# Not so sure about Amitiza...help?



## jhowell28 (Feb 13, 2013)

So, I finally started on Amitiza (24mcg, 2x/day) last Monday after my doctor's office battled for a month with my insurance company. Since they fought so hard for me to put on it, I feel really bad but I don't think it's working for me. I've been taking it for a week now and I have hardly noticed a change in my BM's. I was only going little "pebbles" every 5-7 days (no where near a full BM) and now I have little pebbles every 2-3 days but still no where near a full BM. But, the Amitiza makes me very uncomfortable...bloating, terrible gas and EXTREME cramps. I get the sensation that I'm about to have diarrhea and need to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW. But then when I try to go, it's only a tiny bit so I sit there and suffer until it goes away because I can't have a BM.

How much longer should I wait before I tell my doctor that I don't think it's working? I didn't want to call after only a week and have him tell me to stick it out but this really sucks and I don't even remember the last time I had a full BM. It's getting to the point where I feel I'm so constipated it's affecting my bladder and pushing on it so I have to pee all the time and/or that I can't full empty it.

Does anyone have any advice or have been in a similar situation? Any advice is appreciated!


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## stressedmess (Jul 11, 2012)

Im sorry amitiza isn't working the way u wanted it too. I say to stick it out for a month. It took amitiza a full month and a half to start working 100% for me. However, I am not on it anymore because I prefer Linzess more, but that doesnt mean amitiza was never good for me, because it was.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

HI

yes it is frustrating when your doc's office has to battle your insurance company so hard to finally get coverage and then it turns out that the med doesn't work for you.

and yes i had the same problems with amitiza--both dose strengths--lots of bloating, gas and pain with little or no results. somehow i managed to stay on amitiza for about ten days and it was such a relief when i finally went off it.

the clinical trials i've read for amitiza said "60 % of patients who used amitiza experienced a spontaneous bowel movement within the first 24 hours." and of course your mileage may vary. we're all so different in how we react to meds. and i imagine if someone is really backed up especially with hardened stool before taking it that it would take longer for it to work. sometimes these meds work better if you do a clean out first since they're not laxatives and seem better at regulating bowel movements than clearing out lots of hardened backed up stuff.

with me, i got so i just couldn't stand the misery any longer so i quit taking it.

also--it does come in a weaker strength--8 mcg. some people have found that the 8 mcg worked better for them with fewer side effects.

and there's also linzess--another very expensive med that came out late last year. it works a lot like amitiza but it has helped some people who didn't have luck with amitiza.


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## Justhealthier (Apr 13, 2013)

Hi I just finding my way around the boards and just found this - I have been on Amitiza since 2009 24mg 2x a day in the beginning it took about 10 days for me to get the full effects of the pills to work - then I got days of D so I backed down to 1 24mg a day and I was fine on that, but also took Metamucil with it. As for the insurance your doctors can contact the insurance company and explain the medical necessity for you to be on it and then it should be covered. I also had insurance issues with Amitiza because it is a Brand name and costly.

But now I am have more motility issues and my doctor wanted me to switch to Linzess but then said it might not work for me because my chronic c is due to an autonomic dysfunction.


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## kewlness41 (May 28, 2013)

I was on Amitiza and had bad side effects. I was very dizzy and felt like I was about to throw up and pass out all at the same time, I also had really bad gas, bloating and bad cramping in my stomach it felt like someone was stabbing me I called my doctor after taking it for 7 days and he said to stop it right away. If its making you that uncomfortable you should stop taking it. It sucks that doctors have to spend so much time fighting with insurance to get coverage for things people really need. If you feel like you can stick it out then do that but don't stay on it because you don't want to disappoint your doctor for fighting so hard for it that's his job! Hope you feel better soon


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