Miralax side effects

Just found this thread about Miralax!!  Miralax is a MIRACLE for me!  Like some of the other posters, I can remember my Mother giving me Castoria as a kid, then Milk of Magnesia.  It has been one right after the other all of my life and I am 62.

The Dr. told me to take Miralax every day.  At first he told me to use it up to three times a day and if I got diarrhea not to stop taking it, but to cut back.  So that is what I did and I have been taking it almost 3 years now!!

I finally feel like I have a normal life for the first time in the last 50 years, at the least!!  I can remember having to "schedule" my going to the bathroom days and making sure I had no other plans because after I took everything to make me 'go', there was no way I could leave the house!!

If you have been constipated and haven't been to the bathroom in days, I would take it at least twice a day until you go, then cut back!  The stuff is safe and I have no qualms about taking it everyday the rest of my life!!  I just pray they never discontinue making it!!!

do'es anyone have sticking feeling with miralax? like pins here and there

I guess you've already corrected whatever dietary deficiencies you think you might have, like upping the water intake, getting more fiber (both soluble and insoluble), increasing your physical activity....

I too take Miralax daily but I have no expectation that things will somehow magically improve. I tested a bunch of variations in amount of miralax vs. frequency and settled in at a 1/4 dose every morning. More than that and I get really soft stool - a full dose will give me diarrhea. Less than that and I don't move my bowels enough.

Try a bunch of different dosages and see what works for you. My experience was that it takes a day or two for each dose to be evaluated. Your experience may differ.

the dosing information is provided on the medication bottle. You can adjust up or down as you need to.

I have had stomach aches for a very long time. I have had a recent colonscopy (2011) several abdominal CAT scans over the last few years. Doctor (gastro) wants me to take Miralax which I have done for several weeks. The pain is worse and constant while taking Miralax and now I have hemmoroids as well. I have been told my stomach will stop hurting after being on Miralax for a while. Is three weeks long enough to hurt and still not be able to move stool without using fingers and "helping" the stool out? Sorry, this is gross but in reality, necessary. Any help or advice will be so appreciated. Please help! I am desperate...

Currently my dad has constipation and a lot of pain every so often. I have him on Miralax since he did not take a D for almost week and few days. I gave him a normal dose and that night he did a D and later morning a bigger amount mostly soft like clay. He doesn't get around very much and not enough fluids doc says. He lies down a lot unfortunately since all the meds make him feel drowsy etc. So hoping to getting him feeling better.

From what I'm getting from all the talk I think what is important is FLUIDS when taking Miralax. Someone mentioned there son not getting enough fluid down and 50oz was a lot for him to take down in a day. My question is how active is he? I myself never had constipation problems and I think the key here is water intake, and being active and a good fiber diet. Another thing that will help is not to drink a lot of fluid with your meal so your stomach can digest what you eat. I personally have found that if you drink water or whatever about 30 minutes before and wait thirty minutes after you eat your stomach digest's your food a lot easier and you don't stay full for a long time. Especially if you eat a high protein meal you may have to wait longer before drinking any fluids. Once you feel like your not full after 30+ minutes then you can drink tea or whatever. The trick is to not eat foods that aren't dry as a bone lol. If you eat like a hamburger don't drink that big tea with it lol. Another posibility is make sure your belt isn't tight that might cause some problems. One other thing stay away from Caffiene you'll end up losing up to half of what you drank in like regular tea and even coffee. I know if I drink regular tea it will make me go to the restroom not to long afterwards and you lose that vital fluid you needed in the first place. A somewhat good diet is rice and beans and if you have gas problems remember about not drinking fluids while you eat 30 minutes before and after. I used to eat beans and rice and salsa a lot no gas problems if I didn't drink anywhere near eating time. And when I took a D, I sat down did one D, and I was done. It took me no less than 10 seconds seriosly. It wasn't diarrhea or anything, nice and easy one lump and I was done lol. Apples are good fiber also sticking with foods that have fluid in them are great too. Instead of raisins eat grapes :) Oh and the beans and rice I ate were Black Beans, canned bush brand, and uncle beans ready cook rice(microwaveable kind), salsa, and tortilla, and cheese and I mostly stayed away from meat and I excercised too, ride bike, or walk etc. Keep active somehow, don't sit for more than 30 minutes. Good Luck!

Thank you so much for this post ArchitectDad.
My son has CP and Epilepsy and chronic constipation and went through this string of disease
from March to November.

Constipation - kidney stones with kidney lithotripsy - surgery of growth plates in legs (pain treatment was morphine) - pancreatitis - constipation

All was with hospital stay and the last was to clean him out. He had terrible cramps with Miralax. For days he did not want to eat or drink and we were forced to feeding by spoon and making him drink with a syringe. He is a poor eater and often got the processed and bleached wheat diet and did not drink hardly any water only juice. But after giving him CALM Magnesium and a healthier diet with some water all is better 1000%. In addition a Magnesium deficiency can cause kidney stones... who knew
A study is out there about Magnesium and B6 that reduced kidney stones.
There is evidence that the water we drink now has less magnesium to include the processed foods we eat.
http://www.krispin.com/magnes.html

So, to all that are fighting with cramps and bloating and pain on Miralax maybe you need a Magnesium supplement. It was literally a MIRACLE for us.
I guess I knew our world and thus our food is deteriorating and processed foods are worthless but I was not adding things up for my son. I also learned that water is not good unless it has the minerals that you need are in it.
I am currently investigating the daily mineral and vitamin intake for my son.
FYI - There is also a study for autism on Magnesium and B6. B6 is needed to process Magnesium I believe. http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/vitamin-b6-and-magnesium


Thank you

I too have had constipation since childhood and a form of IBS in my adulthood, and tried everything including 8 glasses of water/liquid per day and more!! I used to get migraines and horrible stomach aches from bloating because of it. Miralax along with Heather's Tummy fiber have worked miracles! No more bloating and horrible pain when you can't go for days. The fiber helps me when I take it just before eating, (I need it with all three meals so I mix it with water in a small pitcher the morning and take it with me in a water bottle for work or eating out) it has no taste or grit, and does not thicken in liquids like most fiber. It is 100% soluble, so no excess gas. I take the Miralax in my coffee every morning, sometimes I change off and take it in the evenings. You can take it with any liquid but dissolves better in warm liquid and actually makes my coffee taste better even though it supposedly has no taste.

I think I will try the magnesium others have mentioned to see if I can reduce the amount of Miralax I have been taking.

For those who think Miralax is expensive, you can buy it at Sam's club two for the price of one or buy the generic three for the price of one! It more than pays for your membership if you don't already have one.

does anyone have problems with mirlax

How does everyone take miralax? Do you take it everyday or what! What was your results!