# Please share your Amitiza side effects



## Kelby (May 23, 2007)

I’ve been taking Amitiza for a couple of months now (once in the a.m.). Initially I didn’t like it cuz, like most people, I felt really nauseous for most of the morning and my chest felt tight and phlegmy for 2 or 3 hours after taking it. But after just a few days the nausea let up a bit and was not so problematic. My chest still gets a bit phlegmy, but I don’t count that as too terrible. It was definitely helping me poop, albeit my bowel movements were watery. Truth be told, on Amitiza I’m having about half a dozen very watery stools each morning. I work at home so I can get away with visiting the bathroom every ½ hour. I know this all sounds not so positive, but it was cleaning me out and my tummy has been feeling very comfortable, empty and unbloated. Chronic constipation is such a misery. Even with all the annoyances I just listed, it’s all been worth it to have an empty, comfortable colon each day. HOWEVER, the status quo is changing. I’m starting to have a miserable time trying to wake up in the morning (and I've always been a morning person). I’ve developed a terrible pressure headache that wasn’t an issue in the early days of Amitiza. Not only have I developed this pressure headache and miserable morning fatigue, but I feel extremely cranky and agitated as well. These additional side effects are too troublesome to tip the scale on the side of good and I’m afraid I need to stop the Amitiza. I’m so bummed. This means going back to never, and I mean NEVER, having a bowel movement without desperate intervention (enemas, harsh laxatives, etc.). Has anyone else had these kinds of symptoms with Amitiza?


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## lorilou (May 9, 2003)

I took it for a couple days andn quit b/c it made me go less than the normal routine- also take miralx and MOM- i go three good times thhne with the hlep of zelnorm i can get the last time out and feel complete- wasnt on it long enough to find out if there were more side effects- i only took the pm dose as i wanted to avoid the nausea. sorry I cant be of more helpGod bless,lori


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## bandesmommy (Jun 22, 2007)

Kelby said:


> I've been taking Amitiza for a couple of months now (once in the a.m.). Initially I didn't like it cuz, like most people, I felt really nauseous for most of the morning and my chest felt tight and phlegmy for 2 or 3 hours after taking it. But after just a few days the nausea let up a bit and was not so problematic. My chest still gets a bit phlegmy, but I don't count that as too terrible. It was definitely helping me poop, albeit my bowel movements were watery. Truth be told, on Amitiza I'm having about half a dozen very watery stools each morning. I work at home so I can get away with visiting the bathroom every ½ hour. I know this all sounds not so positive, but it was cleaning me out and my tummy has been feeling very comfortable, empty and unbloated. Chronic constipation is such a misery. Even with all the annoyances I just listed, it's all been worth it to have an empty, comfortable colon each day. HOWEVER, the status quo is changing. I'm starting to have a miserable time trying to wake up in the morning (and I've always been a morning person). I've developed a terrible pressure headache that wasn't an issue in the early days of Amitiza. Not only have I developed this pressure headache and miserable morning fatigue, but I feel extremely cranky and agitated as well. These additional side effects are too troublesome to tip the scale on the side of good and I'm afraid I need to stop the Amitiza. I'm so bummed. This means going back to never, and I mean NEVER, having a bowel movement without desperate intervention (enemas, harsh laxatives, etc.). Has anyone else had these kinds of symptoms with Amitiza?


I lasted a whole 3 days on Amitiza, I couldn't deal with the heavy chest and shortness of breath. No headaches though, maybe the crankiness and agitation are being brought on by the headaches? What does your doc say?


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## nogo (Dec 18, 2006)

At first I had the headache and a bit of nausea, now I have no noticeable side effects but it doesn't seem to work either! I am concerned though because, even though it doesn't seem to be working like it should, I have been taking colace at night and Amitiza in the morning so most days I will have a small BM. My concern is that I have been having HORRIBLE, painful bladder issues and my pee seems a bit oily. Is it remotely possible that amitiza or colace cross over and it has affected my bladder. It could be just the over activity of the bowel causing the bladder to spasm, but I am miserable, going little bits of pee nearly 40 times a day. I had a hydrodistention, CT, MRI and two surgeries to check the bladder and they were OK. SOMETHING is making the pee a bit oily and very uncomfortable. I swear the colace or the amitiza are at fault. Any of those symptoms like yours??


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## sarah1138 (Feb 26, 2008)

