1. < Digestive Health

How to Wean Off MiraLax

Posted by geekygirl9 @geekygirl9, Jul 17, 2023

I've been on MiraLAX every day for several (5-ish) years and am anxious to get my system functioning naturally again if possible. I tried really hard to wean off of MiraLAX last year and dropped down from 2 caps to 1 and 7/8 caps per day but then had to stop; decreasing any further felt like picking a day to be sick. In the past few weeks, I've attempted to replace MiraLAX with magnesium citrate and the magnesium citrate helps with my motility sometimes but does not soften my stool much. I'm down to 1 and 3/8 caps per day and it seems like I may be stuck there again. Anyone else been there? Is there hope for weaning off?

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jul 14 7:45am
In reply to @waterlilly "Thank you for your reply. I need 2 full capsules of Miralax to have a BM..." + (show)
@waterlilly

Thank you for your reply. I need 2 full capsules of Miralax to have a BM or I get very constipated. The G.I. doctor that put me on it said diarrhea is normal while on it.

I've been having so many stomach issues. Saw a surgeon this week that is pushing me to another doctor. He wants me to see a new G.I. doctor he highly recommends. I'm waiting to get an appointment. The surgeon thinks swallowing a camera to look for answers will help. I do have some Chron's Disease and think I may be having gallbladder issues. I lost around 23 lbs. So I know something is wrong. I can't gain weight either.

I will talk to the new G.I. doctor about Citrucel and see if he thinks it will get me off Miralax. Thanks for suggesting that.

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I'm glad to hear that you will be consulting a new doctor, @waterlilly. Another opinion is probably a good idea at this point.

You mentioned using Citrucel. Citrucel is a fiber supplement, so I use it as a substitute for Metamucil. Miralax, however, is a stool softener, so if you are going to substitute Miralax with another product, it would need to be another stool softener product.

Examples of stool softeners (also called Osmotic Agents) are described in this article from the WebMD website,

"Osmotic agents help your stool retain fluid so it’s easier for it to pass out of your body. These drugs can cause dehydration or mineral imbalance, and should be taken with caution by people who are older, or have heart or kidney failure. Examples include oral magnesium hydroxide (Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia), magnesium citrate, lactitol (Pizensy), lactulose (Kristalose), and polyethylene glycol (Miralax)."

If you would like to read the entire article from WebMD describing the difference between the products here is a link to that information,
--How Do I Treat Constipation?
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/treat-constipation
I look forward to hearing from you again. Will you continue to post as you try different methods to deal with constipation and especially as you get in to see a new GI doctor?

REPLY
researchmaven | @researchmaven | Jul 14 9:36am
In reply to @waterlilly "I would like to get off Miralax also. Been on it for 5 yrs. It is..." + (show)
@waterlilly

I would like to get off Miralax also. Been on it for 5 yrs. It is daily diarrhea and the urge comes on fast. It is ruining my life. Can't go on vacations or certain places because I need to be around bathrooms.Had a severe bowel obstruction 5 yrs. ago and dr. switched me from Metamucil to Miralax. Also, I'm on a low fat diet. I don't digest vegetables and some fruits very well. I've had chronic constipation all my life. Any ideas?

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I handle my Big C with food and a few supplements. Metamucil and Miralax don't help me.

Food

If you can tolerate well-cooked vegetables of any sort. Parsnips, squash, carrots, leafy greens. In soup helps ensure they are well-cooked.

A golden kiwi at night is amazing. Check out the NIH-posted study. It makes the muscles contract.

Ground chia seeds have fiber.

LiveKuna plantain flour -- I live on it - hot cereal, quick breads like pancakes.

The quantity is important. For example, I use 1/2 teaspoon of ground chia seed daily.

Supps

Slippery elm (inner bark only). I make a tea out of it, 1/2 teaspoon, upon rising. It supports the mucosa in your gut.

Magnesium at night. The GI doc recommended 250 mg, but you can go to 500 mg. I take 174 mg in Hilma Gentle Bowel Movement Support.

What is the most obvious assist for me? The kiwi, followed by the Hilma. I don't go easily if I don't take these two items at night.

