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Does Miralax Give You Diarrhea

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What Are The Side Effects Of Miralax

Acute GI: Watery diarrhea and viruses

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A medical professional can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a medical professional. You may report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.

Miralax may cause some side effects. These side effects are associated with the way Miralax works to treat constipation.

The Dangers Of Using Miralax For Weight Loss

Miralax is recommended for various medical uses, including constipation, colonoscopy preparation diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome . It is not recommended for weight loss, and taking a Miralax for the purpose of losing weight can be dangerous.

Some people, including those who struggle with an undiagnosed or untreated eating disorder, turn to laxatives in the hope of losing weight. However, Miralax and other laxatives are not effective for weight loss and may lead to harmful side effects when used inappropriately.

There is a misguided belief that laxatives help food move through your system faster, leading to fewer calories being absorbed food progresses through the body. This is a dangerous misconception. No matter how many laxatives one consumes, they will do little to limit calorie absorption. The small intestine absorbs most calories from food and beverages. Laxatives like Miralax only affect the large intestine, and therefore calorie absorption is largely complete before it arrives in the large intestine. Although ones weight may go down shortly after taking a laxative, this is generally due to water loss, and as soon as you eat or drink something, the weight will return.

Warnings Of Dulcolax And Miralax

It is always a good idea to consult with a doctor of gastroenterology if you experience bowel problems, especially if they are frequent or chronic. The gastroenterologist can do a full workup and evaluation, to determine if you have any underlying conditions causing your constipation that need to be treated.

Warnings of Dulcolax:

  • Ask your healthcare provider before using if you are experiencing stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or a sudden change in bowel habits lasting more than 14 days.
  • Dulcolax may cause stomach discomfort, faintness, rectal burning, and mild cramping.
  • Stop using Dulcolax and consult your healthcare provider if you have rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after using Dulcolax. This could indicate a more serious condition. Also, consult your healthcare provider if you have chronic constipation or need to use a laxative for more than seven days.
  • Suppositories are for rectal use only.
  • If you are taking the tablets, do not chew or crush. Do not take within one hour of antacids or milk.

Warnings of Miralax:

Warnings of both Dulcolax and Miralax:

  • Consult your healthcare provider before using if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Keep out of reach of children.
  • Prolonged use of laxatives can lead to electrolyte imbalance, which can be very dangerous. Consult your healthcare provider if your constipation continues for more than seven days.

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Day Before Your Colonoscopy

  • Before 10:00 am, you may have a small, light breakfast. Examples of a light breakfast are: eggs, soup or broth with noodles , white crackers, white rice, white potatoes, white bread, Boost® or Ensure®.
  • At 10:00 am, begin a clear liquid diet. Do not eat anything solid. No red, orange or purple products. No dairy products or creamers. Clear liquids include water, tea, coffee, apple juice, white grape juice, white cranberry juice, sports drinks, vitamin waters, Jell-O®, broth and soda.
  • At 2:00 pm: Take two 5-mg Dulcolax laxative tablets.
  • Before 5:00 pm try to drink at least six to eight glasses of clear liquid.
  • Before 5:00 pm you may also drink up to two vanilla Boost drinks. Use the sugar-free version if needed.
  • If you are diabetic and taking insulin or using an insulin pump, use half your daily dosage today. If you are taking oral diabetic medications, take half the dosage you usually take. Otherwise, take your regular medications, including the day of the exam.
  • At 5:00 pm, begin drinking the Gatorade-Miralax mixture. Drink one 8-ounce glass every 10-15 minutes until half of the entire container is finished . This will take about an hour. It is best to drink each whole glass quickly. You may add ice to your glass.
  • Please continue your clear liquid diet over the course of the evening in order to remain hydrated.

Dosage For Kids Toddlers And Infants

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Before giving MiraLAX to your child, talk with your childs doctor. They can recommend the most appropriate dosage of MiraLAX for your child. The manufacturer of MiraLAX doesnt provide this information. They advise getting a doctors recommendation for childrens dosage.

Its also important to talk to your childs doctor because they may want to evaluate your child to determine the cause of constipation. Depending on the cause, other treatments may be needed.

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Gastrointestinal Warnings On Nonprescription Products

W. Steven Pray, PhD, DPhBernhardt Professor, Nonprescription Products and DevicesCollege of Pharmacy

Gabriel E. Pray, PharmD CandidateCollege of PharmacyWeatherford, Oklahoma

US Pharm

Nonprescription products carry a host of warnings andprecautions against use when a physician has not been involved in theirselection . Some of these warnings involvethe gastrointestinal tract. The warnings are critical for thepharmacist to understand and communicate to the patient during self-carecounseling sessions to help avoid patient harm from use ofcontraindicated nonprescription products and to ensure that patientsobtain appropriate medical care when necessary.

