Miralax Safety? (mrsD)
 

Hey mrsD, I've seen several posts where you've said that Miralax is under reconsideration by the FDA, but my searches here haven't turned up any links to more info. I did find this: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/G.../UCM166481.pdf but it looks pretty old (pre-OTC status) and talks about false claims rather than any concern for safety.

I've also found many references about a recall due to faulty container caps. Do you know of any other concerns that might make me want to stop using this product (aside from the creepy sound of "polyethylene glycol", which reminds me of anti-freeze, or something awhile back about dangerous Chinese imports of something)?

Hi JoanB,
I take Miralax every evenig with a glass of cranbery juice and it really works, no longer have to take fiber mixes, its widely used by the VA. I take Methadone for pain relief and it can really bind up the system. I too am awaiting mrsD response. This is a fairly new product.

This is the list:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread105698.html

I searched around back then, for more info and most of what I found was for children.

example:
http://sideeffects101.com/drug-side-...-behaviour.htm

Since this works as an osmotic laxative-- ie. pulling water into the bowel, -- magnesium oxide would be a similar thing and more natural I would think. Phillips tablets are magnesium oxide. (a very small amount of magnesium would be absorbed, but not much).

Miralax is not recommended for anyone with reduced kidney functions.

also:
http://www.patientsville.com/medicat...de_effects.htm

I'd use as little as necessary, just to be safe.

I gave my miralax up quite a while ago...seems like drugs go in fads until there is some issue and they become less popular or get pulled.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It's so hard to know what's right to do. I had one doctor tell me to take Dulcolax, and then another doc says "Nonono! That will ruin your colon! You have to take Miralax instead!" I wonder what these clowns base their opinions on.

One thing's for sure: I have to take something. And the amitriptyline I've been taking makes the problem even worse. I've tried consuming 3x the recommended daily fiber, and that doesn't help at all.

I've been taking 400 mg magnesium oxide a day to see if that helps. I really don't like the Miralax...yeah, it's not supposed to have any taste or texture, but if I know it's in something, it's still squicky to me.

Should 400 mg of magnesium be enough, or should I increase the dose?

When I was on certain pain meds, my system stopped completely. Would neurontin or lyrica work better for you than amitriptyline? You don't want to mess your colon up. Mine went thru the mill when I was on major pain killers and it hasn't been the same since. I know amitrip isn't a major pain killer but in your system maybe it just plugs you up.

I have been lucky enough to get my system going again, daily, and not a day goes by that I don't appreciate the 'simple' pleasures of life.:p

Yeah, constipation is a definite side-effect of Amitriptyline.

Tried Neurontin alone before I tried Cymbalta. Then the Amitriptyline alone, now trying Neurontin and the Amitriptyline together. So far, nothing seems to have any effect on my pain level (burning, stabbing feet & legs).

I guess I might be ready by now to try Lyrica, which I've been avoiding because of its reputation for weight gain. But Neurontin didn't seem to make me gain weight--in fact, I was taking it and losing weight for no apparent reason, and I've learned here that it's in the same family as Lyrica. I think the Amitriptyline is trying to make me gain, but I'm fighting it with everything I've got.

At this point, if I knew for a fact that something worked but would also make me gain a huge amount, I'd still try it and be thankful for less pain.

Warm Prune Juice
 

[QUOTE=JoanB;704966]Yeah, constipation is a definite side-effect of Amitriptyline.



Tried Neurontin alone before I tried Cymbalta. Then the Amitriptyline alone, now trying Neurontin and the Amitriptyline together. So far, nothing seems to have any effect on my pain level (burning, stabbing feet & legs).

I guess I might be ready by now to try Lyrica, which I've been avoiding because of its reputation for weight gain. But Neurontin didn't seem to make me gain weight--in fact, I was taking it and losing weight for no apparent reason, and I've learned here that it's in the same family as Lyrica. I think the Amitriptyline is trying to make me gain, but I'm fighting it with everything I've got.


I know this doesn't sound to tasty, but I have heard warming prune juice and adding some butter to it does the trick!

I take 1200 mg. Gabapentin, 60 mg. Cymbalta, do not have constipation. Pain is about 60-70% less, but abnormal sensations are not touched by these drugs. I have had some weight gain, but not positive it is due to Gabapentin, I have been indulging a bit since all this started, trying to drown the symptoms with chocolate.