As far as shifting over to another regime, make sure you eat a golden kiwi a night if you can handle it. Magnesium also does other good things for the body -- there are studies on anxiety and most Americans don't get the minimum daily requirement of the mineral. Feel free to start with a low dose of Magnesium.

Good luck! You will figure it out.

REPLY
rashida | @rashida | Jul 15 1:22am
In reply to @elisabeth007 "my dr told me that diarrhea is an adverse effect of miralax and to stop taking..." + (show)
@elisabeth007

my dr told me that diarrhea is an adverse effect of miralax and to stop taking it. He suggested i take benefiber and magnesium citrate instead.

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@elisabeth007 - you Benefiber doesn’t seem to be available in Ontario - can’t find it in any store. Does any Canadian know whether it has been taken off the market here for some/any reason??

REPLY
adlttl123 | @adlttl123 | Jul 16 10:20am

Is there a reason that you want to stop? I would give anything if I had had this all my life.

REPLY
waterlilly | @waterlilly | Aug 17 1:39pm
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @waterlilly and welcome to Mayo Connect. Dealing with constipation is certainly a difficult problem for..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @waterlilly and welcome to Mayo Connect. Dealing with constipation is certainly a difficult problem for many of us. As you have had a history of severe bowel obstruction, I understand how important it is for you to avoid constipation.

After having three surgeries of the upper digestive tract, I also deal with food intolerances and need to avoid raw fruits and vegetables. I really understand how difficult it can be to keep the digestive tract in good shape without these types of foods.

I also avoid Metamucil as it can create abdominal pain, but I do find Citrucel to be quite helpful. It is a fiber product but not of the same rough consistency as Metamucil.

Also, you might just consider taking just a partial dose of Miralax to your daily regimen of products to relieve constipation. Often just a quarter of a dose, once a day, preferably at night, is enough to help without causing diarrhea. If that is not enough, then perhaps taking a quarter of a dose twice a day might work better. It is just a matter of finding out what works best for you. For me, using the Citrucel, twice and a day, and the partial dose of Miralax is a good option.

It really is a matter of trial and error. You do need to find what works for you to keep from becoming constipated, without having daily diarrhea.

What else have your tried besides the daily Miralax?

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Thank you for replying. I meant to say I'm on a low-fiber diet not low- fat diet. Can't digest most vegetables. Got in to see my G.I.'s PA last week. I'm getting a nuclear medical study done along with full CT scan of my chest, abdomen shortly. But in the meantime to get wean off the Miralax, she has me taking 2 Senna with a half capful of Miralax. Didn't work. Then I went to 3 sennas and didn't work. Tried enemas and fleets suppositories with little outcome. I don't have a bowel obstruction. I know the symptoms for that. So tried Ducolax. Took awhile but it worked. I can't take that all the time. I'm frustrated. Been eating prunes and drinking prune juice.

You mentioned Citrucel. Is that ok with a low-fiber diet? It's been such a struggle for me trying to wean myself off this Miralax. I'm a prisoner in my own house. I'm always cancelling seeing friends because of my urgent Miralax BM's. It's awful. I can't even handle taking Zinc or Elderberry tablets because they are 100% vegetable.

Thank you!

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Aug 17 4:25pm
In reply to @waterlilly "Thank you for replying. I meant to say I'm on a low-fiber diet not low- fat..." + (show)
@waterlilly

Thank you for replying. I meant to say I'm on a low-fiber diet not low- fat diet. Can't digest most vegetables. Got in to see my G.I.'s PA last week. I'm getting a nuclear medical study done along with full CT scan of my chest, abdomen shortly. But in the meantime to get wean off the Miralax, she has me taking 2 Senna with a half capful of Miralax. Didn't work. Then I went to 3 sennas and didn't work. Tried enemas and fleets suppositories with little outcome. I don't have a bowel obstruction. I know the symptoms for that. So tried Ducolax. Took awhile but it worked. I can't take that all the time. I'm frustrated. Been eating prunes and drinking prune juice.

