When Should I Call My Doctor
- Constipation is a new problem for you.
- You see blood in your stool.
- You are losing weight unintentionally.
- You have severe pain with bowel movements.
- Your constipation has lasted more than three weeks.
- You have symptoms of outlet dysfunction constipation.
Remember, talk openly and honestly with your doctor about your bowel movements and any questions or concerns you may have. Pooping is something we all should be doing. Constipation may be a temporary situation, a long-term problem or a sign of a more serious condition. Be safe. See your doctor, especially if youve noticed a change in your bowel pattern or if your life is being ruled by your bowels.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/07/2019.
References
Other Gabapentin Side Effects
Other side effects of the drug found in clinical trials and through self-reporting include:
- Suicidal thoughts Though rare, thoughts of harming or killing yourself can occur within one week of taking the medication. If you experience this side effect, you should seek immediate medical attention.
- Stomach pain that lasts a long while, feeling sick, or being sick This can be a sign of an inflamed pancreas and need medical attention.
- Violent behavior, aggressiveness, or anger.
- Anxiety, depression, and irritability that is new or worse.
- Panic attacks This may be a symptom of heightened anxiety.
- Insomnia and other sleeping difficulties.
- Breathing difficulties not related to an allergic reaction There is some evidence to link gabapentin with respiratory depression and possibly fatal difficulty breathing. Symptoms of respiratory depression include tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, and shallow breathing. , a chronic lung disease, are not advised to take it due to the possibly fatal difficulty breathing.)
Does Gabapentin Cause Constipation
Taking gabapentin can result in constipation, but it is not a common side effect of taking the medication. In clinical trials of the drug, in adults taking gabapentin to treat nerve pain, only about 4% of people reported constipation, while in those taking gabapentin to control seizures, only 2% of people reported constipation as a side effect.
Though it is not yet common, gabapentins ability to induce constipation in some has led to the potential for the drug to be used to relieve symptoms of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. However, more research may still be needed.
Gabapentin works for many people with epilepsy and those with nerve pain related to cases of shingles, and as such, the benefits outweigh the negative side effect of constipation. Many drugs and health supplements, including iron supplements and NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, cause constipation, but the benefits outweigh the inconvenience of constipation.
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Drink Plenty Of Fluids
Water plays a large part in keeping your body healthy. It is essential for keeping fecal matter flowing through the intestines. Although most people have heard that you should drink six to eight glasses of water a day, you might not need to consume that much. Four to six cups of water per day are generally enough for healthy people, according to Harvard Health.
Some medications cause you to retain water, and some health conditions require you to limit your fluid intake. If you are taking medications that cause constipation, you should talk to your doctor about how much water you should be drinking.
Other Side Effects Of Gabapentin
Some side effects of gabapentin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
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How Can You Help A Constipated Dog
There are a few things that you can do to help a constipated dog. First, try to give them a good amount of water and fruit every day. This will help to keep their intestines moving and help to clean their system. Additionally, try to give them a good diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This will help to keep their intestines moving and help to clean their system. Finally, if they are having trouble passing stool, try to give them a stool softener or stool brush to help them pass stool easier.
Common Questions About Nortriptyline
Nortriptyline is from a group of antidepressants called tricyclic antidepressants.
If you’re taking it for pain relief, it will change the way that your nerves receive pain signals so your pain goes away.
If you’re taking nortriptyline for depression, it’s thought to work by increasing a chemical called serotonin in the brain. This helps to improve your mood.
If you take nortriptyline to treat nerve pain, it usually takes a week or so for pain to begin to wear off. You may start to sleep better at night.
If you take nortriptyline for depression, you may start to feel better after a couple of weeks. It can take 4 to 6 weeks until you feel the full benefits.
Do not stop taking nortriptyline after 1 to 2 weeks just because you feel it’s not helping your symptoms. Give it at least 6 weeks to work.
Although nortriptyline is an antidepressant, the doses are lower if you take it to help pain. Taking nortriptyline as a painkiller will not change your personality or make you feel any different.
If you’re taking nortriptyline for depression, it helps to lift your mood gradually so you feel better. You may get on with people more easily because you are less anxious.
Nortriptyline will not change your personality or give you a high of feeling happy. It will simply help you feel like yourself again.
Do not expect to feel better overnight though. Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better.
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Dosage Forms Of Gabapentin
There is no specific veterinary form of gabapentin for pets, and it is always the human medication form that is used in an extra-label or off-label manner, which is common in veterinary medicine.
