# Movicol (miralax?)



## Lauzy (Feb 7, 2010)

Hi all,How many movicol sachets do you have to take a day for it to take effect???? Everyone seems to find it different! So just wondered what you all do with the stuff???I have been taking sennekot with tons of success for ages but i fear i'm becoming a bit immune....Anyway, thought I'd give it a break and go back to the movicol for a while....even tho i think that last time the effects weren't great- I just kinda went a bit and not properly! But gotta try these things!!!So i'm trying 3 sachets a day at the mo but i'm not seeing much movement....so just wondered what your thoughts were?Thanks, Lau xxx


----------



## enoughalready! (Apr 21, 2011)

It's hard to know, sometimes two is enough sometimes I need 4 a day. 3 a day seems to be about right, but I always try to get it down to 2. Best to play it by ear, day to day and juggle the dose as necessary. With me there is a 2 - 3 day lag period for the change of dose to take effect. It's annoying and Movicol is not perfect, but it's the best there is for me to keep things moving, moving, moving. Sometimes I get splattery/windy/worms instead of a proper BM, but I don't care, anything is better than constipation. I try to balance the Movicol to get a daily MB, and for it to be soft/pulpy consistency. Usually I succeed. Any efforts to get a more "formed" BM, by reducing the dose, adding psyllium or whatever, only ends in constipation.


----------



## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Sometimes half a sachet works for me and other times I need 4 - its really trial and error! You may find that you still need to take Senokot maybe once or twice a week on top of it as sometimes Movicol gives that incomplete feeling, so maybe take the Senokot for a day or two till it stabilises and then maybe start on the Movicol. Three sachets a day sounds about right - are you taking them all at night or are you taking some during the day? Some people work better by taking one in the morning and then some at night. Remember with Movicol you need to drink plenty of water so it can do its job!Hope you get some relief!Em xx


----------



## Lauzy (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks for your advice- I'm giving 1 in the morn and 2 at night a go. Yep was thinking senekot every couple of days for the time being and see what happens!Thanks for your thoughts, hope you are well! x


----------



## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Hanging together lol, what about yourself? By the way, much nicer mixed in with lemonade I've found - almost borders on nice (almost)!


----------



## Lauzy (Feb 7, 2010)

I must be so wierd Em, cuz i can take moviocol with such ease! It just dn't bother me! the only time i've found it too hideous was when i did the whole drink 6 or whatever it is over a couple of hours-don't fancy repeating that!!!I'm ok, but been stressed out with work so not been eating good, which makes be bloated and blocked up, now my usual laxatives don't work and it makes me feel too miserable to get dressed!!! Ob for wk I have been-but now it fri night and Im in joggers and a huge t shirt!!! Can't even look at my belly it it just too shocking. i feel like i need to get all the rubbish out of my body then have a go at eating better-even tho i normally fail cuz i get the awful trapped wind. i think it's cuz i try to overhaul my eating completely. Need to choose a few reasonably healthy things and just start with them i guess.Someone at wk (who gets bad constipation-particularly when not eating well) recommened a detox she does on a weekend-mango juice and prunes are the main elements, then it's just like water, pep tea etc. She reckons it always helps, so dunno whether to try that this weekend.Anyway, hows things with you?? Any luck with anything lately?? xxx


----------



## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Ow so sorry to hear its been so bad. I know with me any time I'd loads of work on my plate I ended up with really bloated tummy and really badly constipated and it just zaps your energy being so bloated and full all the time! You should maybe try having the odd bath during times of stress and really unwinding. Epsom salts are supposed to be really good and might help you get a good night's sleep - always a must for me when stressed!That's good the Movicol's working for ya - its just like drinking water or juice. I just have a very bad reaction to it, if I've more than four I start vomiting now and once gave me a migraine but my doctor told me that was due to dehydration. Yeah the 6 sachet treatment is a bit rough - talk about rumbling in your tummy lol!I've been trying to be better diet wise but it just doesn't work with me - makes the whole situation worse so not gonna worry about it, will just invest in a really good multivitamin lol! One thing I actually can have which is disgusting but gets my veggies in me is making up vegetable juices - spinach is pretty good and actually felt better after it. Doesn't upset my stomach as much all pulped up lol! Maybe making up your own smoothies with strawberries, bananas and grape juice or something could be something you could do to get some fruit in you. But yeah you're definitely better starting on the Movicol and then starting the healthy eating - I find if I'm really bad eating healthier only makes it worse! Haha I hear you about being in your jogging bottoms and stuff - when you're this bloated the last thing you want is a waistband digging into you. I thought I'd put on a stone cos some of my pyjama bottoms were getting a bit tight until I read the label - size 8, no wonder they were tight - with all the bloating I'm definitely more a size 10-12 even though only a 6-8 on top!Trapped wind is awful! Best thing I find is a hot water bottle, plenty of drinks and peppermint oil capsules. Have you ever tried them? Generally antispasmodics don't work on me but I actually found them really good for trapped wind!Suppose the detox could be something to try. I've tried doing all fruit detoxes but just ended up too weak doing them, but doing it during a weekend you'll be able to put your feet up a bit more I suppose.Well been for second transit test, taking that new drug Resolor and was improved on the last one - I actually went a few times, hurrah! But the bowels are misbehaving as usual. Got my GP to push the gastroenterologist to investigate an internal prolapse because he reckons I've got the symptoms of one. Also been having some problems passing black, tarry stools (sorry prob TMI!) and knew it wasn't good so went to doctor about it. He told me to go down to A+E to get my blood tested because it can be a sign of a bleed from an ulcer somewhere so went down, bloods came back fine but had another urine infection - third this year so have been on antibiotics as well for the past week Anyway this other doctor is writing to my gastroenterologist to do an endoscopy to see if I've any stomach ulcers so he'll have letters coming outta his ears from GPs I've seen lol! Its just frustrating waiting but sure, what can you do?Hope you're feeling better soon and can enjoy wearing something with a non elasticated waistband lol!Em xx