You mentioned Citrucel. Is that ok with a low-fiber diet? It's been such a struggle for me trying to wean myself off this Miralax. I'm a prisoner in my own house. I'm always cancelling seeing friends because of my urgent Miralax BM's. It's awful. I can't even handle taking Zinc or Elderberry tablets because they are 100% vegetable.

Thank you!

Jump to this post

Hello @waterlilly,

Citrucel is like Metamucil in that it is a fiber supplement, but I've found that it is a gentler fiber product. It is worth a try if you have tried other products.

Remember, though, that MiraLAX is a stool softener, not a fiber supplement. If you still feel you need a stool softener you might consider Colace, as it tends to be gentler than MiraLax.

It takes some experimentation to find out what works best for you. We are all different in how we respond to these different products.

REPLY
cattknap | @cattknap | Aug 18 12:47pm
In reply to @waterlilly "Thank you for replying. I meant to say I'm on a low-fiber diet not low- fat..." + (show)
@waterlilly

Thank you for replying. I meant to say I'm on a low-fiber diet not low- fat diet. Can't digest most vegetables. Got in to see my G.I.'s PA last week. I'm getting a nuclear medical study done along with full CT scan of my chest, abdomen shortly. But in the meantime to get wean off the Miralax, she has me taking 2 Senna with a half capful of Miralax. Didn't work. Then I went to 3 sennas and didn't work. Tried enemas and fleets suppositories with little outcome. I don't have a bowel obstruction. I know the symptoms for that. So tried Ducolax. Took awhile but it worked. I can't take that all the time. I'm frustrated. Been eating prunes and drinking prune juice.

You mentioned Citrucel. Is that ok with a low-fiber diet? It's been such a struggle for me trying to wean myself off this Miralax. I'm a prisoner in my own house. I'm always cancelling seeing friends because of my urgent Miralax BM's. It's awful. I can't even handle taking Zinc or Elderberry tablets because they are 100% vegetable.

Thank you!

Jump to this post

Try reducing the amount of Miralax. I take a half dose in the morning and at night.

REPLY
1 reply
waterlilly | @waterlilly | Aug 18 1:54pm
In reply to @cattknap "Try reducing the amount of Miralax. I take a half dose in the morning and at..." + (show)
@cattknap

Try reducing the amount of Miralax. I take a half dose in the morning and at night.

Jump to this post

But even if I do that, I think I'd be in the same trap with diarrhea with rushed BMs where I barely make to the bathroom. I'm trying to wean off of it but so far nothing is working. My G.I. dr. suggested 2 Senna tablets with half cap of Miralax - no results. Tried it with 3 Sennas, no results. Had to use Ducolax.

I tried 2 Sennas and 2 prunes 2xday and prune juice 2xday along with 375 magnesium with no results.

G.I.s 2nd recommendation is 400-800 mg Magnesium Oxide with half cap Miralax. I'm ordering that magnesium now.

It's a struggle! Thank you for your help!

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Aug 18 5:25pm
In reply to @waterlilly "But even if I do that, I think I'd be in the same trap with diarrhea..." + (show)
@waterlilly

But even if I do that, I think I'd be in the same trap with diarrhea with rushed BMs where I barely make to the bathroom. I'm trying to wean off of it but so far nothing is working. My G.I. dr. suggested 2 Senna tablets with half cap of Miralax - no results. Tried it with 3 Sennas, no results. Had to use Ducolax.

I tried 2 Sennas and 2 prunes 2xday and prune juice 2xday along with 375 magnesium with no results.

G.I.s 2nd recommendation is 400-800 mg Magnesium Oxide with half cap Miralax. I'm ordering that magnesium now.

It's a struggle! Thank you for your help!

Jump to this post

Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I know this can be a difficult problem to solve.

REPLY
1 reply
waterlilly | @waterlilly | Aug 20 1:24pm
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I know this can be..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I know this can be a difficult problem to solve.

Jump to this post

Hello! I'm up to 675 magnesium oxide daily with 1/2 cap of Miralax to try and wean off Miralax. I'm still struggling with constipation. Am I getting into the toxic range for magnesium? The G.I. PA said I could go up to 800 mg. This doesn't sound right to me. I'm 75, female. Thx!

REPLY
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