First of all, you're talking to the wrong person. If he wants a thread, he should start one. Second, if you want to understand Miralax, how it works, how to take it, how safe it is, go to You Tube and watch Your Friendly Proctologist, Dr. Chung, in California. He has a recent video dedicated to Miralax, its safety and how to use it. If it caused you stomach pain, you may have been taking too much. He also pointed out something I didn't know and my gastroenterologist never mentioned: eat first before taking it. Miralax is designed to work with food in the digestive system. I was taking it first thing in the morning. I have since begun to take it after breakfast and might begin after lunch, which is a large meal for me. The Miralax then has something to work with, bind with, and is far less likely to cause extra bowel movements or even diarrhea. You begin with a teaspoon a day and go from there to the level your body accepts. It appears you may have taken it incorrectly. Just because something is OTC doesn't mean it doesn't have dosage and method of use instructions.

Further, as per hemorrhoidectomy or banding, these procedures are far from benign. I have heard, and read, many accounts where banding caused enormous discomfort, huge anxiety, pain for weeks, and the band actually fell off into the toilet the next day. If an internal hemorrhoid has an external expression, banding the internal will cause the external expression to BALLOON into an unwieldy, highly painful and very difficult to deal with hemorrhoid. Not all hemorrhoids "go away", nor is any procedure to rid onself of them a small thing to be taken lightly. Colorectal surgeons are the persons who should be doing these procedures, not gastroenterologists. Hemorrhoidectomies themselves are excruciating procedures that take WEEKS to heal. Infection is possible, extreme pain is ALWAYS the result, serious pain medication is REQUIRED for at least TWO weeks and WILL cause constipation which will, then, result in MORE hemorrhoids. This is SURGERY. No one gets up and goes on about their merry way. There are people who suffer horrifically after hemorrhoidectomy. The best colorectal surgeon/proctologist is going to tell you these things and be honest about the dreadful experience of trying to deal with the aftermath and, if s/he doesn't, that's not a doctor you can trust.

Colace is fine to take in lieu of Miralax although its safety in the long run is something I don't know, having studied Miralax and there is no safety issue with that medication. Flax seed is something a great many people take. If you have diverticulosis, it isn't a good idea. In fact, despite contrary information, seeds and certain fruits and even vegetables DO contribute to diverticulitis. If you doubt that, talk to a few ER physicians. Just as fiber is not the answer for many people who have slow bowel transit or IBS C because it makes things WORSE, although far too many doctors give very poor advice regarding it, the MYTH that food/diet does not create diverticulitis is RAMPANT and WRONG.