# Milk of Magnesia delayed release?



## Brian0003 (Nov 5, 2006)

I'm just curious it Milk of Magnesia can work 3 days after you take it.It has happened before, I will take the milk of magnesia and basically it will not work for 1-2 days. I will get bloated and pass a lot of gas but it won't start working until 1 day or more when of course its really effective







.Aren't you suppose to take milk of magnesia at night and be relieved the following morning. It never works that way.....the stool becomes liquidfied but it usually takes about 1 day.


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## Sean (Feb 8, 1999)

For most people, Milk of Magnesia should work overnight if taken at bedtime. However, if you have chronic constipation, particularly colonic inertia or slow transit constipation, it can take longer for laxatives to work. Every person responds differently. There are also other variables. Any saline laxative works better if taken on a completely empty stomach and followed with adequate amounts of water. If you take it on a full stomach and without a fairly large amount of water, it may be less effective.I have colonic inertia and I have to say that I too experience delayed results from laxatives. Some stimulant laxatives that are supposed to work in 8 hours wind up taking 24 to 36 hours. For my first colonoscopy, I did the prep where you take 2 doses of phospho soda about four hours apart beginning the afternoon before. Supposedly you are cleaned out before bedtime. I did not even have my first bowel movement until after arriving at the hospital the next morning. Not good.How much MOM are you taking? You may need a larger dose. Also, are you taking it on an empty stomach and following it with a decent amount of water?Ther bloating and the gas you are experiencing might indicate that it is not moving through you fast enough.


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## Brian0003 (Nov 5, 2006)

Thanks Sean,I had a colonoscopy about a month ago.Its strange that when I took the Phospo Soda it started to work right away.Or at least the 4 tablets I took before I took the soda did the job. Once I took the soda I was basically already cleared out.I have actually taken milk of magnesia and it has worked completely 2 days later.At first, it will just loosen the stool slightly on teh first day, it just won't be hard, but it will usually take over a day to work.I took 4 tablespoons last night, which I believe is the maximum, and it didn't even liquidfy the stool today. I took on an empty stomach and did everything else right.Although how would I get diagnosed with colonic inertia or slow transit, I think something like that is the type of problem I have, and they reason why I never complete evacuate.


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## lorilou (May 9, 2003)

I have to take two doses of miralx plus the 4 tbs MOM. for things to empty completely- other wise I get incomplete evac too. I think its a matter of finding a combo of things that work. I do zelnorm as well. one thing by itself does not cut it for me. it has taken me years to find this combo and I am grateful to God for the relief!!!


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## Sean (Feb 8, 1999)

Brian,A diagnosis of colonic inertia is usually made with a Sitzmark transit time test. You swallow a capsule with 24 radiopaque markers in it. Five days later, an x-ray of the abdomen is made and the number of markers still in you is counted. During the five days of the test and for several days prior, you have to abstain from laxatives, enemas, etc. The idea is to see how well your colon functions on its on. I seem to recall that if 7 or more markers are still in your colon on day five, that is an indication of colonic inertia, However, I am not positive. For my two Sitzmark tests, all 24 markers were still in my colon after five days. If your doctor has not ordered this test for you, see if you can talk him or her into it. It is non-invasive and relatively easy to do, except that you cannot take anything to induce a bm for about a week.


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