A recent FDA warning addresses a link between Viberzi and pancreatitis for patients who take this drug after undergoing gallbladder removal.

According to the FDA Safety Communication, “patients should talk to your health care professional about how to control your symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), particularly if you do not have a gallbladder.”

The FDA adds: “Health care professionals should not prescribe Viberzi in patients who do not have a gallbladder and should consider alternative treatment options in these patients.”

Pancreatitis symptoms linked to Viberzi include some of the following:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Back pain
• Abdominal pain
• Fast heart rate
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

Overview: Viberzi and Pancreatitis

According to Viberzi lawsuits, contentions are being made that patients without a gallbladder who have ingested Viberzi show increased risks for developments of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that is potentially fatal.

The FDA Safety Communication was released on March 15, 2017. They advised hospitals that patients who had undergone a cholecystectomy and were taking Viberzi could be at heightened risk for pancreatitis.

The FDA says it received 120 reports of Viberzi and pancreatitis. Of the 120 patients, 56 of them had undergone a cholecystectomy. Two patients who also had their gallbladders removed and were taking Viberzi had died.

Patients are advised to carefully watch for signs of pancreatitis while taking Viberzi. They are asked to report any of their symptoms to a healthcare provider.

The condition of pancreatitis occurs when digestive enzymes are activated before being released into the small intestine. Enzymes will then begin to destroy the pancreas itself, leading to acute pancreatitis and even further complications such as damage to the lungs, kidneys, and heart.

While patients without a gallbladder have a higher risk for pancreatitis development, patients with a gallbladder and taking the following medications are advised not to take Viberzi:

• SLOCO1B1 inhibitors
• Opioid medications
• Lotronex
• Anticholinergics
• Bismuth subsalinylate
• Crestor

Patients are advised not to take any of the aforementioned medications in combination with Viberzi, due to the dangerous increase in the concentrations of the medications. Additionally, Crestor taken at the same time as Viberzi may cause the increased risk for rhabdomyolysis, the condition of muscle tissue breakdown causing the release of proteins that may cause damage to the kidneys.

Patients are also recommended not to take Viberzi if they suffer or have history of any of the following:

• Chronic constipation
• Liver disease
• Pancreatic issues
• Intestinal obstruction
• Gallbladder obstruction
• Digestive problems caused by the sphincter of Oddi muscle valve
• Consumation of three or more alcoholic beverages each day

Patients who have suffered from pancreatitis while taking Viberzi may be eligible to file a Viberzi and pancreatitis lawsuit. A lawsuit can help you or a loved one seek some of the following damages:

• Past and future pain and suffering
• Past and future medical expenses
• Past and future loss of earning capacity
• Past and future loss in wages
• Past and future loss of enjoyment of life
• Punitive damages, if deemed appropriate