Posted 12/5/2008 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Someone recently clued me into senna. It is an herb that has been around for decades, possibly centuries I believe. It irritates the lining of the colon, inducing bm's.
I have found that a simple 50 mg Colace dose nightly helped me the most. Just a simple stool softener.
Then I found a generic form of 50 mg Colace. I took it for close to 2 years.
Upon reading the bottle more closely and suggesting a poster here try it, I saw that sennosides was listed as one of the ingredients. I had no idea I was taking senna! I quickly went back to plain, named brand Colace. I have to order it thru my pharmacy but it takes 24 hours for it to come in (they do not stock 50 mg, which is a pediatric dose I'm told). You can find 100 mg on the shelf though.
I was told that your body can become used to senna and depend upon it. It can also turn your stool dark over time. I was only taking a low dose of it and have been off of it for 2 months by now.
All I know is when I was on a product with senna, even accidentally (I still feel so stupid I did this to myself), my stomach would heave and roll, and even if I had been eating the foods that agreed with me the most, it would revolt. I am told this was the senna inducing colon wall contractions.
They have diminished by now. Thank God.
I would just be very careful taking any senna type product, long term.