Bisacodyl

[HI1237]

Taken Senna, Fybogel and Laxido and haven’t had any bowel movements. I’ve seen people say to take Bisacodyl as this is quite strong. What are people’s experiences with this? Does it work? When is the best time to take it?

[DJK99]

Hi there -

I've had seriously bad constipation since 7yrs old.. if I'm not eating a high fibre, very healthy diet... and lots of water...

So - please make sure you are drinking, without fail, at least 2.5 litres of water (ie not coffee, tea.. that would be on top of the 2.5 litres of water) every single day... and, of course, don't eat white bread, white rice and fast food...that's like eating cement. Our bodies need lots of red, orang, green veg, ditto colour of rainbow fruit and whole foods ie wholemeal bread (or sourdough if you have IBS!), potatoes with the skin left on, wholemeal rice etc - and, a game changer.. a tablespoon or linseeds on your high fibre cereal or sprinkled on your toast or whatever... every day. Forgive me if you do all that... I have a friend who has had seriously severe constipation for years.. and I recommended the water increase and it was completely successful. she did 3 litres a day...

Your bowel needs water to get things moving - but you may also have dysmotility, as I do? So... I drink tons of water all day as I have Sjogrens which is all about dehydration.. of everything.. so glug glug glug.. but also, I have been taking Bisacodyl - two at night for years... but it wasn't until I was prescribed Macrogol (that is the name of the ingredient.. not the brand) that my system emptied every day... Cannot tell you how happy that made me and my body...

So maybe talk to your GP or gastro about this.. or just buy a box of the sachets in Boots and see how your bowel movements will return, along with the aforementioned changes and yes, the Bisacodyl, will mean your (I'd bet on it!) bowel movements change to daily.. I have one sachet of Macrogol each night before bed with the Bisacodyl,. and if I'm really bunged up (as I was pre the linseed seeds) I will take another sachet in the morning.. and bingo.. everything moves. If you are very constipated you might need two sachets at night until things right themselves. Read the information sheet in the Macrogol Box - the brands are Laxido, Movicol, Molaxole.

Best to discuss with your GP - OR if you want to get straight on it, and you don't have any other very serious health conditions, just talk to the pharmacist at Boots or your local pharmacy... they will be able to advise you.

Do let us know how it goes.

All the best, D

[Bazh in reply to DJK99]

Hi, DJK99

Do you take 2 bisacodyl every night? They are only thing that work for me, started taking 3 every 3-5 days, but maybe better to take 2 daily. Checked with GP who was not over concerned. Bloods and fit came back as normal, no weight loss and appetite good. Also on Macrogol, which does not do a lot for me.

Thanks Bazh

[DJK99 in reply to Bazh]

Hi there. Yes , have taken 2 bisacodyl a night for years now - but wasn’t until i started taking macrogol sachet (usually 1.5 sachets a night) along with them that my constipation was remedied. Macrogol is for people who have no water in their bowels.. for whatever reason.. mine is due to having Sjogrens (includes severe dehydration no matter how much water we drink). Everyone taking Macrogol MUST drink lots of water with it, and throught the day… if not, it won’t work.. and that’s at least 2.5itres of water a day for women and 3litres a day for men… but we should be drinking that much anyway.. as otherwise our whole system won’t work. And lots of other problems such as dry eye, uti’s, dry skin, headaches, irritability, brain fog.. you name it. All the best, D

[Bazh in reply to DJK99]

Hi again DJK99, Sorry to ask this, I only get loose stools with bisacodyl, is it the same for you?

Thanks Barry

[Bazh in reply to Bazh]

Please don't reply unless you are happy to. Thanks.

[DJK99 in reply to Bazh]

Hey Bazh - no problem - I'm v open about all this these days... if only that was the case when I was 7 onwards... as I couldn't talk about it.. until about 7yrs ago.. and I'm 61 now.. and a tad damaged inside and out! Anyway, so it sounds as if you have enough water in your bowel..(so don't need the macrogol sachets maybe...) and you are just maybe taking too many Bisacodyl... I take it you are having a good ole poo when it is watering.. ie not just water and no matter? Have you looked at the Bristol stool chart...to identify your type/s of poo? If you aren't pooing actual matter, and just watery stuff, that could mean you're quite constipated.. But sounds a bit like you don't need so much bisacodyl (laxative).. How many do you take and when? I take two at night and 1 - 1.5sachets of macrogol.. but I have severe constipation..if I don't medicate.. and that has been diagnosed for years now.. If I don't take all that, nothing happens.. or if I take too many codeine on top of that, I can't go either.. so it's a right ole juggling act with the many meds I'm on for all my conditions. Hoping that helps.. but do let me know how you are taking your bisacodyl.. Of course, you need to discuss with a pharmacist or your GP or Gastro if you have one.. but I am extremely experienced and read up on all this stuff.. so often know a lot more than my gastro's.. as I'm v up to date on all new research, AND... I know what is happening 24/7 with my body.. ;). Look forward to hearing back, D