Dear Kelby- I feel you girl! I'm a 29 yr old female, been struggling with the poo situation since birth. My mother used to have to hold me down, kicking and screaming, to inject me with Fleet every night. I remember pain, bleeding and throwing up almost all my life. There are days when I swear I have two vagina's and they are both capable of getting a period. I ask the doctors (as in plural, more then one)-Doc's claim I was sexually abused and that is the root cause, which is ####-no pun intended. Wow, thanks for really listening and trying to diagnose me you hacks! Like everyone I've tried everything in order to "go". Senakot, fiber drinks, laxatives. Heck- I have even tried, starving myself, eating nothing but whole grains and roughage, SALINE solutions, etc, etc, etc. I used Miralax when Zelnorm went off the market. Who's bright idea that ever was in the first place. I love Zelnorm. It was my hero. I never had a lick of problems, it worked great, no side effects and guess what I POO'D! yeah for me! Finally, after oh say NEVER being able to go. Yeah, you read it right never. If I dont' take something, I could win the Guiness Book on how many weeks I can go without having 1 single bowel movement. I look pregnant, because of the bloating and water retention. And I mean, like I have had people come up and ask me when I am do, because there is a big ol ball on my stomache. When I poo, magically that ball goes away. I'm in constant discomfort. Miralax is ok. I take 1 small cup of coffee a day and put it in there. I may have 1 small glass of diet gingerale as well for the tummy upset. Other then that, I usually drink water and try to eat sensably. They now have me on Amitiza which was made by the devil himself I am sure of it. I feel like a wreck. I didn't even realize it may be the drug until I started reading all these blogs about it. So can I just ask, how do we as a collective Amitiza-hating group get our beloved Zelnorm back on the market? Why the heck did they take it away anyway? I dont' understand why we can't have a choice- WHY CAN THERE BE ONLY ONE?!! Why can't those who like Amitiza, go with that craziness and have fun. And us Zelnormies, take what works for us. Strokes and heart attacks be damned- I want what works. Try not pooping for say two weeks, then come back to me with some bs about eating more fruits n veggies and putting something that looks like grass in your water every morning!! One small, lovely, wonderful white pill saved all my problems and they ripped it away from me like taking a new born kitten from its' mother. I am withdrawing hardcore from that, amoungst all my other problems. I take anti-depressants, allergy meds, etc. I can't deal with anymore insance side effects like YOU MAY LOSE A BABY IF YOUR PREGANT OR BECOME PREGNANT ?? WTF? is with that! Forget the abortion pill, here's an Amitiza!! I never heard that with Zelnorm. Not to mention my husband and I think we might actually want to become pregant like sometime in my life. What's the point of me even taking it now, btw you may get cramps and nausea, flu-like symptoms, un-controled bowel movements...but wait you may have a miscarriage too! Here's the cherry for that messed up sundae! UHHHHH! Someone please just tell me there is something I can do. Does anyone know of a petition to get the big-Z back?


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## sally-p (Nov 1, 2001)

Sarah: You can get Zelnorm from medsmex.com. I have been using them since April of last year. I too am a Zelnormie, nothing else compares. I know that sometimes IBS abates during pregnancy. My firend's daughter had three children, all three times it stoppepd! Please get some Z from medsmex and have a good life! Sally-p


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Amitiza did nothing for me except bloating and gas--yuck!


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## zeppod (Feb 29, 2008)

kelby,amitiza did not help me at all. (i'm a non-recovering zelnorm user). it gave me terrible headaches and made me so dizzy, i couldn't drive. zelnorm was the only drug that worked for me.hope you're feeling better.


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## zeppod (Feb 29, 2008)

i don't know how to get zelnorm back for sure, but, i have called novartis and the fda. you might be able to get it through the treatment ind program. talk to your doctor. i'm trying to get it through this program. it takes a very long time. i've been waiting since october. call novartis and call the fda. they keep track of zelnorm calls. keep calling! i will.


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## tova194 (Jan 14, 2008)

I haven't come across one person who was happy with the drug. All i have read is horrible side effect and misery while on it. Makes you wonder how come the drug is still on the market


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## filly (Mar 5, 2008)

I took this drug for a few days and felt bad the entire time. I decided to stop taking it when I was at the washing machine transferring a load of clothes to the dryer and I went (watery) right then and there...no warning whatsoever! I'm just glad I was at home when it happened. Decided this was not the treatment for me. They should remove this and put Zelnorm back on the market. Zelnorm was the only thing that ever worked for me. My dr was even on Zelnorm and she loved it, too.


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## zen6925 (Mar 5, 2008)

I also am a Zelnorm junkie who has had absolutely horrid side effects from the Amitza. I've had IBS since i was 11 and Zelnorm is one of the only 2 drugs that ever worked for me. Of course they had to recall them both. I'm with all of you. Screw the side effects; i'll take my chances. It's better than being in pain and pregnant looking 3/4ths of your life (which would be fine if i was pregnant). It's obvious the people that work at the med company have never had to deal with this or they wouldn't let such a miralce cure go off the market! May we all continue on our quest to stay pain and bloated free and poop at least once a day. I truly envy people who can go to the bathroom every morning. How sad is my life


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## 15226 (Apr 30, 2007)

Amitiza made me feel horribleeee. I got so incredibly nauseous after I took it. I'd have to lay down and close my eyes and hope it would pass. When it would, my intestines felt like they were freaking out and I'd get these horrible cramps, but nothing would come. I also felt really REALLY feverish.It was sickkk. :[


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

same here--amitiza made me feel incredibly, horribly nauseous and bloated with no results. nothing like zelnorm. zelnorm produces that peristalic push to get things out--and no nausea either-- but all amitiza did was make me sick--nothing moved. i was so disappointed with amitiza. i kept reading the clinical trial reports on it and wondering how it could have possibly helped so many people. just goes to show how different people are in their reactions to meds--but for me it was utterly miserable.


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## Etiels (Mar 13, 2008)

Amitiza did absolutely nothing for me. No side effects, no nothing, just useless. I had the same result from Zelnorm.


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