# Senna ok for every-day use?



## StacyP (Jul 18, 2013)

Is it ok to use senna type laxatives *vegitable* if miralax and fiber arent working at all, or is that a bad idea? I understand there is a risk of dependancy but I think its better than suffering daily. I will consult with a pharmacist tonight but opinions welcomed.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi Stacy

this question came up a while ago and Kathleen posted this link from Pub Med about about senna usage--very good, reliable information.

among other things it says:

"there is no convincing evidence that the chronic use of senna has, as a consequence, a structural and/or functional alteration of the enteric nerves or the smooth intestinal muscle."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20107583

and, as Kathleen mentioned earlier there isn't any evidence that the stimulant laxatives presently used will cause dependence or make constipation any worse than it would get on it's own. my own gastro docs have told me that this is true and i've read many articles that support this information. here is one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8234421

some of us--those of us who have colonic inertia, for example--really do need stimulant laxatives in order to go. taking them to keep things moving is far better than letting stool back up and cause a blockage.


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## StacyP (Jul 18, 2013)

Thank you so much Anne. I appreciate it.


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## Bpd1962 (Aug 6, 2013)

I get really backed up about every 2 weeks or so, I was winding up in ER for fluids and IV pain medication. I am not at all sensitive to pain medications (which is a binder anyway). I have taken strong pain meds for half my life off and on for chronic pain an a back injury and surgery 7 years after my accident. Drs treated me like I was making it all up. Three pain specialists and the third. One reaklly LOOKED at MRI and saw 3 cracked discs. He got me totally out of pain til I fell on ice this winter and herniated another disc. I refuse to take pain meds daily because they are so binding and I already had IBS-C.


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## Happykaz (Aug 21, 2013)

In my experience you do become dependent on it, as it used to work for me, but doesnt any more :-(


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## Queensgirl52 (Mar 15, 2012)

My husband took Senokot every day for 6 months while he was going through chemotherapy and had no problems. He was able to come off it a few weeks after the chemo ended.


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## Alyeska Martinez (Sep 9, 2013)

This is very helpful information. Senna is currently the only thing that works for me and I've been scared that I shouldn't take it regularly. I'm glad to know that it is safe!


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## Maegwin (Nov 11, 2012)

I started with a senna tea when I was 16. At first I only took it after I started feeling really uncomfortable, like a week without a bowel movement. Then I started taking it daily which increased my BM's to one every 2 or 3 days. The tea was quite strong however and I felt like it was overcramping my bowels and shutting them down sometimes. So I started taking 3 exlax/day. I have been on senna for almost 17 years. Three exlax have been all I need. I find that if I take more it over cramps my bowels. It's not a cure at all but at least it keeps some of the food moving. I hardly ever have complete BM's. My bowel only fully evacuates if I starve myself (only drink water-based liquids) for 2 to 4 days. Senna is the ONLY thing that keeps me from being in excruciating pain like I had as a kid.

I heard all the warnings from the doctors as well but I didn't care. They couldn't suggest an alternative that worked. I am relieved to know that senna isn't as horrible as the doctors said it was.


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## lifeisahorrorstory (Oct 24, 2013)

It destroys the liver.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

In a handful of people in pretty much all of the medical literature (3 mentioned, but one did get worse when re-exposed so likely could be senn in that case). I'd be a lot more careful about some other herbs and Tylenol dosage if worried about liver damage, but that is me.

From

Herbal hepatotoxicity: a tabular compilation of reported cases in Liver International, Aug 2012.

From the abstracts a couple of them there was something unusual about the person that may have put them at higher risk.

For what it is worth, green tea has a lot more reports of hepatic toxicity.


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