[Bazh in reply to DJK99]

Hi Deb, I started on bisacodyl 2 years ago on a trip to South East Asia, had constipation for around 10 years, especially when I travel, so I found it easy just to pop a couple of pills, worked great. When I got back home I continued with them taking x2 twice a week until March of this year, then they became less effective, most times not producing any result. My GP prescribed senna and Ispaghula husk, also movicol and lactulose, nothing much happening there. So with GP's advice back on bisacodyl, x3 every 4 or 5 days, good news is it's working, but starting with a small of formed stool, then a lot of wind, followed by mainly loose stool with some matter. Last night I took 2 bisacodyl plus 2 sachets of movicol, 14 hours later relief. I probably did not require the movicol. I'm thinking now I maybe just needed a break from bisacodyl, just a case of finding the right dosage and frequency. Yes, looked at Bristol stool chart, looks like a mixture of types 6&7.

[Bazh in reply to DJK99]

Hi D, Just wondering if you wanted to add any comment. Thanks Bazh

[DJK99 in reply to Bazh]

Hey Bazh... sorry, lots going on in my world.. and no doubt yours.

Well, I would be v wary of stoping anything altogether - not that I'm a Gastro or GP OF COURSE.. just a 61yr old with life long up the spout GI stuff.. but I do find I adjust my doses of everything very often (or I tweak I mean) as I get to know what will happen if, say, I've taken more codiene than usual in the night (pain from hell issues due to my CTD etc etc etc), or, say, I've eaten some kind of white bread (once in a blue moon as utter rubbish to the system and is what caused my first bout of constipation at 7yrs old, when I'd stayed at a friend's house!), or I got more dehydrated one hot day or... you name it.. I would say two sachets of movicol, unless you are non-mobile, and have Sjogrens etc, is a lot - but I know someone with Sjogens who DOES have two at night and it sorts her out in the morning.. so she can get on with her day and actually not worry about leaving the house (as if she took one am and one pm she'd be in and out of loos all day - which I found was the same... but not necessarily for everyone - I take half a sachet in the am if I've not been day before etc etc).

Basically we're all different... and you have to work out what works for you.. and that can be an ever changing affair.. as I've said I've found.. It makes sense I'm sure.. I don't think I've said but I take a tablespoon of linseeds with my breakie (as recommended by my nutritionist/ex NHS dietician) and that has helped.. I think.. They're amazing things - put some in water and notice how they change to a frog spawn type affair... and all of that (if you drink enough water all day!) goes on inside your guts.. and makes it much happier as eases the poo round.. but you must drink lots of water to help that along.. So hard to know as every day is kinda different!

Personally, if you have on going full blown constipation, I'd try a tablespoon of linseeds a day with your breakie... make SURE you drink at least 3 litres of water throughout the day (and limit coffee and tea as diuretics) - and eat a v healthy diet with no white flour or rice, lots of fruit and veg (that isn't anti Fodmap, but, again, this is a personal affair so not the same for everyone!) , wholemeal flour if you like bread, or Spelt (wholemeal if you can get it, but if white, don't bother I'd say..), and you know, clean foods ie chicken, fish, not covered in batter and fried and fatty lamb or pork stuff as too difficult for iBS, pancreatitis etc bods, AND 1 - 1.5 sachets of movicol a night, and 2 bisacodyl... or 1 of each if that's all it turns out you need...at night so the body can get used to regular support each day - rather than taking 2 bisacodyl like dynamite twice a week which is hard on the system if not having a poo each day and are blocked up after 3-4days of no pooing (which is what a friend on here did for years and only when to the loo once a week... but then she started drinking 3litres of water a day, changed her diet to whole foods etc, and removed white flour/rice etc rubbish which his like cement for the system.. and wow she is a happy every day poo-er and thanked me daily for months on end as it really changed her life.. as you can imagine.. and she was lost with what to do even with gastro support.. as they don't get specific on how much water to drink, diet etc.. they mainly stick to medications... because that is their specialism.. If she'd seen a dietician this would have helped... have you btw???).

