Trulance vs. Linzess: What You Should Know

If you have constipation caused by digestive system problems, you may want to learn more about Trulance and Linzess. They’re prescription drugs used to treat the following conditions in adults:

• chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), which is long-term constipation with no identifiable cause
• irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C)

Trulance and Linzess are both used to treat CIC and IBS-C. Diarrhea is their most common side effect.

One difference between these drugs is that Trulance comes as a tablet that you swallow, while Linzess comes as a capsule that you swallow.

Keep reading to learn more about how Trulance and Linzess compare. Learning more about the drugs’ similarities and differences may help you decide which may be better for your condition, Trulance or Linzess.

Note: For more information about these drugs, including details about their uses, see the in-depth articles on Trulance and Linzess.

You may wonder if Trulance or Linzess is available as a generic.

A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)

To find out if Trulance or Linzess is available as a generic, see the list below.

• Trulance:
  • Available as a generic: no
  • Active ingredient: plecanatide
• Linzess:
  • Available as a generic: no
  • Active ingredient: linaclotide

Trulance and Linzess are prescribed to treat certain kinds of constipation. The chart below lists the kinds of constipation each drug treats.

To learn more about taking Trulance or Linzess to treat CIC or IBS-C, talk with your doctor.

Here’s an overview of the dosages for Trulance and Linzess and how you take the drugs for the conditions they both treat.

To learn more about the dosages for these drugs, see the dosage articles for Trulance and Linzess.

In the charts below, “mg” stands for milligrams and “mcg” stands for micrograms.

Dosage for chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC)

If you have trouble swallowing tablets or capsules, try the following to make taking Trulance or Linzess easier:

Trulance: You can crush Trulance tablets and mix them with 1 teaspoon of applesauce, which you should consume immediately. You can also dissolve Trulance tablets by swirling a tablet in a small cup of water for at least 10 seconds. You’ll then need to swallow the mixture immediately.

Linzess: You can open Linzess capsules and mix the contents into 1 teaspoon of applesauce, to be consumed right away. Or you can open Linzess capsules and pour the contents into a small cup of water. Gently swirl the mixture for about 20 seconds, then swallow it right away.

Dosage for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C)

If you have trouble swallowing tablets or capsules, see the tips in the dosage section for CIC just above.

Like any drug, Trulance and Linzess can cause side effects. Knowing the side effects each drug can cause may help you and your doctor choose the right treatment option for your condition.

Below you’ll find listed some of the mild and serious side effects Trulance or Linzess may cause. For more information, see the side effect articles on Trulance and Linzess.

Mild side effects

Trulance and Linzess may cause mild side effects in some people. The chart below lists examples of mild side effects that have been reported with these drugs.

This chart may not include all mild side effects of these drugs. For more information on mild side effects of the two drugs, see the Trulance prescribing information and Linzess prescribing information.

Serious side effects

In addition to the mild side effects described above, serious side effects may occur in people taking Trulance or Linzess. See the chart below for a list of serious side effects that have been reported with these drugs.

* An allergic reaction is possible after taking Trulance or Linzess. While this side effect wasn’t reported in studies of Trulance or Linzess, allergic reaction has been reported with both drugs since they became available for use.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about your specific risk of serious side effects from either Trulance or Linzess.

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about Trulance and Linzess.

How do Trulance and Linzess compare with Amitiza?

Like Trulance and Linzess, Amitiza is used to treat certain kinds of constipation.

All three drugs may be prescribed to treat chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), which is long-term constipation with no identifiable cause. For treating CIC, these drugs are used in adults.

These drugs are also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). For treating IBS-C, Trulance and Linzess are prescribed to adults, while Amitiza is prescribed only to adult females.*

Here are a few other facts about Amitiza, Trulance, and Linzess:

• Amitiza and Linzess come as capsules, while Trulance comes as a tablet. These are all forms that you take by swallowing.
• The active ingredients for the three drugs are lubiprostone for Amitiza, plecanatide for Trulance, and linaclotide for Linzess. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)
• Diarrhea is a common side effect of Amitiza, Trulance, and Linzess. Diarrhea caused by these drugs may be mild or severe.
• For treating constipation, Trulance and Linzess are usually taken once per day. Amitiza is usually taken twice per day.

Other alternatives for treating CIC and IBS-C may be available. If you’d like to learn more about Amitiza or other medications for treating your condition, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* In this article, we use the term “female” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.