I find the more I physically move around, the less I notice the sensations, etc., if I am still they are much more noticeable and when I notice them, I immediately get mentally disturbed, I am trying to work on that reaction and accept it as my "new normal."

Also, an odd thing is, when I sleep they are gone, I am a light sleeper, I know I would awaken if they were present. My pain/sensations stay constant through the day, do not worsen at night as some neuropathies do.

Hey Dan,
Hope your all healed up, Miralex is the best I have tried, if no movement after 3 days take a belt of MOM. When I was having dry hard stools I used some mineral oil in a warm water enema.
Lanny

I still have this issue but not to the degree I did. Some suggestions I have tried. Is stool softners. These take time though but they are safer then laxatives. Magnesium, I take glycinate but also the oxide to help with the bowel issues. Items like fiber supplements back me up more. Some foods that are high in fiber do that as well. Fiber one cereal or even beans just bloat me but don't help move the bowels. Even with adequate fluids. Healthy fats I feel have helped too. I agree that lack of activity also does not help with bowel issues plus the meds. For me coffee helps I think the most. People who feel prunes help I was suggested baby prune food as it is easier to get down if you don't like the taste.

There's a new product on TV. A juice that is 'Plum...." (something) in regular and 'lite' sweetener. It starts with a man saying he can't wait weeks for fortified yogurt to work, so he drinks this juice. Could be a prune juice of some sort.

Extra virgin olive oil works, and so do avocados. Those are two food sources to help the GI tract along.

Well, my Urogyn wasn't a big fan of Miralax but still wanted me to keep the bowels moving...daily (female issues). So, fiber and water it was and it did work. Then again, I don't take a lot of meds. Anyway, one of my pain docs prescribed Lactulose and that worked even better when I have had a "bout". I haven't had to take it for a long time now though. The only thing is be careful if diabetic. But what I liked about it was is that it seemed easier and worked faster.

There is also sorbitol.... Nursing homes use sorbitol pretty often.

I hate to recommend it tho, because diabetics has problems at the nerve endings with sorbitol...and I am unsure taking it orally is safe because of that.

Miralax is one thing I have not tried, but my mom swears by it.

I have been trying to find a solution for all this as well, but something that is not pill form or liquid--which certainly doesn't leave much, I know.

My mom says that Miralax has no taste, but 99% of the liquids I drink are water, and I always taste the things that others claim are tasteless. Not only do the liquid things taste disgusting, but they so often make me sick to my stomach because I just can't get them down. Liquid pain medicine after surgery was the worst--I'd rather just deal with the pain.

I'm on the fentanyl patch and oxycodone 3 times a day as well as amitriptyline, steroids, and a whole other host of medicines. I can never remember which ones specifically contribute to constipation, but many of them do.

Everything I've tried so far hasn't really worked. I've thought about trying Miralax, but am really afraid of trying it in water because I seem to taste the "tasteless".

I've heard before that extra virgin olive oil works wonders as someone stated, but I don't quite get it--am I supposed to just take a drink from the bottle? Okay, I'm not serious--but how in the world is someone supposed to get enough oil in them to do any good? I don't eat anything that has been fried in oil... or even has oil in/on it.

I will be interested to see if anyone else comes here and has some good suggestions or advice.. it's definitely not a fun side effect to deal with.

for the olive oil.... 1-2 tablespoonfuls. If you eat salads, you can add it there.

Years ago I had a young man with a kidney transplant, who was very constipated. His mother was not getting a call back from the surgeon, and she was afraid to use anything that would cramp him, or stress his kidney (like a Fleet enema).

I settled on sorbitol for him, and told her to call me back. Well, their Italian grandmother came to the rescue... The gal called me back and said 2 tablespoonfuls of the extra virgin olive oil did the trick!
http://www.drugs.com/npp/olive-oil.html
That article gives contents, and virgin olive seems higher in oil content than extra. So virgin may work and cost less.

I find guacamole very effective for me... but then I don't use opiates, or other constipating drugs except for dilitiazem.

Thanks for that mrsD...but do you know the answer to this: Should 400 mg of magnesium be enough, or should I increase the dose? Or maybe my question should be: how much is safe to try?

Is the magnesium the Oxide form?

Here is the link to Phillips Tablets:
magnesium oxide:

http://phillipsrelief.com/caplets.html

The oxide form is not appreciably absorbed and stays in the bowel becoming a laxative.

Yes, the oxide form. Just wanted to know what dosage would be effective.

Thanks.

How much of MiraLax do you take ?

Shane