Linzess (linaclotide) is a prescription drug used to treat certain kinds of constipation in adults. Specifically, this medication is approved to treat adults with:
Like other drugs, Linzess may have interactions.
Some interactions occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. For example, sometimes alcohol, another drug, or a supplement can affect how a drug acts in your body. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about the possible interactions of Linzess and who should not take the drug. And for more information about Linzess, see this article.
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Linzess. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Linzess for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Linzess.
If your child is younger than 2 years old. Linzess should not be used in children younger than 2 years old. In fact, the drug has a
Although this drug hasn’t been studied in humans younger than 2 years old, it’s not recommended due to the possible risks. It’s also important to note that Linzess is only used in adults.
Blockage in the stomach or intestines. You should not take Linzess if you have a known or suspected blockage in the stomach or intestines. Linzess helps your food move through your digestive tract. If you have a blockage in your digestive tract, taking Linzess could make the blockage worse.
Due to this risk, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Linzess for you if you have a blockage in your stomach or intestines. You can talk with your doctor about other treatment options.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you have had an allergic reaction to Linzess or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Linzess. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Linzess, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Linzess is safe for you to take.
There aren’t any known interactions between alcohol and Linzess. But it’s possible for alcohol to increase your risk of certain side effects from Linzess, such as headache or dehydration. This is because both alcohol and Linzess can cause these side effects.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about the amount (if any) that may be safe for you to drink during your Linzess treatment.
Before you start taking Linzess, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Linzess interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Linzess?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Linzess. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Linzess. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
| anticholinergic drugs | • scopolamine (Transderm Scop) • benztropine • oxybutynin (Ditropan XL) | can make Linzess less effective |
| antidiarrheal drugs | • loperamide (Imodium) • bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) • atropine/diphenoxylate (Lomotil) | can make Linzess and antidiarrheals less effective |
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Linzess.
Interaction with anticholinergic drugs
If you take any anticholinergic drugs, talk with your doctor before starting treatment with Linzess. Anticholinergics are used to treat several conditions, including urinary incontinence, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and more.
Examples of anticholinergics include:
- scopolamine (Transderm Scop)
- benztropine
- oxybutynin (Ditropan XL)
What could happen
Constipation is a possible side effect of anticholinergic drugs. Linzess is used to treat constipation, so combining these drugs can make Linzess less effective.
What you can do
Before taking Linzess, talk with your doctor about all other drugs you currently take. Your doctor can determine if any of your other medications are anticholinergics and whether they’re safe to take with Linzess.
Interaction with antidiarrheal drugs
If you take any antidiarrheal drugs (which are used to relieve symptoms of diarrhea), tell your doctor before starting Linzess treatment.
Examples of antidiarrheal drugs include:
- loperamide (Imodium)
- bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)
- atropine/diphenoxylate (Lomotil)
What could happen
Antidiarrheal drugs can cause food to move more slowly through your intestines, leading to constipation. Linzess is used to treat constipation, and it causes food to move more quickly through your intestines. So taking these drugs together can make each of them less effective.
What you can do
If you take any medications for diarrhea, tell your doctor before taking Linzess. If you have diarrhea while taking Linzess, talk with your doctor about the best way to treat it. They may prescribe a lower dose of Linzess, or they may have you pause your Linzess treatment until your diarrhea goes away. While taking Linzess, you should not take any over-the-counter medications for diarrhea without talking with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Linzess may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Linzess.
Does Linzess interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Linzess, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Linzess and herbs
There are currently no reports of Linzess interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during your treatment with Linzess.
Linzess and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Linzess interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products with Linzess.
Does Linzess interact with food?
It’s important to note that you should take Linzess on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before your first meal of the day. Taking Linzess with a high fat meal could raise your risk of side effects from the drug, including diarrhea.
To learn more about the possible side effects of Linzess, see this article.
Does Linzess interact with vaccines?
There aren’t any known interactions between Linzess and vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Linzess treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Linzess interact with lab tests?
There aren’t any lab tests that are known to interact with Linzess. But if you need a lab test done during your treatment, tell the healthcare professional performing the test that you’re taking Linzess. They can help make sure that there won’t be any interactions.
Does Linzess interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Linzess interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Linzess.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Linzess. Before taking Linzess, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Linzess is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Linzess include:
Blockage in the stomach or intestines. You should not take Linzess if you have a known or suspected blockage in the stomach or intestines. Linzess helps your food move through your digestive tract. If you have a blockage in your digestive tract, taking Linzess could make the blockage worse. Due to this risk, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Linzess for you if you have a blockage in your stomach or intestines. You can talk with your doctor about other treatment options.
Pregnancy. It’s not known if Linzess is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking Linzess.
Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to breastfeed while taking Linzess. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before taking Linzess.
Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Linzess or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Linzess. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Linzess and possible interactions.
Can I take MiraLAX with Linzess?
Yes, in some situations, your doctor may prescribe Linzess with polyethylene glycol (MiraLAX). But because these drugs both treat constipation, they can raise your risk of diarrhea and dehydration. So if you use MiraLAX with Linzess, your doctor may monitor you more closely during your treatment to watch for symptoms of dehydration.
Does Linzess interact with Cymbalta?
There aren’t any known interactions between Linzess and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Cymbalta is a drug used to treat depression or anxiety.
It’s important to note that Cymbalta may cause constipation. Because Linzess is used to treat constipation, taking it with Cymbalta could make Linzess less effective.
If you have questions about taking Linzess with Cymbalta, talk with your doctor. They can recommend the most appropriate medications for you.
Are there any interactions between levothyroxine and Linzess?
No, there aren’t any known interactions between levothyroxine (Synthroid) and Linzess. That means it’s likely safe to take these drugs together. Levothyroxine is a drug that’s used in certain people with low thyroid levels or thyroid cancer.
Both Linzess and levothyroxine can cause diarrhea. So taking these drugs together may raise your risk of this side effect. If you have questions about taking levothyroxine with Linzess, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Is it safe for me to take Linzess with gabapentin?
Yes, you can likely take Linzess and gabapentin (Neurontin) together. There aren’t any known interactions between the two drugs. Gabapentin is used to treat certain kinds of seizures or nerve pain.
It’s important to note that gabapentin can raise your risk of constipation or diarrhea. Linzess treats constipation, so taking it with gabapentin could make Linzess less effective. If you develop diarrhea from gabapentin, taking Linzess may worsen your diarrhea.
If you take Linzess and gabapentin together, your doctor will monitor you for side effects from each drug.
Is tramadol safe to take with Linzess?
You can likely take tramadol (Ultram) with Linzess. There are no known interactions between these drugs. Tramadol is used to treat certain kinds of pain.
Constipation is a possible side effect of tramadol. Linzess is used to treat constipation, so taking tramadol could make Linzess less effective.
If you have questions about taking tramadol with Linzess, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Linzess. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a
medication list . - What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Linzess treatment.
It’s also important to read Linzess’s
Taking Linzess exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions about Linzess and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- Should I notify you each time I start a new medication while I’m taking Linzess?
- Are corticosteroids such as prednisone (Rayos) safe to take with Linzess?
- Does my risk of interactions with Linzess depend on my prescribed dose?
- Is it safe for me to take cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) with Linzess?
To learn more about Linzess, see these articles:
- Linzess (linaclotide)
- Side Effects of Linzess: What You Need to Know
- Dosage for Linzess: What You Need to Know
To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.
Disclaimer: Healthline 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.