Are there any online reviews comparing Trulance and Linzess?

You may be able to find online reviews for Trulance and Linzess. But it’s important to note that drugs affect people differently. Your experience with a drug such as Trulance or Linzess can vary from someone else’s.

In addition, online reviews often are not verified or monitored for misinformation.

That said, the drugmakers for Trulance and Linzess offer online testimonials from people who have taken these medications. You can find these on the following websites:

• Trulance testimonials
• Linzess testimonials

If you’d like to learn about other people’s experiences with Trulance or Linzess, talk with your doctor. They may be able to tell you how well these drugs worked for other people with the condition.

You may be curious how effective Trulance and Linzess are at treating your condition.

Both Trulance and Linzess have been found effective for treating certain kinds of constipation in adults:

• chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), which is long-term constipation with no identifiable cause
• irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C)

If you’d like to read more about how each drug performed in studies, see the prescribing information for Trulance and Linzess.

In addition, a large study compared Trulance with Linzess for treating CIC and IBS-C. The researchers found that the drugs had similar effectiveness and safety for these uses.

Plus, American College of Gastroenterology guidelines recommend both Trulance and Linzess for treating CIC and IBS-C.

Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering these drugs. Visit Optum Perks to get price estimates for Trulance and Linzess when you use coupons from the site. It’s important to note that Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Keep in mind that what you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your treatment plan, your health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.

Trulance and Linzess are brand-name drugs. Neither is available as a generic at this time. You’ll usually pay more for brand-name drugs than for generics.

For other resources that might help you save on the price of these drugs, see these articles for Trulance and Linzess.

Trulance and Linzess may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. These may be referred to as warnings.

The two drugs share some of the same warnings, but they also have different ones. Some of these warnings are mentioned below. Before you start taking Trulance or Linzess, be sure to talk with your doctor to see if these warnings apply to you.

Boxed warning: Risk of serious dehydration in children

Trulance and Linzess both have a boxed warning about the risk of serious dehydration (low fluid level in the body) in children. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Both Trulance and Linzess may cause serious dehydration in children, which may be fatal. Neither Trulance nor Linzess are approved by the FDA for use in people younger than age 18 years.

Due to this risk, doctors will recommend other treatments for constipation in children. If your child has constipation, talk with their doctor to learn more about possible treatments.

If you start taking Trulance or Linzess, it is very important to store your medication in a place where children cannot access it.

For more information about this boxed warning, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Other warnings

In addition to boxed warnings, Trulance and Linzess have other warnings.

Before taking Trulance or Linzess, talk with your doctor if any of the following conditions or health factors apply to you.

• Warnings for both Trulance and Linzess:
  • if you’ve had an allergic reaction to either drug or any of its ingredients
  • if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant
  • if you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
  • if you have a bowel blockage

To learn more about these drugs, see the in-depth articles on Trulance and Linzess.

The short answer: Yes.

Details: Because Trulance and Linzess treat the same conditions, it may be possible to switch from one drug to the other. Most people are able to switch from Trulance to Linzess or vice versa right away, so there’s no interruption in treatment. (For some drugs, you may have to wait before switching to a new medication.)

Reminder: You should not switch drugs or stop your current treatment unless your doctor recommends it. If you’re thinking about switching constipation treatments, discuss the benefits and risks of doing so with your doctor.

Trulance and Linzess are both prescribed to treat chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), which is long-term constipation with no identifiable cause, and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) in adults.

There aren’t many differences between these drugs. One difference is that Trulance comes as a tablet, while Linzess comes as a capsule, though you take either by swallowing. These medications can also cause some different mild side effects.

If you have questions about these medications for treating CIC or IBS-C, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Ask questions that help you compare Trulance and Linzess to help determine whether one or the other is better for your condition. Here are some examples to get you started:

• How will you determine whether Trulance or Linzess is a better treatment for my condition?
• If I have severe diarrhea from taking either Trulance or Linzess, what are my chances of having this side effect If I switch to the other drug?
• If my insurance changes and only one of these drugs is covered, how will it affect my treatment plan?

To learn more about Trulance, see these articles:

• Trulance (plecanatide)
• All About Trulance’s Dosage
• Side Effects of Trulance: What You Need to Know

And for more about Linzess, see these articles:

• Linzess (linaclotide)
• Dosage for Linzess: What You Need to Know
• Linzess and Cost: What You Need to Know
• Linzess Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
• Side Effects of 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.