# exlax?



## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Has anyone had any experiance with this? I purchased some Tuesday and am a bit scared of taking it, I have read some reviews about it making you very ill.

I had a baby on January 28th and have not really had a bowel movement since. I passed two very tiny stools and that was it. I have a very lage stool I can not pass which is now causing me some discomfort. I have tried taking 4tbsp of milk of magnesia the past couple of nights with no luck and that usually works for me so I decided to purchase the exlax

I am trying to avoid taking an enema at all cost, I have very bad experiances with them and ended up in the hospital the past 2 times using them. Im kind of to the point where I think I would rather take something that makes me ill as long as it works just to avoid an enema


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi Chrissy

first of all, congratulations on the new baby! how wonderful!

but so sorry about your constipation. and first i just have to say that you should check with your doctor first if you are nursing because i don't know if any of these meds i am mentioning here are safe for nursing mothers to take. very important to check all that out your your doctor.

not everybody has a bad experience with exlax. we are all so different in how our bodies react to medication, OTC meds, etc. i've taken it in the past and back then it worked well for me without much cramping. and the main thing is--right now you need to get rid of all that hard backed up stool in there. so if enemas don't work for you, you do need to do something...

some other things you could try to get that stool soft and move it out of there (as long as your doc says they are safe for you to take if nursing):

more milk of magnesia--my gastro said i could take two capfuls, am and pm. if you do this long term though you'd want to get your magnesium levels checked periodically.

or you could try dulcolax to get things going which is a stimulant like exlax. just don't take dulcolax within an hour of drinking milk, milk products or antacids because that can cause some cramping, according to the package directions.

or you could try miralax--another osmotic like milk of magnesia. experiment with the dose but you may need to take extra doses of it at first to soften up all that hard stool and get things moving. my gastros have both told me miralax is very safe to take even with the extra doses and also long term. be sure to drink lots of water with it.

suppositories might help move that stool out if it's not too hard. try a glycerin suppository or else a dulcolax suppository. and they are probably the safest to take if you are nursing.

or you could try drinking a bottle of magnesium citrate. just be sure and drink a lot of water with it. that usually works to get things moving.

in the meantime, before the stool passes try to eat a soft diet, very low in fiber especially insoluable fiber, and drink lots of water, fluids, eat soup etc you don't want to add a lot of fiber into your system before this stool passes.

good luck to you! i do hope you can find some relief.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Thanks for the reply Annie. No I am not breastfeeding. I have heard good things about miralax ad magnesium citrate so those have been added to my list to try if the exlax does not work. I am going to try and take the exlax tonight, I did not want to do it last night because I have stuff to do today and from what I have read when you take it you do not want to leave home because your probably going to be spending alot of time in the bathroom.

I went to the store Tuesday and got some fiber foods and soup, I recently got back into drinking and eating. I had a horrible 4 day bug that finally went away Monday. I could not eat or drink anything and did not even want to get out of bed, I felt like I was dying.

I think I was on dulcolax before along with fiber pills but I had stopped taking them because when I became pregnant I had a huge problem with taking pills, they would not go down and would get stuck which would result in me throwing them up.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sounds like you've really been through a lot with the 4 day bug and everything. glad that's over with.

good luck with the exlax tonight. i'd stay away from fiber--especially insoluable fiber--until the hard stool passes and things get moving again. at least that's what my gastros have advised me to do when something like this happens. take care--hope you feel better tomorrow if not today.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

thanks, hopefully the exlax works and this time tomorrow im better.


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## bbrad_98 (Jan 26, 2014)

Hi Chrissy,

I don't think this will help in the short term, but if you continue to have problems, you might try Activia or a probiotic like Phillips Colon Health to keep things stable. It certainly sounds like you've had a bad several days and a new baby to take care of on top of it! I hope the exlax does the trick. Good luck.


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## Dreamcatcher32 (Nov 12, 2013)

You can also try Magnesium Citrate - high doses. Like 800mg or so to keep you 'regular' and to avoid getting SUPER backed up. I also recommend a complete switch in your diet. Most don't want to have to do this and would rather take tons of dangerous laxatives to avoid it. But if you switch to eating a lot of fiber (fruits) along with adding in oils (coconut, olive, fish) and eat things that are 100% not constipating... salads, certain soups, chicken, etc... you will get back to regularity!

I would take dulcolax before ex lax but that's just me.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Well I took 2 exlax pills at 3am and its now 9:30am. So far I feel fine, I have read post that it can take up to 12 hours to work so wec shall see. I also took 1 ducolax pill with it.

