STARTING
PrVELPHORO®?
What the ORIJIN® Patient Support Program has to offer:
If you have any questions or concerns about taking VELPHORO, talk to an ORIJIN nurse. Our nursing professionals are here to help you with your journey. Get counselling services from an ORIJIN nurse on:
How to take
VELPHORO
What to expect during your treatment
Information related to treating hyperphosphatemia
Keeping a
low-phosphorus diet
ORIJIN can also help you with:
Financial assistance
Reimbursement navigation
How does VELPHORO work?
VELPHORO lowers phosphorus levels in the blood. It helps prevent too much phosphorus from being absorbed into your blood from the foods you eat.
Side effects
With VELPHORO, side effects that are very common (affecting more than 1 in 10 people) include black stools and diarrhea that might occur early in the treatment and improve over time.
Up to 1 in 10 people might experience nausea, constipation, vomiting, indigestion, pain in the stomach and intestines, or gas.
Some uncommon side effects (up to 1 in 100 people) that may be experienced are bloating inflammation of the stomach, abdominal discomfort, difficulty swallowing, acid coming back up from the stomach, tongue discolouration, low or high calcium levels in the blood, tiredness, itch, rash, headache, and shortness of breath
These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking VELPHORO. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional.
VELPHORO educational brochure
A guide to help you control serum phosphorous levels including a meal planner to keep track of your low phosphorous diet.
Other resources
The Kidney Foundation offers information, educational materials, assistance, and peer support.
Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical Inc. does not operate and is not responsible for the content on this third-party site. If you have any questions or concerns about the products, services, or content on the linked third-party site, please contact the third party directly.
FAQ
What is VELPHORO used for?
VELPHORO is a prescription medication to control high phosphorus levels in adult patients who have end-stage kidney disease and are on dialysis.
How does VELPHORO work?
VELPHORO lowers phosphorus levels in the blood. It helps prevent too much phosphorus from being absorbed into your blood from the foods you eat.
How is VELPHORO taken?
VELPHORO is a woodberry-flavoured chewable tablet that should be taken with meals each day. The number of tablets taken can be divided up across the day’s meals.
DO NOT swallow it without chewing the tablet first. You can crush the tablet to make it easier to swallow.
If you are unsure about how and when to take VELPHORO, make sure to talk to an ORIJIN nurse.
What dose of VELPHORO should you take?
- The usual starting dose for VELPHORO is 3 tablets (1,500 mg) per day.
- Take 1 tablet (500 mg) with each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Your doctor will determine the amount of phosphorus in your blood through regular blood tests. Your dose may need to be adjusted until the amount of phosphorus in your blood is acceptable. The maximum recommended dose is 6 tablets (3,000 mg) per day.
How should you make sure you don’t forget to take VELPHORO?
To avoid forgetting to take your medication, you could put a sticky note on the fridge door, keep VELPHORO somewhere visible in your kitchen (such as the counter), or program an alarm on your phone for each mealtime. You can also try other strategies based on your particular circumstances.
What are the possible side effects of taking VELPHORO?
Very common (more than 1 in 10 people):
Black stools, diarrhea (generally occurring early on in the treatment and improving over time)
Common (up to 1 in 10 people):
Nausea, constipation, vomiting, indigestion, pain in stomach and intestines, gas
Uncommon (up to 1 in 100 people):
Bloating (abdominal distension), inflammation of the stomach, abdominal discomfort, difficulty swallowing, acid coming back up from the stomach (gastroesophageal reflux disease), tongue discolouration, low or high calcium levels in the blood seen in tests, tiredness, itch, rash, headache, shortness of breath
These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking VELPHORO. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional.
Can VELPHORO interact with other drugs I might be taking?
The following may interact with VELPHORO:
- Alendronate, used to prevent and treat osteoporosis (bone loss)
If you are taking this medicine, take it at least one hour before taking VELPHORO.
- Doxycycline, an antibiotic
If you are taking this medicine, take it at least one hour before taking VELPHORO or at least two hours after taking VELPHORO.
- Levothyroxine, used to treat low thyroid levels
If you are taking this medicine, take it at least one hour before taking VELPHORO.
What are some serious side effects of VELPHORO and what to do about them?
COMMON: Talk to your healthcare professional in all cases
- Abdominal pain
RARE: Talk to your healthcare professional only if severe
- Bowel obstruction and/or lesions: abdominal discomfort, abdominal swelling, cramping, difficulty passing stools, constipation, nausea/vomiting especially after meals, excessive burping, black stools
- Allergic reactions: rash, swelling of the face or mouth, difficulty breathing
- Dysphagia: difficulty swallowing, problems with your esophagus
What is hyperphosphatemia?
Hyperphosphatemia is the condition of having high amounts of phosphorus in the blood. Phosphorus is a mineral which helps keep your bones strong and healthy. Normal working kidneys can remove extra phosphorus in your blood, but as kidney function declines, your blood phosphorus levels may rise.
How can I avoid getting too much phosphorus from my diet?
- In general, try to avoid or limit phosphorus-rich foods such as dairy products (specifically those such as ice cream, processed cheese, and evaporated or condensed milk), nuts, seeds, dried beans, bran cereal, whole-grain products, and beverages like cocoa, ale, beer, chocolate drinks, and cola soft drinks.
- Choose low-phosphorus foods such as apples, apricots, carrots, cauliflower, crackers, rice cereal, coffee, tea, and light-colour sodas.
- Consider serving size. A large amount of a low-phosphorus food can turn into a high-phosphorus food.
- Watch out for food additives containing phosphorus.
- Choose restaurants best suited to your diet or where food is made to order instead of fast food. Consider calling ahead of time and explaining that you need to follow a special diet. Remember to bring your phosphate binders to the restaurant and take them with your meal.