumen. Please read with care.

A doctor or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given by mouth. You will swallow the barium liquid or paste just before a CT scan or x-ray.

Your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink anything the night before your test. Barium will work better if your stomach and bowels are empty.

It is important to drink plenty of liquids during and after the test. Barium sulfate may cause severe constipation.

Barium sulfate is also available as an enema and given through the rectum.

Your doctor will check your or your child's progress closely while you are receiving this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you or your child should continue to receive it.

Serious allergic reactions may occur while you are receiving this medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, noisy breathing, trouble breathing, lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting after receiving this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Bloating
• constipation (severe, continuing)
• cramping (severe)
• nausea or vomiting
• stomach pain
• tightness in the chest
• troubled breathing

• Anxiety
• blood in the stools
• blood in the urine
• blurred vision
• bruising
• chest pain
• confusion
• cough
• coughing or vomiting blood
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
• noisy breathing
• persistent bleeding or oozing from puncture sites, mouth, or nose
• redness of the skin
• sudden shortness of breath or troubled breathing
• sweating
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Constipation or diarrhea
• cramping

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Very bad and sometimes deadly allergic reactions have rarely happened. Talk with your doctor.
• This medicine prevents many other drugs from getting into the body. If you take other drugs, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if you need to take them at some other time than VoLumen.
• To prevent hard stools (constipation) or bowel block from this medicine, your doctor may have you use a laxative like milk of magnesia or lactulose after using VoLumen. Follow what your doctor has told you. Talk with your doctor.
• Drink lots of noncaffeine liquids after using this medicine unless told to drink less liquid by your doctor.
• If you are 65 or older, use VoLumen with care. You could have more side effects.
• Some products are not approved for use in children. Talk with the doctor.
• Some products have sorbitol in them. Very bad health problems like low blood sugar, bleeding, and kidney failure have happened when people who are not able to break down fructose took a product with sorbitol in it. Talk with the doctor.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medicine while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

Barium sulfate, due to its high molecular density is opaque to x-rays and, therefore, acts as a positive contrast agent for radiographic studies. Barium sulfate is biologically inert and, therefore, is not absorbed or metabolized by the body, and is eliminated from the GI tract unchanged.

USP Controlled Room Temperature, 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F). Protect from freezing.