And also a pint of water on waking... without fail... We all wake up dehydrated, and it's essential to get the body moving again... I take peppermint oil with that, and then have started juicing 3 sticks of organic celery 30 mins after that.. recommended by a colon specialist.. and then wait 30mins to have my cuppa tea, and then another 30mins until I eat all my other lovely things such as Welleco super elixir, Welleco Protein, and then a v small bowl of my home made granola with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, etc.. It's been a life's work in trying to find out what works for me... as is the same for everyone.. but is really isn't just about medications.. our bods need water water water and good whole foods and veg etc.. NOT the rubbish that is made and packaged and sold that SAY they are good for us.. although I have started taking Activa yoghurt which has hopefully helped my gut microbiome. I've also introduced tons more different veg and fruit which is really important too - try and get 30 - 40 different veg/herbs/fruit in a week - according to Zoe... have you been on their site?

So - hope all that makes some sort of sense... in the end, keep it simple, and keep it regular... so the body can start to get in a rhythm.. although, that seems pretty impossible I find.. We just do our best eh!?

Hoping you get some rhythm going... Good luck.

D

[Bazh in reply to DJK99]

Thanks so much D

[XDjames]

As I say elsewhere, I treat this stuff (sodium picosulfate) like nitro-glycerine (as seen in movies....). It's the most powerful stuff I've found to clear me out. Use with care, start low dose. But yes, drink loads and eat fibre -as much as you guts can stand.

[iloveglee]

Definitely agree with the diet things. Plenty of fruits, veggies, wholemeal bread etc and plenty of fluid. And if that is not enough, fybogel taken regularly should help. Start slow though, half a sachet a day, moving up gradually to two sachets I find helpful

Biscocodyl is very good if you are seriously bunged up, taken a little while to start working, and don't be without sight of a loo once it does!! I have not had personal experience with this, but a family member has.

[KristKras]

Don't overdo the fibre! Fibre can actually be overdone and make you more constipated. Have you tried bisacodyl suppositories? These work pretty well and quicker than the laxative tablets. Sometimes it is variable for me with whether bisacodyl works quickly with 1-2 tablets or sometimes up to 4-5. Yes, I also agree with drinking plenty of water. Get plenty of exercise if you can and eat a healthy diet. Fibre is fine but not too much.

[DJK99 in reply to KristKras]

Yes totally agree re the fibre... don't have too much and personally I wouldn't go near Fibogel again, just awful for me... because it needs MORE water to get round and out of the system... fibre absorbs water... but if you have little water in your bowel and system generally then it turns into a large ball of cement... and then if you have the laxatives on top, without having litres of water every day (and Macrogol, if required, like me as my guts completely struggle to get the water into my bowel) then the laxative will push the bolder of fibre around your guts... and that takes a long ole v painful time... I'm sure no one wants that, as I went through for 2.5yrs after being prescribed Fibogel by a doctor who didn't understand all this.. and that I had Sjogrens which means severe dehydration and inflammation (but anyone can get these issues with out without a diagnosis).

I cannot stress enough, eat a naturally high fibre diet, drink 2.5 litres for women and 3 for men on top of your tea and/or coffee each day.. and then the laxatives... as I do feel Fibogel isn't required if you''re eating a nicely fibre filled diet ie lots of fruit and veg (but not too much if you have IBS etc.. I only have two kiwis, half a banana and some cherries a day - more than that and I'm bloated city - along with lots of greens and carrots, mushrooms (if you can), radishes, avocado, potatoes with skin left on(where the goodness is).. and my own own made muesli/granola with pumpkin and sunflower seeds for breakie with another new found friend Activia yoghurt (vanilla is delicious..), recommended by an ex NHS Dietician, turned private Nutritionist (v good if anyone wants here details and lives in Sussex - but she can do it remotely) - doesn't have to be bowls of bran... tried that stuff for years in my ignorant times.. awful - but can work for those who are well hydrated I'm sure.

We're all different.. but I can honestly say, it's trial and error for me.. but the absolutely no go's are white flour, white rice etc, pastries, pointless calories and no fibre, just get stuck in the system.. so I have wholemeal or wholemeal spelt sourdough bread (my other new friend!! - Waitrose do a spelt sourdough with half white and half wholemeal spelt flour which is the best I can find), wholegrain brown rice, etc.

Sorry am a bit evangelical about it all... but feel so strongly about helping others with all this, as we clearly all do..

All the best, D.