# Amitiza



## tummyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Hi, anyone take amitiza? I just started taking 8 mcg twice a day and was wondering what others thought of it. Let me know!


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## eliza0104 (Jan 24, 2009)

I take 24 (or 25mcg can't remember off the top of my head) 2X a day. At first, it helped with the constipation. But that was just for the first few days. I have been on it since September and it isn't helping me in the constipation dept. I find Amitiza helps w/ the bloating and pain of distented stomach. Good luck!!


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## RKO1990 (Dec 5, 2008)

i was on it for ahwile and it helped then stoped. Still in hell.


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## SpaceNeedle (Jul 22, 2000)

Everyone reacts to medications a bit differently, but Amitiza kicked my butt then threw me down the staircase!headacheswelling of your face, lipsswelling in your (legs), ankles, or feetjoint or muscle pain (knees)bloating..I got all of these.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

spaceneedle---great way to put it. i also had all that swelling and bloating with amitiza--tremendous amount of swelling--even my legs ankles and feet. totally unexpected. i also had a lot of nausea. and unfortunately after all of that, amitiza didn't help my constipation a bit. and yes, you're right---everyone reacts a bit differently to meds. according to the clinical trials on amitiza many of the participants found it worked. i was so disappointed. but it was worth a try no matter how bizarre my reaction was.


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## tummyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks for the input. I would love to hear from someone who had a positive result. So far for me I can tell it had an affect on my gut, but still not sold. I go to the bathroom which is always great but I am still not consistently feeling great. As for side effects. At first my doctor put me on 24 mg once a day and I could not handle it. The nausea was terrible. Now on the 8 mg twice a day I don't feel bad at all. However I am still curious about the med and others reactions.


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## chick2 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi tummyA...wish I could give you positive feedback but I can't. Tried both 8 & 24 mg. I had chest pains on the higher dosage and got a bladder infection on the lower dosage. I could not tell a difference at all and I really felt worse on it. I am now trying Lactulose and seeing results. Hope you find the information that you are looking for.


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## fizzixgal (Apr 6, 2007)

I can't say the Amitiza has made a huge difference by itself but here is where I was and what I did: about 2 months ago I cut out eating Hershey's unsweetened chocolate because it's high in oxalates and now I have kidney stones.







That led to serious C. I thought I was developing tolerance to zelmac and considered taking a holiday from it, but was too scared of getting even worse C. Some of my symptoms (nausea) made me think I was having partial obstructions that resolved by themselves. So I was getting very scared. I was taking a high dose calcium channel blocker (verapamil) so I cut that in half, which helped for a week or so but then I started getting bogged down again. So I added 8 mg amitiza b.i.d. with food, leaving everything else the same (still taking zelmac). Those are all the changes I made to my regimen, and since starting the Amitiza I've had no problems at all, I'm going normally every day and even the trapped gas is as manageable as it was when I first started zelnorm.So I think but am not 100% certain that I've had a positive result from amitiza. To be sure I would need to stop it, but better not to change what's not broke!BTW the 24 mg amitiza was a DISASTER for me: nausea, bloating, gas, feeling generally terrible. 8 mg is a whole different experience.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Fizzix i remember reading on the board here when amitiza first came out that some people were having great success with taking both amitiza and zelnorm. like someone said, taking both amitiza and zelnorm worked better than taking either of them alone. glad it works for you. hope the kidney stones are gone..


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## fizzixgal (Apr 6, 2007)

Thanks Annie, I must have missed those posts. It's good to know I'm not in uncharted waters, taking both together. I'm having lithotripsy for the kidney stones tomorrow, so today is bowel prep day. The doctor doesn't require it, but they can't see my kidneys too well usually with either ultrasound or x-ray because of "bowel contents" so it's my choice. All his office says I need is 10 oz Mag Citrate, I hope that's enough. Wish me luck.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Fizzix--good luck! both with the prep and tomorrow with the procedure--hope it isn't too painfull...and hope it gets rid of those nasty stones!


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## tummyA (Dec 11, 2008)

I am still taking the 8 mg of Amitiza and have been going to the bathroom well. I have not had any nausea with this dose. But still having gas and some mild pain. Before taking Amitiza I would not say i had chronic constipation, but more of a sluggish colon. I often would not fully empty and others would. I think my stomach contractions don't work correctly or something. When I first started having symptoms of IBS and had an ex-ray and I was soooo backed up. The doctors all laughed saying "you are full of ######." So I think I probably am IBS-C but have been able to deal with it better and better over the years. Anyway my doctor suggested Amitiza and so far I think it helps. I am not feeling 100% but I think it is better. Just hate being gassy... my biggest complaint. Also I have been taking Benefiber as well, and eating Activia. So all of this combined seems to help.


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## tummyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Oh, also is Zelmac and Zelnorm the same? What is the difference?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

tummy--yes zelmac and zelnorm are the same--both are tegaserod maleate. zelnorm is the us name. they call it zelmac in other countries.glad amitiza is working for you along with the rest of your regimen. you're right--many times it's not one thing but a combination of things that helps. the trick is finding the right combination.


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