The most common form of gabapentin is a capsule containing powder, with the prescribed amount mixed with canned or soft food.
The 100mg capsule is the most common size prescribed for cats. Gabapentin also comes in a 50mg/ml liquid form that does require refrigeration.
The commercial liquid form may contain the artificial sweetener xylitol. While not toxic to cats, xylitol is toxic to dogs, so be careful with this form if theres a pup in your home.
To make dosing easier, especially for smaller cats, gabapentin can also be ordered as a compounded medication in different forms by your veterinarian.
Does Gabapentin Cause Stomach Problems
It is possible to experience not only diarrhea, but you may also have symptoms like nausea or constipation while on the drug. Some people also report heartburn as a side effect. Unless the gastrointestinal symptoms become severe, doctors will often recommend changes in diet to combat them while on gabapentin.
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How Is Constipation Treated
Self-care
Most cases of mild to moderate constipation can be managed by you at home. Self-care starts by taking an inventory of what you eat and drink and then making changes.
Some recommendations to help relieve your constipation include:
- Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol, which can cause dehydration.
- Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and other high-fiber foods to your diet. Eat fewer high-fat foods, like meat, eggs and cheese.
- Eat prunes and/or bran cereal.
- Keep a food diary and single out foods that constipate you.
- Get moving, exercise.
- Check how you sit on the toilet. Raising your feet, leaning back or squatting may make having a bowel movement easier.
- Add an over-the-counter supplemental fiber to your diet .
- If needed, take a very mild over-the-counter stool softener or laxative . Mineral oil enemas, like Fleet®, and stimulant laxatives, like bisacodyl or senna , are other options. There are many laxative choices. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for help in making a choice. Do not use laxatives for more than two weeks without calling your doctor. Overuse of laxatives can worsen your symptoms.
- Do not read, use your phone or other devices while trying to move your bowels.
Medication/supplement review
Prescription medications
Surgery
Who Can And Cannot Take Nortriptyline
Most adults can take nortriptyline. Teenagers aged 12 to 17 years can take it for depression.
Children aged 6 to 17 years old can also take it for bedwetting but other medicines are used first which have less side effects.
Nortriptyline is not suitable for some people. Check with your doctor before starting to take nortriptyline if you:
- have ever had an allergic reaction to nortriptyline or any other medicine
- have a heart problem nortriptyline can make some heart problems worse
- have liver or kidney problems
- have epilepsy or are having electroconvulsive treatment nortriptyline can increase your risk of seizures or fits
- have ever taken any medicines for depression some antidepressants can affect the way nortriptyline works, even after you’ve stopped taking them
- are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding
- have glaucoma nortriptyline can increase the pressure in your eye
- have thoughts about harming yourself or ending your life
- have type 1 or type 2 diabetes if you have diabetes, nortriptyline may affect your blood sugar levels. If you usually test your blood sugar level, you may have to do this more often for the first few weeks of treatment. Talk to your diabetes nurse or doctor if the reading is high or low
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Can You Take A Laxative With Gabapentin
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the individuals individual medical history and health condition. Some people may be able to take gabapentin with a laxative, while others may not be able to. It is important to speak with a healthcare professional before taking any medications for pain relief.
How Can I Make My Dog Poop Fast
There is no one definitive answer to this question, as the best way to make your dog poop fast will vary depending on the dogs personality and habits. However, some tips that may help include providing a clean, dry place to poop, providing enough time for the dog to relieve itself, and training your dog to potty outside.
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Cautions With Other Medicines
Many medicines taken with nortriptyline can affect each other and increase the chance of side effects.
Always check with your doctor or a pharmacist before starting any new medicine while you are taking nortriptyline.
Taking opioid-based medicines, like codeine, morphine or oxycodone, together with nortriptyline can increase your risk of becoming very drowsy and having breathing problems.
Tell your doctor if you have ever taken any medicines for depression. Some antidepressants can affect the way nortriptyline works and cause very high blood pressure. This can happen even after you have stopped taking them.
Warning Disclaimer Use For Publication
WARNING: Please DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS without first consulting a physician since doing so could be hazardous to your health.
DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe.com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. All information is observation-only. Our phase IV clinical studies alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. The use of the eHealthMe site and its content is at your own risk.
If you use this eHealthMe study on publication, please acknowledge it with a citation: study title, URL, accessed date.
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Is Tramadol Or Gabapentin Better For Dogs In Pain
Tramadol is another medication that has been commonly prescribed to treat pain in dogs however, this is starting to fall out of favor with veterinarians.
