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I was just prescribed Miralax last week by my new GI Doc. Two times daily - but I told her I was not getting formed bm's...mostly D..so we cut it down to once daily. She also told me to stop the acacia. I have had LESS gas and bloating than with the acacia..so, that makes my family MUCH happier.
-------------------- Lisa
IBS-C, pain predominant
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This isn't an answer--just one more question to add to the mix. (!)
I took Miralax for over six months, and somewhere along the line it gave me horrid cramps that made me beg for mercy. I decreased the dose, but then it didn't work. So I stopped taking it. And wouldn't you know: much of the nausea I'd had for MONTHS went away?
I wonder why you guys can handle it and I simply could not.
--salsagal (everything gives me cramps!)
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Quote:
This isn't an answer--just one more question to add to the mix. (!)
I took Miralax for over six months, and somewhere along the line it gave me horrid cramps that made me beg for mercy. I decreased the dose, but then it didn't work. So I stopped taking it. And wouldn't you know: much of the nausea I'd had for MONTHS went away?
I wonder why you guys can handle it and I simply could not.
--salsagal (everything gives me cramps!)
Yeah, Miralax gave me attacks, even when i tried to take a small amount it just didn't agree with me. Which sucked cause I had bought 2 huge bottles of it! Anyway, I think most people tend to tolerate it ok.
-------------------- IBS-C
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Re: Miralax
#139895 - 01/19/05 10:02 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Well, I've been on miralax for about 4-5 years now and it has given me back my life!!! I was miserable for YEARS before I started taking it. It got to the point that I was having to take over the counter laxatives just to pop once every couple of weeks!
Miralax is an osmotic laxative. It works by pulling water into your colon. It does not contain harsh, stimulate chemicals like the otc laxatives do! It CAN produce a bit more gas AT FIRST, this went away within 2-3 weeks for me. It did take about a week before I started going regulary. It does cause me some D once in a while, but as long as things are moving, I'm a happy camper!
It is fine to take long term. It is not absorbed into the body and you do not build up a tolerance to it, as most people do with Zelnorm. It is even safe to take while pregnant! They have now, just recently, came out with a generic that I believe is less than $30 a bottle, thats about a dollar a day! Luckily, I have insurance but even if I didn't, I would come up with the money! I do also take Heathers Acacia, I mix a spoon of Acacia right in with my morning miralax!
You can adjust your dose as needed. I always take mine first thing in the am, BEFORE I eat. 95% of the time, I pop right after breakfast!!! If I do get backed up, than I will add in a second dose at night for a day or two until I don't feel C anymore.
I know the thought of having to take a medication "forever" sounds scary but if it improves your quality of life, why wouldn't you? People with heart problems, high chlosterol and blood pressure and diabetics take medication "forever." IBS is not life threatening as some of those conditions are but its still very serious and can make us very miserable. If there is something that can help, why not do it? I agree, it shouldn't be the first treatment you try but if nothing else is working, than why not? I guess its a personal choice you have to make. For me, it wasn't even a choice because my life was so miserable without it, I choose to feel better!
-------------------- Taking it one day at a time.....
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I took Miralax just about every day for a few years & it was wonderful!!! Last year, I had strange boughts of D & C (whether or not I took Miralax) which was weird because I've always had chronic C. So I stopped the Miralax & ended up getting so C. My GI doctor asked me to try Zelnorm, which I did for a few months. Recently I got horribly C while on vacation & taking Zelnorm, so I switched back to Miralax. I've been doing very well on it for the past 2 weeks. It took about 4 days before I started having a bm. But now I have one pretty much every day.
My GI doc told me that Miralax does not cause dependency. But honestly, as long as it doesn't hurt me, I'll take something to help my C. I know my body-- I MUST take something or I get all bound up. If the Miralax gives me trouble, I'll go back to Zelnorm.
Oh-- I haven't been taking much SFS since starting the Miralax & have been doing well. (But I do eat lots of fruits & veggies).
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