Ursodiol (URSO Forte) Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Precautions Before Starting Ursodiol (URSO Forte)

Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to ursodiol, bile acids, any of the active or inactive ingredients in ursodiol, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible interactions between ursodiol and your other medicines.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Ursodiol may not be safe for people with certain medical conditions, such as bile duct blockage, gastrointestinal surgery, hepatic encephalopathy, Crohn’s disease, variceal bleeding in the esophagus or stomach, liver disease or urgent liver transplant. 

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy soon. Also tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

Precautions During Use of Ursodiol (URSO Forte)

Keep all your medical and lab appointments while on ursodiol. Your healthcare provider will order blood work to keep an eye on liver function while you are on this medicine. 

Tell all your healthcare providers you are on ursodiol, especially before any surgical procedures, including dental treatments. 

Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while on ursodiol.

Ursodiol (URSO Forte) Drug Interactions

Certain medications can prevent ursodiol from working properly. Possible interactions between ursodiol and other medications can increase the risk of serious adverse effects. Your doctor may change the dose of your medications, switch you to another medication, or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between ursodiol and your other drugs. Ursodiol can have drug interactions with the following medications:

• Aluminum-containing antacids
• Cholesterol lowering drugs such as cholestyramine, clofibrate, gemfibrozil, colesevelam, colestipol
• Estrogen and progestin hormones (in birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms)

The above list may not include all the possible drug interactions of ursodiol. Give your health care professional a complete list of all the medications you are taking, including prescription drugs, non-prescription medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription and over-the-counter medicines.