Miralax not working

My GI has had me take fiber 2 capsules one day and MiraLax the next AND Align, a probiotic. It straightened me out. My husband suddenly had constipation and could not get meds to work and had a serious problem, so be sure you are going to a GI doctor!

@mimi39 About 10 days ago I called my GI doctor, but couldn't get in until Aug 11 for the consultation, with the colonoscopy sometime afterwards (of course, we're going to be out of town right after that appointment). I've brought my fiber up to what it should be mainly through food though I'll supplement with Metamucil if need be, and increased water intake. And I do have a probiotic which I haven't taken regularly but will start doing. So for now I'm told to take Senokot every other day, or even every 3rd day.

When I went to pick up my Rx for Linzess I learned that a 90 day supply would cost $565 after insurance (Part D). So my PCP prescribed Amitiza (don't know the cost yet, have to call the pharmacy), and of course 1) it's backordered and 2) I go out of town on Monday. It's not a good idea to start a drug like this before traveling! As many on this and other threads repeat, fiber, water, and exercise are crucial. I've usually had a high-fiber diet but had to change it when one of my go-to foods brought on nausea (I was basically mainlining it and I think my body said "no more").

Clearly I'm not a doctor (and don't even play one on TV) but it sounds as though your husband should consult the GI specialist again. I'm quite new to chronic constipation and I should have seen the GI back in June. Maybe everything can be resolved through diet and exercise, maybe kidney meds are interfering, much depends on lifestyle, age, general health, etc., along with common sense. Your GI person can really help.

Hi there. I just found mayo connect and saw your post. I am not a doctor. I can only give you my experience with constipation. My son is 23 and has struggled his entire life with constipation and GI issues. We tried everything but nothing ever worked. We spent 2 decades trying to figure out how to get a normal BM when the only way he could go to the bathroom for years was if he was given a glycerin suppository. Sometimes it worked, sometimes we had to use multiple suppositories, sometimes he ended up impacted and we had to do an enema. About 3 years ago, we found a new GI (our old one retired). He put my son on a magnesium citrate supplement and prunelax minitabs-these are OTC. We added Miralax back in at night and only take the prunelax 4x a week (every day was too much). He does take the magnesium citrate gummy and miralax daily. He has been able to have a BM daily (sometimes twice!) without any difficulty. You can also buy liquid magnesium citrate OTC at your local Walmart, grocery store, etc. That is typically used for someone who is severely impacted and hasn't used the bathroom in days. He recommended (in the beginning before we got his dosing right with the new meds) to try having him drink half a bottle. If that didn't work in a 1/2 hour, to finish the bottle and within an hour, you'll be running for the bathroom.
Hope this helps! I know it made a HUGE difference fore my son.

Nothing works for me. I am on iron pills every other day. Take Miralax 2 times a day, eat prunes 4 a day, add chia seeds, and flax seeds to my diet, plus now eating oatmeal and either I go or don't then it just comes out when walking. Nothing helps.

I read that you are on iron pills. They can cause constipation. That could be adding to your problem. I was taking multi-vitamin that contained iron and also had to switch. I also found that the Miralax can cause "uncontrolled elimination". Maybe just take one dose daily? I've been told exercise, fiber, plenty of water (70 oz or more). I know the panic feeling of wanting out of your body and just wanting to have your body work right. Then life would be pretty wonderful!

One dose a day of Miralax does not work. I am eating prunes, oatmeal, chia seeds, flax seeds, drink 64 oz of water daily, once in a while I don't get up to that but mostly I do. Dr. wants me on two doses of Miralax. I'm so tired of all of this since nothing works. Either I don't go, or I go too much. I have to take iron since I have AVM's and they bleed so I become Anemic.

I truly understand your frustration and being "so tired of all of this since nothing works." Yesterday I had a horrible day. I am supposed to take Bisacodyl every third day if I have not had a BM. And since I've had C-diff (which I'm over but my intestinal tract has not returned to "my normal"), I'm having to rely on this regimen. Yesterday I was so uncomfortable, heartburn, feeling awful and absolutely thinking I don't want to live like this. Today was so much better and I'm going to try to use the full dose of Miralax recommended for adults and hopefully steer away gradually from the Bisacodyl. I know you said the Miralax didn't work for you yet but I hope it will. I was afraid of using even one adult dose because it had caused "leakage" in me before and that's not very desirable when you don't have any control. But it doesn't sound like you have that problem, thank goodness. I would encourage you to at least try what your Dr. recommended. I also read on here that there are Magnesium citrate gummies, OTC (over the counter) that have helped someone. And Prunlax mini tabs (also OTC) were also helpful to this person. They were also taking Miralax at night. I wrote it all down,....it's worth a try to find a regimen that works. I've been this way all my adult life because I learned I have a tortuous intestine, way more intestine than I need for a person my size. It has caused me grief for a long time. But I had developed a livable regimen before I developed C-diff from an antibiotic the dentist gave me. (Clyndamycin). I was able to have BM's on my own but not since C-diff. (I also take 8gm of psyllium sprinkled on my oatmeal or cereal daily,and metamucil crackers. I get tired of it too but let's keep the faith and never give up. I know that awful feeling when you're having bad days,................I hope it helps to know you're not alone and hopefully we'll all find something that finally works for us individually.

Thank you for posting this. I can relate to your son's issues and I'm truly happy for him to now have a regimen that is working. I'm so hopeful about the information you shared and I hope it works for me too. Would you please let me know how many Prunelax he took at a time. I know it is 4X a week but how many? And did he take them at night? Also, the magnesium citrate gummies, how many and what time of day. I am so encouraged by your post and thank you for taking the time to share this. I would also like to know if there was a specific reason you chose the gummies versus a capsule or tablet? And I did see a difference in the labeling. The gummies were definitely mag./citrate, whereas some of the others were mag./oxide. Is that the reason for the gummy form? (because of the citrate?)

Hi there. I really hope this can help you, as I know how horrible it is to be so constipated for days and then to go to explosive (and often unexpected) diarrhea. Not to mention impaction and enemas are just horrible. So, let's get into your questions. Our new GI was really a blessing. For the prunelax, you can start with one a day (morning or nighttime, whichever works better for you). If that doesn't work, you can go to prunelax twice a day in addition to the miralax. The magnesium gummies he takes is in the form of citrate and that's the one that works. That is also the form of liquid magnesium that I spoke about that you can buy at Walmart, Fry's, Walgreens, etc. If he didn't have a bowel movement before bed or if he missed a day in the beginning of the new regimen of meds, I would use 1/2 a bottle of magnesium citrate (it comes unflavored and flavored) and wait a half hour. If he didn't have a BM, I would give him the rest of the bottle and he always was able to go. As far as the gummies, I use that form because my son has cerebral palsy and autism and cannot swallow pills so the gummy was the easiest option. Tablet or capsule I'm sure is fine..just make sure it has at least 165mg of magnesium citrate, not the oxide. We started with one prunelax daily, one magnesium citrate gummy, and the miralax. He takes the gummy in the am and the prunelax and miralax at night and typically has 1-2 BM's a day. I went down to 4x a week because one prunelax daily was too much for him...and that's saying ALOT!! We use the prunelax minitabs...they have the regular size ones but I'm not sure if they are the same. The minitab is really small so it's just easier for us. I order the prunelax minitabs from Amazon as well as the miralax because it's so much less expensive. I get the magnesium citrate gummies and liquid form at Walmart. Really hope this helps for you. For 2 decades we struggled with constipation and impaction and nothing worked. Our new GI put him on this regimen and he has been able to use the restroom daily for 3 years now!