This is my first post so forgive my technique.
I am sure a lot of you take opiates for pain. How to manage opiate induced constipation?
I have acute shingles; I dread taking my oxycodone but I do because
only then can I get a little sleep. If I lived in England
I could get a prescription for Targinact and this would not be an issue.
But I don't; so it is.

Try some herbal laxatives. Tablets or a powder. You can control the dose by how much you take. Gentle action.

We all have our favorite "cures". First, stay well hydrated. I am talking about water, not tea, coffee or pop. Avoid caffine as much as possible. I try to confine my coffee to morning so I can get going. STOOL SOFTENER. Depending on your meds, your stool can set up like cement. I take two at bedtime and chase them with a full bottle of water. I drink a cup of Smooth Move tea with my evening meal and use two bags. It is basicly a senna tea with a few other goodies in it. For me, it works better than senna capsules like Sennacot. Go figure. Once a week, I take a laxative to keep the colon stimulated and reasonably empty. I am capable of moving daily but still slowly develope a high impaction with no warning. The weekly laxative corrected that.

A high fiber diet should be a no brainer. It can be problematic if you aren't well hydrated and take a stool softner. Hopefully, you are still fairly active. This helps keeping things moving. I am sure others will come in with more thoughts on the subject. As I said, we all seem to respond differently. Best wishes.

dont know what you havae to offer in the UK .. but first I woudl try getting off the Opiates ... if not there are teas for constipation , also Mirlax here in the us ... also Black strap molasses is good . Flax seed oil too

Some people (believe it or not) have a mild stimulus with drinking warm water. As hot as you can stand. This tends to
stimulate the GI tract for some reason.

Also virgin olive oil is laxative for some people. At least 2 tablespoonfuls.

Some people find Miralax useful. This is OTC now.

I'd be careful with Senna products however, as they are being
looked at as potential cancer causing agents when used every day for long periods of time. Here and there is okay, but until the verdict is finally in on this potential, I'd be careful with them.

Here is one site with some suggestions about Senna:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5402360_da...senna-tea.html

Magnesium oxide products may work for some people. They come in tablets, made in US by Phillips. Also most doctors suggest trying Milk of Magnesia as a first thing.

Some people make up a paste consisting of prunes, figs etc.
Pear juice helps some people. Some of the paste recipes I've found include Senna. But you could try them without. Just Google "fruit paste for constipation".

Sorbitol is also a mild laxative. Some dietetic candies are high in sorbitol. You have to read the labels to find which ones.
I remember when I bought some sugar free PEZ candies for my son's PEZ dispenser. We didn't look at the ingredients (my BAD) and within a hour he was in major distress! He was about 7 or so. Sorbitol is a liquid used in RX compounding as well, and commonly prescribed by doctors for patients in nursing homes on high dose opiates. Lactulose is another liquid some may try. Doctors typically order sorbitol or lactulose on RX.

Alot depends on the person. Some people need stronger help than others.

I use Lactalose off and on. If I use it regularly, if loses it's effectiveness. Go figure. One time, I went into the pharmacy to get a refill and they were out of it. The pharmacist told me to take corn syrup instead until the Lactalose was in. The corn syrup worked beautifully.

I didn't know about the problem with Senna. I guess I need to refigure things.

bejart,
oh the joys of opiods! The longer you are on them, the worse things get in the GI department.

razzle51 has brought up one of the most effective things. Miralax. You can get it in the US in OTC generic as well. Don't use too much of it though as it can make your bowels too soft. Overall though, it doesn't seem to cause cramps, at least it doesn't in me.

OTC ducostate sodium works well if you are having a real problem with constipation. Make sure it won't react with any medications you have though. The down side is that it can cause some cramps. After two weeks of ilius though, your GI is so full of gas etc. that the discomfort of the cramps is less painful than the constipation.

If you are on opiods or narcotics, and can stay ahead of the constipation, that is best. Dealing with it after you have been suffering for days is less effective.

The first line of defense is eating a fiber rich diet. If you are not a vegetable and fruit eater, start out slow or the fiber itself can give you gas. Natural is always best.

I hope you can avoid a serious bout of constipation.

Sam

Welcome to Neuro Talk. Feel at ease. Lots of us have gone though this side effect when taking opiates. It is a terrible problem, but one you can solve.
Lots of things can help. Phillips milk of magnesia, metamucil fiber drink, drink lots of water, oatmeal, prunes, or drinking prune juice, all of these things help. What is important is to change, and do more of this stuff on a regular basis. I took morphine for 10 years, and percocet. I did a combination of all these things, and stayed out of trouble. If you really continue to have trouble you better seek your physician. It is ok to post these questions. don't feel embarassed even if it is your first post. Glad to have you here. I also ate alot of fruit, and more veggies in my diet in general. Cut back on white flour products. I wish you all the best. Hope you will be OK. ginnie

these are some triggers of constipation..

was reading a phamlet in drs office and these are triggers

carbonated drinks , alcohol, coffee

fruits and vegs like broccoli and cabbage

dairy products like milk and cheese

fried and fatty foods

chewing gum

and chocolate...

eating large meals

stress

menstrual cycle

some medications

This is a problem I've had to deal with for far to long.
I even visited an ER one night. Meet a nice Dr. who after touching my abdomen and I nearly jumped off the table! He told me to me to just walk of the ER without talking to anyone to save myself some money and go to the nearest all night drug store and buy a few bottles of Magnesium Citrate.
Drink the entire bottle. Don't worry their small and stay close to a bathroom.

Wow was he right. Worked like a liquid rotor rooter.
Now I use Metamucil. I haven't had to use Magnesium Citrate in a long time.
But I do keep a bottle of the cherry flavored Magnesium Citrate in the refrigerator just in case.
Best to be prepared.