Bloody Or Black Stools

Bloody or tarry black stools are both immediate cause forreferral. Black stools usually indicate bleeding from the upper GItract, while bright red blood is associated with bleeding from the largeintestine, bowel, or anus.13 All PPIs and antidiarrheals carry a warning against use ifthe patient has bloody or black stools.

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Some Side Effects Can Be Serious The Following Symptoms Are Uncommon But If You Experience Either Of Them Call Your Doctor Immediately:

  • diarrhea
  • hives

Polyethylene glycol 3350 may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administrations MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone .

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Laxatives of many kinds are available on the shelves of drug stores, grocery stores, and convenience stores. They are an easy to obtain item that people turn to for a wide variety of reasons. Some people need the assistance of a laxative product to alleviate occasional constipation due to medical treatments, age-related functional change, or as a side effect of pain-relieving medication. Although laxatives are beneficial when used appropriately, not all who turn to laxative products do so for medically necessary reasons. A growing number of people who struggle with symptoms related to disordered eating reach for laxative products like Miralax as a way to maintain control over food intake, calories, and weight. Laxatives are also used frequently by individuals who are required to maintain a specific weight, such as athletes or models. When used in a way that is inconsistent with labeling, the use of laxative products can lead to harmful, even dangerous effects, including addiction.

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Facts On Miralax For Kids

  • Miralax has been found to be an effective treatment for constipation, a common childhood problem. Eighteen studies covering more than 1,600 children have suggested that polyethylene glycol preparations increase the frequency of bowel motions in constipated children compared to other medications.
  • Miralax does have documented side effects, including nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and flatulence. There is no credible evidence that links Miralax use to autism.
  • When prescribing medications, physicians carefully weigh the medicines benefits against the potential side effects. If a doctor prescribes Miralax, they have determined that the advantages to a child outweigh the potential risks.
  • There is evidence suggesting that if patients use a laxative, such as Miralax, and discontinue use prematurely, then a prompt recurrence of symptoms can occur, likely disrupting the treatment. Before discontinuing use of Miralax, a parent should consult their childs doctor.
  • Further research would be helpful to investigate the optimum duration of treatment with Miralax in children with constipation.

What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDAs Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

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Common Side Effects Of Laxatives

We take laxatives when we feel constipated or find it difficult having a bowel movement. When you take a laxative, it helps in giving you relieve from the discomfort caused by constipation.

There are several types of laxatives and each of them works in a different way to treat and prevent constipation. Some laxatives will bring water into the colon in order to make the stool softer and easier to come out. Other laxatives force the intestinal muscles to contract so that they can remove stool.

Regardless of how they work, they all perform one function, which is to make bowel movement possible and easier.

But do laxatives have side effects?

The answer is YES. Laxatives do have side effects when taken.

Some of the most common side effects of laxatives include the following:

  • Stomach cramps: This is one of the commonest side effects of laxatives especially laxatives that are harsh. These types of laxatives will get the job done for you but will leave you suffering from stomach cramps.
  • Bloating and gas: Laxatives can also cause bloating and gas. This is true for osmotic laxatives such as Milk of Magnesia, Miralax, Citrucel, etc. These laxatives work by absorbing water from tissues in the body and sending the water into the intestine in order for the water to soften the stool and make bowel movement possible. But in the course of doing this, osmotic laxatives will leave you suffering from bloating and gas.
    • TAGS

    The Case For Probiotics In Ibs

    How Long Does It Take For Miralax to Work?

    DrMR: Right. Agreed. What about probiotics? One could make the case There have been a handful of clinical trials showing that probiotics can actually decontaminate SIBO out of the small bowel. There have been, I believe, at least 99. That was about six months ago. So at this point, theres probably well over 99 clinical trials in IBS showing benefit with probiotics.

    I feel that they sometimes dont get the attention they deserve. Possibly because theres many different formulas and quality regulation could be a concern. What are your thoughts on probiotics?

    DrPW: I am positive about probiotics. Im not sure if theyre suitable for the sort of patients we see in the tertiary care Suicidal group, weve got pain like labor pains, they look pregnant all the time and terrible bowels. I see probiotics as modulators of the gut. I say to patients, I think these things sort of harmonize the activity of the gut. We did a study some years ago with a probiotic. Its always difficult to think youre giving a little tiny probiotic, a few million into an ecosystem thats got trillions. How can it change it?

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    Is It Ok To Take Colace Every Day

    ColaceColacebe takendaysColacebe takenColaceWhat are the symptoms of fecal impaction?

