These hold water in stool to soften it and increase bowel movements. Common side effects are gas, bloating, and nausea. Another option that works for some people is diet candies containing the sweetener sorbitol. These essentially trigger a mild case of the runs. You may experience bloating and gas along with the laxative effect, however.
Another option would be a magnesium-based laxative, such as milk of magnesia or magnesium citrate. These are members of a larger class of laxatives called saline osmotics, which draw water into the bowels and trigger bowel movements. The active ingredients include magnesium, sulfate, citrate, and phosphate. But don't take more than the recommended amounts of these laxatives, or use them long-term, because they can throw off your chemistry. Combined with an underperforming kidney or heart failure, saline osmotic laxatives can be dangerous.
Stimulant laxatives such as bisacodyl and cascara trigger contractions in the bowels that push the stool along. The first choice she recommends is a senna-based stimulant laxative. But if you take stimulant laxatives too often, you could become dependent on them to have a bowel movement at all—possibly because the bowel is not functioning normally. If you find yourself trying one laxative after another for long periods, see your doctor for an evaluation.
Additional testing can lead to better therapy and rule out any possible serious malfunctions. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Find a stimulant laxative for purchase here. Once inserted, the medication dissolves and enters the bloodstream. Depending on the active ingredient, suppositories can work to either soften the stool or to stimulate the muscles of your bowels in order to better ease movement of stool.
The active ingredients bisacodyl and glycerol can be given as suppositories to treat constipation. Buy suppositories here. There are some risks that you should be aware of when you use laxatives. These can include:. Be sure to read labels carefully when selecting a laxative. Some medications, such as antibiotics and heart medications, can interact in a negative way with laxatives. You should always be sure to use laxatives in moderation. If you find that you have to use laxatives often to have a bowel movement, you should visit your doctor to discuss your concerns.
Most laxatives are safe to take while breastfeeding, however you should still talk to your doctor before using them. There are a variety of laxatives available to treat constipation. Some laxatives are better for short-term treatment of constipation while others are more ideal for treating long-term or chronic constipation. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Fiber helps to improve bowel function. Be sure to get enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Here are 22 high-fiber foods you should eat. You should aim for 8 glasses of water per day while avoiding things such as caffeine and alcohol. Here are 16 reasons to drink more water. Making sure that you exercise regularly can help stool to move more effectively through your bowels.
Here are 6 ways to live a more active life. If you feel like you have to have a bowel movement, be sure to go at your earliest convenience. Laxatives can help relieve constipation and promote regular bowel movements.
Learn more about natural laxatives. While laxatives and stool softeners can help you overcome a bout of constipation, these medications come with side effects. Bulk-forming laxatives such as Metamucil and FiberCon may help you find relief from constipation.
Before you start taking them, learn about their…. Stimulant laxatives are one of the five basic laxative types. Stimulant laxatives relieve constipation by triggering the intestines to contract and…. Learn what typical bowel movements should include, as well as tips to poop more…. Citrucel powder is a type of fiber supplement used for constipation. Bulk-forming laxatives can have some effect within hours but their full effect usually takes days to develop.
Osmotic laxatives such as lactulose can take days to have any effect so they are not suitable for the rapid relief of constipation. Stimulant laxatives usually work within hours.
A bedtime dose is recommended so you are likely to feel the urge to go to the toilet sometime the following morning. However, you may try taking it at different times in the day to find the best time of day for you. Some people naturally have their bowel movements later in the day rather than in the morning.
Laxatives that are given via the back passage rectum - suppositories or enemas - usually work within minutes. Stronger osmotic laxatives such as phosphate enemas can be used to clear the bowel quickly, in just a few minutes. This depends on what type of constipation you have. Most people only need to take a laxative for a short time, to get over a bout of constipation.
Once the constipation eases, you can normally stop the laxative. Some people get into the habit of taking a laxative each day 'to keep the bowels regular' or to prevent constipation.
This is not advised, especially for laxatives which are not bulk-forming. Some people have persistent chronic constipation and this can be more difficult to treat. In some situations, laxatives are needed for longer periods sometimes even indefinitely and they should not be stopped suddenly.
Chronic constipation is sometimes complicated by a backlog of hard stools faeces building up in the bowel faecal loading or even partially blocking it impaction.
If loading and impaction occur they need to be treated first, often with much higher doses of laxatives. Then a normal maintenance dose of laxatives is used to keep the bowels moving. It is not possible to list all the possible side-effects of each laxative in this leaflet. However, as with all medicines, there are a number of side-effects that have been reported with each of the different laxatives.
If you want more information specific to your laxative then you should read the information leaflet that comes with the medicine.
Laxatives very rarely cause serious side-effects. Common side-effects include wind flatulence , cramps, diarrhoea, feeling sick, and bloating. Most of the side-effects can be avoided or reduced by starting off on a low dose and increasing the dose of oral laxatives gradually.
If you are taking bulk-forming laxatives, you may notice an increase in flatulence and tummy abdominal bloating. This is normal and tends to settle down after a few weeks as the gut becomes used to the increase in fibre or bulk-forming laxative.
Occasionally, bulk-forming laxatives can make symptoms worse if you have very severe constipation. This is because they may cause abdominal bloating and discomfort without doing much to clear a lot of stools faeces which are stuck further down the gut.
See a doctor if you feel that bulk-forming laxatives are making your symptoms worse. These medicines sometimes react with other medicines that you may take. So, make sure your doctor knows of any other medicines that you are taking, including ones that you have bought over the counter. See the leaflet that comes with your particular brand for a full list of possible side-effects and cautions.
It is important that you drink plenty of fluid when taking any laxative. This means drinking at least two litres per day cups. An osmotic laxative can make you dry dehydrated. If you take a bulk-forming laxative and you do not drink enough fluid this can cause a blockage in the gut. The stools faeces may become dry and difficult to pass. Taking too much of some laxatives can lead to diarrhoea and losing too much salt from the body.
Taking too much of a bulk-forming laxative, or not drinking enough fluid with a bulk-forming laxative, causes a blockage in the gut rather than diarrhoea. If you take bran, it is best to build up the amount gradually. Start with two teaspoons a day, and double the amount every five days until you reach about tablespoons per day.
You can sprinkle bran on breakfast cereals, or mix it with fruit juices, milk, stews, soups, crumbles, pastries, scones, etc. The information above is about laxatives that are commonly prescribed. However, it is well known that certain foods have laxative properties and some people prefer to try natural remedies. Foods that have laxative properties mainly work because they are high in fibre but some foods may also have some stimulant or osmotic properties.
The following are two examples of natural laxatives. Prunes dried plums have long been thought of as effective for constipation. Up until recently, there had been little scientific proof of this. However, a small research trial published in see 'Further Reading and References' at the end of this leaflet lends support to the belief that prunes are good for treating constipation. In the trial, 40 adults with persistent chronic constipation were studied as to the effect of prunes versus ispaghula psyllium - a commonly used treatment for constipation.
Briefly, on average, 50 g of prunes about six prunes twice daily seemed to be better at easing constipation than 11 g ispaghula taken twice daily.
This is just one small trial, but does seem to confirm the common belief that prunes are good for easing constipation. This recipe detailed below was studied in a research trial that involved older people in a care home. A treatment group was compared to a non-treatment group. The conclusion of the study stated that: 'The Beverley-Travis Natural Laxative Mixture, given at a dosage of two tablespoons twice daily, is easy to use, cost-effective, and more effective than daily prescribed laxatives at producing normal bowel movements.
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