Laxatives for Constipation: Types, Risks, and Side Effects (2024)

FAQs

Laxatives for Constipation: Types, Risks, and Side Effects? ›

Fiber is the laxative most doctors recommend for normal and slow-transit constipation. Abdominal cramping, bloating, or gas can occur when abruptly increasing or changing your dietary fiber intake. Fiber is naturally available in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (especially wheat bran).

Fiber is the laxative most doctors recommend for normal and slow-transit constipation. Abdominal cramping, bloating, or gas can occur when abruptly increasing or changing your dietary fiber intake. Fiber is naturally available in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (especially wheat bran).

Bulk-forming laxatives (fiber supplements)

The size increase stimulates your colon to contract and push the stool out. These laxatives are generally considered the gentlest. They're least likely to cause side effects and often the best laxative to try first — unless your provider recommends a different type.

Although laxatives are available over-the-counter, they're not suitable for everyone. Laxatives aren't usually recommended for children, unless advised by a doctor, and some types of laxatives may not be safe to use if you have certain conditions, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Do not take any type of laxative: if you have signs of appendicitis or inflamed bowel (such as stomach or lower abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, soreness, nausea, or vomiting). Instead, check with your doctor as soon as possible.

General guidelines state that you can take MiraLAX every day for up to a week.

Bulk-forming laxatives, such as psyllium (Metamucil), Citracel, and FiberCon, are generally safe and also are a source of dietary fiber. When used in higher than recommended doses, bulk-forming laxatives can cause intestinal problems and block absorption of other nutrients.

In general, fiber supplements are the gentlest on your body. These also are called bulk-forming laxatives. Metamucil and Citrucel fall into this category.

Macrogols are often preferred to lactulose when treating older people with constipation due to greater evidence of efficacy. Macrogol 3350 includes sodium chloride (350.7 mg), sodium bicarbonate (178.5 mg) and potassium chloride (46.6 mg).

How do you push out a big hard stool? ›

Why do people have so much gas but cannot poop? Factors such as not drinking enough fluids or not eating enough fiber can cause constipation and make the stool hard to pass. A person can speak with their doctor to assess why they have constipation and gas.

Because of the possible adverse effects of long-term use in older persons, stimulant laxatives should be used only after fiber and osmotic laxatives have been tried.

When you have a fecal impaction, you'll need to have the hard mass of stool removed from your colon or rectum to get better. It won't go away on its own, and it can lead to death if it's allowed to worsen.

Natural laxatives include foods rich in magnesium, fiber, and probiotics, as well as drinks like water, prune juice, and coffee. Certain herbs, such as senna, ginger, peppermint, and aloe vera, can also help to keep your bowel movements more regular. Using natural laxatives to relieve constipation is usually safe.

Using laxatives for longer than one week can cause loss of bowel muscle tone. Because your muscles become weak, you may have trouble passing stool on your own. Laxatives can cause long-term constipation, but they can cause diarrhea too. Damage.

Do not take laxatives every day to ease your constipation as this can be harmful. Speak to a GP if you're still constipated after making lifestyle changes. In some cases, you may be prescribed a laxative to use regularly, but this should always be supervised by a GP or gastroenterologist (a specialist in gut problems).

Long-term use of DULCOLAX is not recommended. If you use DULCOLAX every day, you should consult with your doctor to find out the cause of your constipation. Long-term and excessive use of DULCOLAX may cause an imbalance of salts in the body (including low potassium), muscle weakness and kidney problems.