Studies have found that tramadol may not be as effective as originally thought. In fact, it was found to be ineffective at controlling pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. However, studies are ongoing, and the debate is still up for discussion on the effectiveness of tramadol.
In the meantime, veterinarians are turning more towards gabapentin for pain relief in their patients.
Oic Vs Functional Constipation
Constipation occurs when stools are infrequent, hard, and difficult to pass. However, its not an exact science because a person’s stools and how often they pass them is individualized.
In general, having healthy bowel movements could mean going anywhere from three times a day to three times a week. However, a change in bowel movements may indicate constipation. If its suddenly more difficult to go to the bathroomthis could mean straining on the toilet bowl or bowel movements that are a lot less frequentconstipation may be occurring.
Symptoms of constipation can include:
- Feeling like a bowel movement is not finished
- Straining on the toilet bowl
Opioid-induced constipation is different than constipation that is functional. Functional constipation could be from a variety of causes ranging from not enough fiber in the diet to a disease or condition in the digestive tract. Opioid-induced constipation, however, is a direct result of the way that opioid medications affect the small intestine and the colon, by slowing down digestion.
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How Do You Treat Constipation Due To Medication
What are the treatments for constipation caused by medications? Laxatives work in two ways: Stimulant laxatives help stool move along your bowel or. Just as you need to eat every day, you must take laxatives every day for them to work. The first laxative you should try is the stimulant type called sennosides.
Mixing Nortriptyline With Herbal Remedies And Supplements
Do not take St John’s wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you are being treated with nortriptyline. It will increase your risk of side effects.
There’s very little information about taking nortriptyline with other herbal remedies and supplements. They are not tested in the same way as medicines.
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Is Gabapentin Good For Arthritis In Dogs
There is no definitive answer to this question as the effects of Gabapentin on arthritis in dogs vary depending on the individual dogs individual condition. However, some owners report that their dogs have had minimal or no side effects from taking Gabapentin, while others have had negative results. Ultimately, the best way to determine whether or not Gabapentin is beneficial for dogs with arthritis is to speak with a veterinarian and/or a dog health expert.
Does Gabapentin Cause Diarrhea
Many medications cause gastrointestinal symptoms, and patients often wonder if gabapentin causes diarrhea. It is possible to experience not only diarrhea, but you may also have symptoms like nausea or constipation while on the drug. Some people also report heartburn as a side effect. Unless the gastrointestinal symptoms become severe, doctors will often recommend changes in diet to combat them while on gabapentin.
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How And When To Take Nortriptyline
You’ll usually take nortriptyline once a day. If you take it once a day, it’s best to take it before you go to bed as it can make you feel sleepy. If you find that it’s affecting your sleep, you could try taking it earlier in the evening.
This medicine does not usually upset your stomach. You can take it with or without food.
Swallow the tablets whole, with a drink of water. If you chew them, they taste bitter.
About Dr Chris Vanderhoof Dvm Mph
Dr. Chris Vanderhoof is a 2013 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, where he also earned a Masters in Public Health. He completed a rotating internship with Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey and now works as a general practitioner in the Washington D.C. area.Dr. Vanderhoof is also a copywriter specializing in the animal health field and founder of Paramount Animal Health Writing Solutions, which can be found at www.animalhealthcopywriter.com. Dr. Vanderhoof lives in the Northern Virginia area with his family, including 3 cats.
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What Is The Most Common Side Effect Of Gabapentin
The most commonly reported side effects of gabapentin, which occur in around 10% of users, are dizziness, sleepiness, and water retention. Water retention refers to swelling that occurs in the arms, legs, and feet.
Not everyone reports getting side effects from using gabapentin. If you do experience any of these side effects, and they are having a serious impact on your life, it is important you speak with a doctor or healthcare professional.
Can Muscle Relaxers Cause Constipation
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the individual and their individual constipation symptoms. However, some people may experience constipation after taking muscle relaxers, as these medications can reduce the ability of the intestines to contract and push food and bacteria out of the intestines. This can lead to a feeling of laxity and an inability to have regular bowel movements.
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Withdrawal Symptoms Of Gabapentin Misuse
Withdrawal symptoms of gabapentin misuse include:
- Rapid heart rate
Though it is rare, gabapentin misuse has been reported. It does not give the same effects as other misused drugs, like an opioid drug, but may be misused by someone with a history of substance abuse. You should speak with your doctor if you have such a history and are concerned about the use of gabapentin.