  • liquid stool leaking from the rectum.
  • pain or discomfort in the abdomen.
  • abdominal bloating.
  • feeling the need to push.
  • a headache.
  • Stop taking stool softeners or laxatives until diarrhea has stopped.
  • Stop doing your bowel program until diarrhea has stopped.
  • Protect your skin with a skin barrier like A& D ointment, Desitin or Vaseline.
  • Can I Take Miralax If Im Pregnant Or Breastfeeding

    FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether polyethylene glycol 3350 will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

    It is not known whether polyethylene glycol 3350 passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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    Conditions Treated By Dulcolax And Miralax

    Dulcolax tablets and suppositories are used for the temporary relief of occasional constipation and irregularity. The tablets produce a bowel movement in six to 12 hours, and the suppositories work quicker, producing a bowel movement in 15-60 minutes.

    Miralax is also indicated for the relief of occasional constipation and irregularity and produces a bowel movement in one to three days.

    Dulcolax or Miralax are often used in bowel preparation for a procedure, such as a colonoscopy. When you are preparing for a procedure, your surgeon will give you a list of foods and drinks you can consume on a clear liquid diet, along with a bowel prep procedure.

    Condition
    Yes

    Electrolyte Disturbances With Excessive Use Of Miralax

    A nurse said to give my 10 month old miralax to help her constipation. Is that safe?

    The hazard of MiraLax in the elderly Doesnt stop at losing fluid. MiraLax-induced diarrhea can result in the loss of essential elements for your body.

    Common electrolytes to be affected are potassium, sodium, and calcium.

    But also note that electrolyte disturbance is a rare complication. It usually results from extreme or prolonged diarrhea in the debilitated elderly.

    Wise use of MiraLax in the elderly will not result in diarrhea or electrolyte disturbance.

    Polyethylene glycol is an . Osmotic laxatives work by drawing water inside your colon to produce its laxative effect.

    Polyethylene glycol can easily result in electrolyte disturbance in the elderly. However, MiraLax is formulated in a way to reduce this risk to its minimum. Polyethylene Glycol in MiraLax is Mixed with electrolytes to compensate for its loss.

    Risk factors of MiraLax-induced electrolyte disturbances :

    • Age extremities .
    • High doses of Miralax .
    • Prolonged diarrhea or repeated vomiting following MiraLax intake.
    • dehydration in the elderly.
    • Poor oral intake .
    • chronic diseases such as liver cirrhosis, kidney impairment, or heart failure.
    • Taking medication that causes electrolyte disturbance as diuretics.

    Hazards of Miralax-induced electrolyte disturbances.

    • Lethargy.
    • The affection of your heart .
    • Nausea or vomiting.
    • Diarrhea or constipation.
    • Extreme cases can lead to seizures, coma, or death.

    Electrolyte disturbances are minimal with MiraLax. It only develops with faulty use of MiraLax .

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    Common Problems You Can Self

    You can treat several common problems related to thestomach and intestines. Heartburn and sour stomach can be treated withantacids, products such as Zantac 150 or Prevacid 24HR. However, youmust read each part of the label closely, as each product carries agelimits, safe time limits for self-use, warnings, precautions, dosinginformation, and conditions under which you should see a physician. Ifyou ignore any of these items, you risk serious harm in many ways, suchas by failure to get diagnosis and treatment for cancer.

    You can also treat constipation with several differenttypes of laxatives. When choosing a laxative, choose safer products suchas docusate . Avoid mineral oil and castor oil,and be sure you do not overuse such stimulants as senna and bisacodyl,as they can lead to dependence. Check the age limits on each package anddo not give a product to a patient under the ages stated on the label.

    You can self-treat diarrhea in patients aged 6 years andabove with loperamide or in those aged 12 years and abovewith bismuth subsalicylate . In each case, as always, makesure to read and follow the entire label.

    When self-treating constipation or diarrhea, you must makesure that the conditions do not persist beyond a certain time , because they are no longer safe to treat without a physicianscare.

    Common Side Effects Of Dulcolax Vs Miralax

    The most common side effects of Dulcolax include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. If you use the suppository form, you may feel local rectal irritation. Serious side effects may include electrolyte imbalance or loss of colon function, after taking Dulcolax for too long. If you are still constipated after using Dulcolax for seven days, consult your healthcare provider. Consult your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of these serious side effects.

    The most common side effects of Miralax include nausea, stomach cramping, and gas. Serious side effects may include excessive bowel movements, persistent diarrhea, severe stomach pain, bloody stools, or rectal bleeding. Consult your healthcare provider right away if you experience any serious side effects.

    With either drug, rare but serious allergic reactions may occur. If you experience itching/swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, or trouble breathing, seek immediate medical attention.

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    For Gas Bloating And Abdominal Pain

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