Lactulose

Hi Baliff and Welcome to Healingwell.

There are several posts on here that deal with people having trouble with the taste etc of lactolose. I personally have not had that experience yet, but hopefully someone with that experience will come along soon to help you with that question. Everyone here is very helpful and willing to share their experiences.

Lucy

Hello Baliff and welcome to HealingWell,

My husband had to take it for about 2 years. We never did find any way to take it that he actually liked. We tried mixing it with juice,soda, and water. Tried chasing it with a lot of different drinks. He ended up just downing it like a shot and following it by a little water . He hated it also but knew that it was a necessary evil.

Good luck.....thoughts and prayers.......

Hi Bailiff,

Welcome to the forum. You'll find an unimaginable amount of knowledge and caring here. It helps to have friends that understand what you're going through either as a patient or caregiver. Reading what caregivers must endure, I think that as a patient I have the easier path.

I'm sorry that you've joined us, the Lactulose crowd. And yes, it's not a drink that will compete with Coca-cola. Depending on your insurance, Xifaxan pills fulfill the same role as Lactulose, even doing a better job. But it costs about $500 / month so I hit my maximum prescription benefits in 2 months. Hence the affordable Lactulose.

End Stage Liver Disease ain't for sissies. I hope that your situation is not so critical and that you find that you can manage the disease. I've got 40 years of Hep damage so transplant is my only path.

I haven't been on Lactulose for too long but have tried everything to change the flavor. Finally I capitulated and decided to turn to the wisest minds of my generation for advice.

I found it in Monte Python's Spam skit. The flavor doesn't get any better, but I feel better saying, "Spam, I love it. I'll have his." To which the proper response is, "You mean you'll have Spam, Spam, Spam, eggs and Spam?"

So for me, it's, "Lactulose, I love it. I'll have his!" At this point I'm so enthusiastic that I often just guzzle it from the bottle.

I apologize in advance since my post is not at all helpful, and perhaps downright inscrutable if you're not familiar with Monte Python. But please believe that I wish you well with the disease and that making light of it is the only way that I have found to deal this POC disease.

Be well, John

      Hm-m-m,

 I'm just wondering if Lactulse can be used in cooking, like pancakes, or sweet cornbread. Does anyone know if heat will destroy its effects? Maybe it can be used in instant pudding or something like that. IDK. I can't get Terry to take his much, if at all. He thinks that since he has daily diarrhea he shouldn't have to take it at all. That's not true, is it?  I try to explain that it's not just a laxative, but that it will help bring out the toxins also.

Any thoughts?

Carol

   

Hi Carol,

Tell Terry that the Lactulose is more than a bowel movement drug. My understanding is that it is a sugar that stimulates certain stomach bacteria which transform the ammonia into urea.

If he's not forgetful, can concentrate and stay focused, he shouldn't need to take the Lactulose. But if he has any of the symptoms of encephalopathy, he should be taking it regardless of bowel activity.

My best to both of you, John

Hi Connie,
I'm so glad that you saw Spamalot. I haven't had the pleasure. I so enjoyed Monte Python.

I was primed by a friend of mine, Max Geldray, who was a member of the Goon Show along with Spike Mulligan and Peter Sellers. The Goon Show was the inspiration for Monte Python's skits. All of the Goon Show members came from the final days of vaudeville, hence the dependence on a series of skits instead of a coherent longer plot.

Hope that you are well today, John

Thanks John, I'm going to try and get Terry to take some tomorow. He has had slurred speech tonight. The words just wouldn't come out right. I'm wondering if toxins could be causing his creepy crawly feelings. It mostly happens at night and then he can't sleep because he can't be still. He has to get up and move around.

June, Does the lactulose cause you to have diahrrea or just make you go more often. Terry has a lot of watery diahrrea from the chemo drug, Nexevar. He won't even take Imodium for that.

Carol

Hello All,

 I've done a little research on this lactulose, for some reason they give it to Wil to take 4hrs. before his testing I'm sure it is to clean his system. But, he does not have to take it regularly. Anyway, it can be mixed with water, milk or fruit juice. Not sure if that improves taste as I have not ever taken it nor care too! Wil, however said that maybe putting it in fruity babyfood would help, then he said no it is just to gross! Hope this helps a bit.

 All be well !

Huggs and smooches

Toni

Carol I live in N.M and have to go to Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale , Arizona. We could fly , but then we would have to rent a car to get around. There are five seperate buildings in different parts of Scottsdale . So you have to go back and forth to different places. My choices were Arizona or Colorado. Both are about the same distance. Since Mayo has such a good rep. I decided to go there. N.M. doesn't have a hospital that does transplants.
I can get 3 mo labs here but have to go to Arizona every 6 mo in order to stay listed.
june