When Laxatives Don’t Work – What to Do

When Laxatives Don’t Work – What to Do

“Laxatives don’t work” is a very often-repeated belief in the weight-loss community. Even though you will probably lose weight on almost any diet when you cut your calorie intake by reducing your meals, when you utilize laxatives to temporarily reduce your bowels, you are in fact causing rapid weight gain. There is no magic about laxatives. They are just weight-loss aids that you must be careful with. They should not be taken for prolonged periods of time as they can cause dehydration.

 

The reason why they do not work as well as you may think is because your body is only absorbing a small amount of the substance and it is too bulky in nature to be absorbed. If the stool is too soft, it does not pass through the digestive tract at all. Laxatives are used to soften hard stool and to prevent the straining which causes constipation.

 

If your doctor prescribes you an enema to help you lose weight, then it is important that you have a normal bowel movement even though the enema is still in use. You should also not exceed the recommended dosage given on the bottle. In the case of laxatives, a normal bowel movement will mean three to four hours without stools. If you exceed this time frame then you should call your doctor immediately or go to a health food store for a Miralax kit which contains an anti-enema gel.

 

Do not take Miralax if you are allergic to the latex rubber that lubricates the tubes inside the enema bag. Do not share the enema with anyone else, and keep it in a safe place where children cannot get hold of it. If you are taking antibiotics, do not stop taking them until your doctor tells you that the infection has cleared up. You could also develop an intestinal gas that cannot be treated using standard medications. If this happens, your doctor may suggest the prescription of an oral gas suppressant.

 

When your doctor advises you to discontinue laxative use, then the only way to overcome constipation is to go back to the drawing board and strengthen your weak points. Laxatives cannot teach you how to build up the walls of your colon. Neither can they force the bowels to move regularly. Only a healthy lifestyle can permanently change your life and the way you feel about bowel movement.

 

Enemas are often prescribed for people who have problems with occasional or chronic constipation. However, there are better ways to solve your problem. In the case of enemas, many people find them uncomfortable and even painful. Also, they only treat the symptoms and not the root cause. When someone stops taking enemas, the problem still remains. For this reason, many doctors prefer other means of rectal cleansing such as the use of an enema kit or the use of a rectal hydrotherapy machine.

 

A special type of enema called Miralax was developed by a famous physician. It works by adding bulk to the stool and can remove up to four pounds of waste in a month. The manufacturer recommends that Miralax users add no more than three teaspoons a day to their diets. For those with a milder form of constipation, it can flush out five pounds in a month.

 

Another option you have is to buy a pre-packaged stool softener. There are many of these available both online and offline. To make sure you get a good quality product, you should consult your doctor. Most stool softeners are a little stronger than Miralax but still work very well. Once again, be sure to consult your doctor before using one.