If this does not work would it be safe to up it to 3 exlax and 2 ducolax?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

yes, exlax can take a while to work, back when i was taking it, it would take a good 12 hours to work and that was four 25 mg pills. dulcolax takes about as long for me also but that's me--i'm a tough case--lol...

i don't know about mixing them---it's always a good idea to check with your doctor first.

i have found that taking an osmotic laxative like milk of mag or miralax along with a stimulant laxative (both taken a night) works better for me than taking either one alone. the osmotics alone don't work at all for me any more.

good luck--hope you can get some relief.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

annie7 said:


> yes, exlax can take a while to work, back when i was taking it, it would take a good 12 hours to work and that was four 25 mg pills. dulcolax takes about as long for me also but that's me--i'm a tough case--lol...
> 
> i don't know about mixing them---it's always a good idea to check with your doctor first.
> 
> ...


I tried taking 6tbsp of milknof magnesia and 3 ducolax pills the other nite and it didn't do anything


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh dear--so sorry these aren't working for you. you could try drinking a bottle of magnesium citrate but really i think the best thing to do at this point is see your doctor and get his/her advice on what to take and also to let the doc know you're having these problems--especially since you've been having this problems ever since having your baby. or at least call the doctor's office and leave a message with the nurse.

good luck. i do hope you can get things sorted out soon and can get some relief. it's so hard going through all this, isn't it.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Well nothing happened. Going to try 3 exlax and 2 dulcolax. If that does not work then magnesium citrate is next and if thats a no go then miralax is next. Uggg im really hoping something works because I dont want to do the enema.

I dont understand why milk of magnesia is not working, its always worked before. Im starting to think maybe the doctor messed up something during my csection, my moms friend ended up with a bow obstruction from her csection.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

so sorry nothing has worked yet. i hope you haven't developed an impaction. are you passing any stool at all? or any gas at all?

i developed an impaction when i had the sitz marker test--that transit test during which you're not supposed to take any laxatives.---no bm for five days, couldn't pass gas either and it got to the point that i was retaining urine--couldn't even pee. went to the ER where, after pumping out my bladder, the doc told me to go home and do a big quart sized enema. she said that was the best way to get rid of the impaction because it was so bad. and she did give me the choice of having them administer the enema in the ER but i much preferred to go home and do it--lol. and yes i agree--enemas are miserable. i can never get all the water out any more so i try to avoid them. but i did what she said and it did finally clear me out. i do hope the laxatives work and you don't have to resort to that since you said in your first post that enemas make you so ill.

a stronger, alternative cleanout to the mag citrate would be a very large dose of miralax--like what they have you do for a colonoscopy prep: take 3 or 4 dulcolax and then two or three hours later, mix up an 8.3 ounce bottle of miralax in 64 ounces of gatorade--mix it up very well, makes sure it dissolves. and then drink about 8 oz of it (ugh) every 10 to 20 minutes or more slowly if it makes you queasy.and drink lots of water too during all of this. it's all very unpleasant but it does get you going in a few hours or so--takes me about six to get started.

yes if you had a c section and now you're having such severe constipation problems i really do think you should make an appointment with the doctor or at least call. it could very well be that the two are related---an obstruction like your friend had, scar tissue or adhesion problems, etc. are you taking any opiod pain pills? doctors and surgeons usually prescribe those after surgery and they can be very constipating.

i do hope and pray the laxatives work for you today!


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Annie I past two small stools and have been passing gas fine. I was on two pain medications which I stopped taking last week.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh that's good--still miserable but at least you're not impacted.

maybe the pain meds, if they were opiods, slowed down your motility and hardened things up a bit in the colon. they usually do that. generally the docs tell you to take a stool softener and exlax while taking them.

you still might want to call your doc about this. after i had my bowel surgery this summer the surgeon told me to call his office if i developed any signs of an obstruction due to scar tissue or whatever--the signs being not being able to go. he said to first stick to a liquid diet and take more laxatives and if that didn't work, call the office.

i've been worried about you. it's all so miserable isn't it. hope it gets better for you.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Yes it is miserable. I have not left the house in 4 days because im afraid I may have to go while out. I dont really want to eat anything and im getting pains where I have to go but cant, I just want to cry because im so fed up with this.

