# Taking Immodium and Dulcolax on same day?



## KCTony7 (Jan 18, 2004)

I suffer from mostly IBS-D, but towards the end of the week (Friday), I really start to feel constipated after 4 straight days of taking Immodium.I don't mind the constipation, but sometimes it gets bad, where I have a lot of pain, and the worst part is I have a lot of trapped gas, and a feeling or intense bloating and pressure which causes a lot of unpleasant gurgling sounds (which are difficult to deal with since I have to sit in crowded, quiet 2 hour classes every day).Because of this I try to use the weekend to "clean out" so to speak and to help get the ball rolling I take 2 Dulcolax laxatives on Friday afternoon, after my class.I don't think this is healthy, but I don't know what else to do. I've tried not taking Immodium on Friday morning, but I've found then I have to leave class several times to use the bathroom (my IBS-D trigger is the stress and anxiety I have of sitting in a quiet, crowded classroom). And when I do take the Immodium I don't have the urge to use the bathroom, but because of NOT going to the bathroom since Sunday (b/c of taking Immodium every day, since I have classes M-F) I suffer from the constipation symptoms I described above.Once I'm out of the classroom setting though and this IBS-D trigger is gone I have a hard time going to the bathroom without the help of Dulcolax.So to sum things up, how unhealthy is it to be taking a dose of a laxative such as Dulcolax just 6-7 hours after taking Immodium?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't know that there is any special problem with taking the two in a particular time frame.But I would suggest trying a lower dose of Imodium. Sounds like you are taking too much if you do not have bowel movements at all for 5 days straight.Instead of not taking it (which causes you problems in class) try cutting back the dose. So if you take X at a time, take X-1 at a time.If you only take one (and they do not cut well) try getting the liquid version of Imodium and work down to the dose that still lets you have a BM in the morning before you go to class almost every day (the time the colon is most active and it is common to have a BM) rather than a dose that when taken daily menas you do not go for days on end. You might look at trying Calcium with meal to see if that controls the diarrhea but that can also be something you need to play with dose.K.


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## kateandtink (Sep 1, 2004)

if this is an every week thing you are taking too much immodium. i have predominat D but have had a few weks of constant C and i hadnt taken any of my immodium.... you should ring your pharmacy up ask them.occasional C caused by immodium isnt bad but if you having it often you need to lower your dose esp as you risk immunity/interlorance if you are taking more than you need thus immodium may not work whne you need them most


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