Does anyone know if Dulcolax Stimulant (Bisacodyl) can be taken long term? I take it a few times a week, and also take Miralax at night. This seems to work for me. I have seen a lot of suspicion/concern around L/T use of stimulants but nothing scientific to say it's not ok. Thx all!

How do you deal with redundant colon/ severe constipation?

It’s becoming a full time job dealing with a long and torturous colon ( redundant ).
Lifelong constipation, now age 73 it’s getting me down.
I saw a specialist yesterday and he suggested a combination of laxatives with occasional suppositories.
The laxatives of which I have tried many work for a few weeks and then stop 🤷‍♀️
I think the only way would be to cut a length of it out , but he said that’s a bit dramatic, we should try something that may work for me ???
I too think that it aggravates my backache, and bloating is like being pregnant!!!!!🥹🥹
I wish I had the answer……
Good luck everyone…

So, many more expensive products contain Magnesium Oxide. I just take the vitamin form of Magnesium Oxide, works for me and costs much less. I do also follow a vegan diet and gluten-free diet. The only gluten-free thing I eat is homemade gluten-free pumpkin muffins. I eat no bread or flour products except I use Wasa crackers to put my black bean burger on for lunch.

Prunelax (OTC) is good for constipation and not as expensive as Trulance or Linzess!
Then ordering it from Amazon and not getting it at CVS or Walgreens is even cheaper !!!

I supposedly have a severely redundant colon (just a nicer way to say it) and have had constipation for a good long time. Lately (I am 68), I have found that meat slows transit time, which leads to constipation, so I just eat fish (not much), egg whites, pea protein powder, and Lactaid nonfat milk as protein sources as I am intolerant to a legion of other protein sources (as well as FODMAP intolerant and grain intolerant). I add Bragg apple cider vinegar to each meal (the regular vinegar) or one can take the Bragg pill form. I find that helps with my redundant colon constipation. If you don't have enough stomach acid, your system can't prepare the food material to "move along." It has been a game changer. In addition, I don't eat regular-sized meals, but may six smaller ones, depending on my appetite. I also use mineral oil as my laxative. I find that, as a "mere" lubricant, it works better (and gentler) than the OTC softeners and stimulants. I take it at bedtime, away from food (supposed to do that as the oil can interfere with vitamin/mineral absorption from food otherwise). I don't need it often as the apple cider vinegar prevents constipation (via better digestion). I also notice that I tend toward constipation if I don't get adequate sleep. Rest to digest, perhaps. I hope you get some mileage out of these ideas, which I note one seldom, if ever, hears from MDs.

Obviously, just my non-medical input, but though Prune Lax sounds like it would be a “natural” way to solve your constipation, it is actually senna. Do some research if you plan to take on a daily basis or consult your gi. Senna is an osmotic laxative and can actually cause changes in your colon. Like I said, just an opinion here but my gi only recommends 2 a week at most.

Try papaya, lots of it if you are allowed to eat them. And you can always massage your stomach, start from bottom right and go up and down to left. Put a little pressure on it as you are messaging. By doing this,you are moving the stool from bottom left to to bottom right where it comes out. Also, try drinking warm water first thing in the morning. The problem with enemas and pills is that your body gets used to these and is never going back to normal. Good luck.

Sorry for the long post but wanted to share this. I recently posted regarding my tortuous colon, GERD and LPR reflux that causes too much stomach acid and hiatal hernia issues. The Miralax regiment for severe constipation that my GI doc prescribed was awful. I really tried to make it work but couldn't as it caused too many emergency bathroom issues. Someone on here said that Cleanse More by Renew Life helped them. I decided to try it and just after a couple of doses, the results were amazing and I felt so much better, and no emergencies. But before I started taking Cleanse More on a regular basis, I thought I should check if it was safe to take everyday. I spoke with a Renew Life representative and was told no, it is not intended for everyday use. So I sent my GI doc a message and told him about my progress with Cleanse More and I sent him the ingredients. He told me that it is actually a very reasonable amount of Magnesium to take indefinitely. The reason they mention it is not meant to be taken every day is because it is an OTC supplement, not a medication. They have likely never been able to study this particular product when being used in the long term, but Magnesium based laxatives have been around for a long time. They can be effective and in the absence of a person who is highly prone to magnesium dependent cardiac arrhythmia, which is quite rare, they are safe to take long term. The bottom line is, always ask you doctor before committing to something you buy without a prescription. And what works for one person might not work for someone else. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this supplement will help me long term.

Buy the Magnesium Oxide as a vitamin supplement. Much cheaper than Renew Life. I take 750mg of Magnesium Oxide a day. Many name brands that use it have higher doeses. Around 70% of the magnesium you consume is expelled from your body within 24 hours which is why so many people experience a deficiency.