What liquids did you drink? Does that mean no food at all? Im tempted to drink some of my sons formula lol. He poops like 4 times a day


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

so far i haven't had to resort to all liquids because i fortunately have not had any signs of obstruction--so far, fingers crossed-- after my surgery.

but if i had to do this i would eat/drink soups, juices, milk and boost with extra protein or those liquid breakfast drinks. things like that.

really i think you should call your doc in case this is surgery related.

and oh yes i do understand what you mean about just wanting to cry--truly, it is all so miserable.

hopefully mag citrate will work . or a miralax/dulcolax type cleanout. but i hate to just tell you to keep taking laxatives when they aren't working--that's why i think calling the doc would be a good idea.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

From what I was just reading while looking up mag citrate reviews theres people saying they tried everything I did and enemas with no luck but when they took mag citrate it worked great so I think ill be getting a shower and heading out to get some.

I just spoke to my doctor who said since im passing fas fine and was able to produce two small bowel movements I dont have a bowel obstruction, he also said id likely be having pain and feeling sick if I had one.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh so glad you talked to your doc and got his opinion on all this.

yes mag citrate can really clean you out. it used to work quite well for me especially the first few times i took it. then it didn't work so well so i had to take dulcolax first before taking it and that helped.

good luck! fingers crossed it'll work great for you!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

ps--be sure and drink lots of water when you take it and if it gives you diarrhea, keep drinking water, fluids, maybe even gatorade or pedialyte to stay hydrated...hopefully it'll be a good cleanout.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

ps--be sure and drink lots of water when you take it and if it gives you diarrhea, keep drinking water, fluids, maybe even gatorade or pedialyte to stay hydrated...hopefully it'll be a good cleanout.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Well I picked up the mag citrate but will be waiting until tomorrow nite to take it. My son has his first basketball game tomorrow and I dont want to miss it.

Since ive never taken this before im not sure what to expect. It may make me sicknor give me the runs all day and I dont want to miss my sons game


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

It may be a couple days before I write anymore. Phone gets cut off tomorrow ... I will be at my parents friday or saturday though so will post what happens then


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sorry about your phone getting turned off!









oh yes you definitely don't want to try anything new til you know you can be home all day to see how it affects you. hope it works well for you!

and hope your son's team wins the game!







take care.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Well its is 2:46am and I had a bowel movement..WOOHOO!

I decided to try taking 1 exlax, 3 ducolax and 4tbsp of milk of magnesia which I took around 10:30pm. I woke up and passed gas and had diarrhea come out so rushedto the bathroom.

The first stool did hurt a tad bit but was not to bad then had another 4 large stools I past that were painful. Kind of feel like my butt gave birth but ive been there before and im sure alot of others here have been there as well.

Im so happy I could cry lol. Only when you have ibs will heaving a bowel movement bring tears of joy although now I have the squirts and it kind of burns uggh. May be in for a long nite and day..not sure if maybe I should get some anti diarrhea medicine or not come daylight


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Oops type met other 4 were not painful..darn phone


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh good! so glad to hear you were finally able to go!! what a huge relief! it's like a dam bursting, isn't it. sorry about the pain but yes that can happen when the bms are so big and hard. and oh yes i sure do understand about the tears of joy--i get them too when i've been backed up and can finally go.

i don't know about the anti diarrhea meds. if it were me, i'd just let the diarrhea run it's course (unless it's severe) so as to get rid of all that backed up stool and keep things moving so it doesn't all back up again. but that's just me---do what you think is best. you don't want severe D of course. my constipation is so chronic and long standing that i've never wanted to take any anti diarrhea meds. i'd so much rather have the D than the C. but that's me..just be sure and stay hydrated if you keep having diarrhea--drink water, fluids and also gatorade or pedialyte to keep your electrolytes up. you could also try adding more fiber back in to your diet to help counteract the D.

hope you have a good weekend.







take care.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Well I was able to go back to sleep and woke up at 7am. Its now 8am and had another bm. It was not diarrhea so hopefully I wont have that anymore. I feel good other then feeling like im starving because I have not been able to really eat in like 3 weeks.

I dont know if I could deal with D. I have seen alot of post from people about how they have to wear diapers and are afraid to even leave the house. With mine since I was properly diagnosed in my late teens I have not had much of a problem, it acts up once in a while and I just take milk of magnesia and im fine. Before now the last time I had a problem was summer 2012.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

glad you were able to get some sleep and that the D seems to be over.

an d oh boy! you'll finally be able to eat now, too!









hopefully you won't have any more major C problems and hopefully if you do, the milk of magnesia will work fine, just like before. maybe the problems you have been having were caused by the opiod pain meds you had to take after the C section, especially if you weren't also taking a stool softener and sennokot along with the pain pills which is what the docs usually recommend and also which is in the instructions that come with those type of pain meds....

good luck! hope you have a good weekend.


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## ChrissyLynn (Oct 18, 2010)

Thanks . Hope you have a good weekend too


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

thanks!


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