----------



## Lauzy (Feb 7, 2010)

Wouldn't it be so lovely Em if you could just have a normal week-where you didn't have to worry about it and have any problems??!!! I would love that!!Anyway, sorry to hear about your infection, you really have suffered with that lately. Hope you feeling better!Well, i remember why i don't take movicol anymore-bloating, wind and loads of little BMs thru the day, which, TMI but just makes me sore!!!! So i have stopped it before i even got started!!!! Took sennekot last night-no movement. Not sure whether to up the dose or try dulcolax or something. or perhaps just use suppositories for a little while. Not sure, what is your opinion???? Sorry just helps to hear someone elses thoughts.Well woke up this morn feeling good in the tum (except no movement!) a lot less bloated etc. Stuck to the whole mango juice and prunes detox thing yest and was good. But did feel too weak to function this morn!! So have had a bowl of bran flakes-figure it might move things and i like them- and then mango juice and prunes for rest of day now. See how i feel. i'd stick with it if it made me feel good-no bloating, wind etc. Don't think anything gonna make me go to the loo without meds tho......Anyway, sorrt to moan a bit! Hope you ok , lau xxxx


----------



## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

It would be but sure you wouldn't appreciate the good days as much! Actually feel worse since coming off the antibiotics - have to give another urine sample on Monday to make sure its all gone. I know, its funny when I'm really desperate I think oh sure I'll take some Movicol and it'll be ok and then end up feeling even crapper. I think its the small BMs that just exhaust you and can never really tell how much more there is to come. I wouldn't take anymore Senokot till tonight - sometimes with me it doesn't kick into action till around lunchtime. I'd just eat nice and light today and take it tonight cos you don't wanna be sending your system outta whack especially if you're back in school tomorrow - don't want any mad dashes to the loo lol! If you're really uncomfortable try one of the wee suppositories. Glad you felt a bit better this morning. Those fruit fasts are brilliant in principle but after 12 hours of it I begin to get faint and have to stop it. So now I just don't even bother. Maybe just even sticking to fruit for breakfast might help your bowels a bit - I did it for a while and worked great. I'd just have some mixed berries, kiwis and maybe the odd prune with some apple juice. Really tasty in the summer too! Plus the mixed berries you can get frozen from the supermarket and they work out loads cheaper!Has your doctor ever prescribed you sodium picosulphate (Laxoberal)? Sometimes it can be useful in really stubborn cases - I've read about some kids who don't go for 9-10 days and Movicol doesn't work for them and for them it can work really well. Its the one I'm on. It does cause you cramps but might be a bit more predictable that the Senokot. Sometimes with me the laxatives don't work everyday, usually worse if I have a cold or not feeling well. I just try and ignore it, eat lightly for the rest of the day, drink plenty of liquids and usually resolves. Sometimes as well its a good idea to add a softener in as well as the Senokot to make it work a bit better - either lactulose or sodium docusate but depends who hard your stools are. But they tend to make me more bloated and nauseous so try and avoid it as much as possible. I just joined the IBS network the other day, cost me £24 but they've loads of useful information on their websites and send you out magazines every now and again. One of the publications on the website said not to feel guilty about needing to keep laxatives, that its more important to keep the bowels open and that its better to take a small dose everyday than taking it when needed. Made me feel a bit better about it, but still would love to go without them!As for eating barely any fruit or veg, I'm now gonna start taking a liquid multivitamin see if I feel any better. Also got Complan to try to try and keep my energy levels up. Its so hard because I was trying to eat better recently but my gut flared up so much I'm back to Haribo, crackers and cheese and icecream







No wonder I feel #### - really craving broccoli too but no it doesn't love me lol! Put on all my weight again though - well over 7.5 stone so better from that point of view - just wish I felt it!Don't worry about having a bit of a moan - no-one feels good when they're all bloated and bleughhh!Hope you have a good week!Em xx


----------

