Welchol (colesevelam hydrochloride) is a brand-name prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it, in combination with diet and exercise, to:

Welchol comes as an oral tablet or a powder that you dissolve into liquid. It’s available in a generic form called colesevelam hydrochloride.

Welchol is a bile acid sequestrant, which are drugs that bind bile acids until the body gets rid of them.

Dosage summary

The following chart summarizes Welchol’s dosage. However, your doctor will determine the dosage that’s best for you.

Welchol formStrengthTypical dosages
oral tablet625 milligrams (mg)• 6 tablets once per day
• 3 tablets twice per day
powder that you dissolve into liquid3.75 grams (g)1 packet of powder once per day

For information about the dosage of Welchol, including its strengths and how to take the drug, keep reading. For a comprehensive look at Welchol, see this article.

This article describes typical dosages for Welchol provided by the drug’s manufacturer. When taking Welchol, always follow the dosing instructions prescribed by your doctor.

Below is information about Welchol’s dosage for its approved uses.

Welchol forms

Welchol comes in two forms. It comes as an oral tablet that you swallow. It also comes as a powder that you dissolve in 8 ounces (oz) of liquid to form an oral suspension (mixture).

Welchol strengths

Welchol comes in two strengths:

  • 625-milligram (mg) oral tablet
  • 3.75-gram (g) powder

Typical dosages

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for high cholesterol

The typical dosage of Welchol for high cholesterol is 3.75 g per day. Your doctor may recommend that you take six 625-mg tablets once per day. Or they may have you take three 625-mg tablets twice per day.

For the suspension form of Welchol, you’ll mix one 3.75-g packet of powder with 8 oz of liquid that you will take once per day.

Dosage for type 2 diabetes

If your doctor prescribes Welchol for type 2 diabetes, the typical dosage will likely be 3.75 g per day. Your doctor may recommend that you take six 625-mg tablets once per day. Or they may have you take three 625-mg tablets twice per day.

For the suspension form of Welchol, you’ll mix one 3.75-g packet of powder with 8 oz of liquid that you will take once per day.

Children’s dosage

The dosage to treat heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) in children ages 10 to 17 years is 3.75 g per day. Your child’s doctor may recommend that your child take six 625-mg tablets once per day. Or they may have them take three 625-mg tablets twice per day.

For the suspension form of Welchol, you’ll mix one 3.75-g packet of powder with 8 oz of liquid that your child will take once per day.

Long-term treatment

Welchol is meant to be a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Welchol is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Welchol.

Is Welchol prescribed for diarrhea? If so, what’s its dosage?

Welchol has been studied off-label to treat certain types of diarrhea. Off-label drug use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

Welchol has been studied to treat diarrhea that’s caused by irritable bowel syndrome as well as bile salt diarrhea, which is caused by bile acid malabsorption. Both of these types of diarrhea occur when too much bile acid reaches the large intestine. Since this use is off-label, there is no approved dosage. In clinical trials, the dosage was 1.875 grams taken twice per day for 12 to 14 days.

If you have questions about Welchol for the treatment of diarrhea, talk with your doctor.

Can I take other medications at the same time as Welchol?

It depends. Some medications and supplements are known to interact with Welchol. Be sure to tell your doctor about all drugs or vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use.

There are certain drugs that can interact with Welchol. Examples include the seizure drug phenytoin (Dilantin) and the transplant drug cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf). If you take any drugs that interact with Welchol, your doctor will likely recommend that you take your dose 4 hours before your dose of Welchol.

Before starting Welchol, be sure to tell your doctor about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you take. Some vitamins, such as fat-soluble vitamins, may interact with Welchol. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about taking other medications or vitamins with Welchol.

You’ll take Welchol tablets by mouth. You should take your dose at the same time each day with a meal and a liquid.

For Welchol oral suspension, you will mix one packet of powder with a liquid to form an oral suspension (mixture). First, you will empty one packet of powder into a cup and add 8 ounces of water, juice, or diet soda. Then, you will stir the mixture and drink the suspension. Be sure not to consume Welchol powder without mixing it with liquid.

If you have trouble swallowing tablets, see this article for tips on how to take this form of medication. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Accessible drug labels and containers

If you’re having trouble reading your prescription label, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer labels with large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy doesn’t have these options, your doctor or pharmacist might be able to recommend a pharmacy that does.

If you’re having trouble opening medication bottles, ask your pharmacist about putting Welchol in an easy-open container. They also may recommend tools that can make it easier to open bottles.

If you miss a dose of Welchol, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what you should do.

To help make sure that you don’t miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or using a timer. You could also download a reminder app on your phone.

If you use more Welchol than your doctor prescribes, you may develop serious side effects. These side effects can include constipation.

It’s important that you don’t use more Welchol than your doctor advises.

If you take more than the recommended amount of Welchol

Call your doctor right away if you believe you’ve taken too much Welchol. Another option is to call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. If you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Welchol for you, they will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you. Always follow the dosage that your doctor prescribes for you.

As with any drug, never change your dosage of Welchol without your doctor’s recommendation. If you have questions about the dosage of Welchol that’s right for you, talk with your doctor.

Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Welchol. These additional articles might be helpful to you:

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.