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Weaning off of Miralax
I have been using HEAVY dosage (3 capfuls) of Miralax for about 6-7 years now. The reason I use so much is to avoid having to push at all. I am easily prone to hemorrhoids and do not want to ever have to have a surgery to correct such issues. The result of the heavy dosage basically leads to frequent bowl movements and always diarrhea. Over the past year my sodium levels in my body are extremely low, which can lead to various other issues in the body. I read that heavy use of Miralax could be the problem for low sodium. So, I am trying to wean off of the Miralax. It is not an easy task. I plan on visiting my GP for recommendations, but thought I would try here. After reading multiple stories of those who are trying to do the same, I am not sure where to start! I am going to try by gradually decreasing my dosage, but I am afraid of constipation which I have always suffered from in the past. Have any of you had great success in reaching the goal of easy weaning process from Miralax?
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I stopped taking Miralax daily (one capful) and Linzess, and started eating 5 prunes a day. Works fairly well and consistently for me.
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1 ReactionHi, lcezelle12 (@lcezelle12)
After several weeks of heavy-duty antibiotics (because of sepsis), I found myself pretty well bound up. I resorted to a dose of Metamucil on rising, a capful of Miralax midday, and some fried prunes or prune juice toward the end of the day. The result? I sure un-bound myself, too much! Luckily, because I'd not overdone the daily dose of either the Metamucil or the Miralax, I was able to cut out the Miralax with no withdrawal symptoms. These days, I still take a heaping tspn of Metamucil and drink about 4 oz of prune juice. How's it going? Pretty well. I have a BM most days; a little too much "pushing," perhaps, but it feels good to be regular.
Good luck with your Miralax detox!
Ray (@ray666)
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1 ReactionGood luck with your endeavor. I have been on and off Miralax for the last several months. Currently, I’m off and doing quite well with drinking a normal amount of water, eating ample vegetables and 1 fruit per day, along with daily exercise. I suspect that whatever was causing my constipation fluctuates.
Do you know the cause of your constipation….before you began the daily Miralax? Do you think it might have resolved?
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1 ReactionThanks for your response. No, I don’t know why I have constipation, however it has been this way since I was a baby.
My advice is to steer away from Miralax as often as possible and only use when absolutely necessary!
Good luck and happy pooping!
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2 ReactionsI was recently put on Miralax by my GI doc to soften my stool as I had 2 fecal impactions over the course of 2 weeks. As a result, I had very bad hemmorhoid pain. The Miralax has softened the stool a lot (2 caps per day) and the hemmorhoid pain is diminishing. I never want an impaction again! The doc indicates that long term use of the Miralax is not a problem. He also offered Linzess but I prefer not to do that. Regarding sodium and electrolyte level issues, maybe consider an electrolyte supplement to resolve that.(Eg. Pedialyte, etc.) I have also found that I'd been eating too much fiber resulting in very large stool which was painful to pass. Good luck!
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2 ReactionsThis brand at Costco are plump and work better than other brands, in my opinion.
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2 ReactionsBecause of my drugs, I also used Miralax and also had diarrhea. My MD told me to stop it and take Metamucil/generic capsules instead. I had to play with the dosage but it did make a huge positive difference. She told me that she learned that from the “GI specialists”.
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2 ReactionsFried prunes? Never heard of them!