Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesWhat’s AvailableBefore TakingSide Effects/Warnings
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
What’s Available
Before Taking
Side Effects/Warnings
If you’reconstipatedand an over-the-counter (OTC) laxative isn’t doing the trick, you may need to talk to your healthcare provider about a prescription laxative.
OTC products—especiallystimulant laxatives—are meant for very short-term use only, and over-using them could make your constipation worse and lead to very serious medical problems. They can even be addictive.
Also, constipation that won’t clear up may be a symptom of a serious illness, so you have plenty of reason to see your healthcare provider.
Using prescription laxatives under a healthcare provider’s supervision is much safer for long-term use, so if you have regular constipation, this may be a better option for you. Several types are on the market that work differently, so if one type doesn’t work for you, another might.
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You need to see a healthcare provider if you have:A change in bowel movement frequency that continues for two weeksNausea, vomiting, or stomach pain with constipationNeed for laxatives for longer than one weekNo bowel movement after taking a laxativeRectal bleeding
You need to see a healthcare provider if you have:
Prescription laxatives are most often prescribed for treating:
Unlike OTC laxatives, prescription drugs aren’t meant for rapid relief of occasional constipation, but rather to keep you regular when constipation is an ongoing problem.
Medications Available
Four classes of prescription laxatives are on the market. Each one works differently and may be prescribed in different situations, depending on what’s believed to be causing your constipation. They are:
Osmotic Agents
Available in both OTC and prescription products, osmotic laxatives draw water into the bowel to help soften your stool so it passes more easily.
Prescription-only osmotics include:
Miralax Available OTC
Osmotic Laxatives for Constipation
Prokinetic Agents
Prokinetic agents cause your gastrointestinal tract to contract and push materials through.The only drug in this class that’s currently available in the United States is:
Prucalopride for Constipation In IBS-C
Secretagogues
Secretagogues pull more water into the bowel to soften the stool, like osmotics, but through a different mechanism of action.Drugs in this class include:
Opioid Antagonists
You may want to try lifestyle remedies before turning to laxatives for constipation. These include:
You shouldn’t use OTC laxatives for more than a week without talking to your healthcare provider. Prescription medications are considered safer for long-term use.
When you go to the healthcare provider for constipation, expect them to ask about your:
In addition to checking your vital signs and weight, a physical exam for constipation may include:
Your healthcare provider may also order blood tests and imaging studies. A colonoscopy is less common but it may be ordered if certain symptoms are present.
How Constipation Is Diagnosed in Adults
Contraindications
Not all prescription laxatives are safe for everyone. Some medical conditions or other circumstances may make a drug unsuitable for you. These are called contraindications.
GI Problems
If you have a known or suspectedintestinal obstruction, your healthcare provider will likely not prescribe any of these drugs for you:
GI problems including obstructions,perforations,Crohn’s disease,Hirschsprung’s disease,ulcerative colitis,toxic megacolon/megarectum, irritable bowel syndrome, gut wall disorders, and obstructive ileus are contraindications for:
Kidney Function
Special consideration should be taken for people withimpaired kidney functionwhen it comes to:
Dietary Issues
If you havediabetes,caution is urged due to the sugar content of:
Galactosemiais a condition requiring a special diet that’s low in galactose. This laxative contains galactose:
If you havefructose intolerance, you should avoid:
Special Populations
Some prescription laxatives require special monitoring or altered dosages in geriatric (older) people. Your healthcare provider can help guide you to the safest drug for you based on your complete medical history.
Other
Many medications can interact with other drugs. Before taking any laxative, it’s important that you first check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist, as it can possibly interact with another medication you may be taking.
Long-Term Laxative UseOTC laxatives are for short-term use only. Long-term use can lead to multiple problems, including worsening constipation and addiction. These are not problems associated with prescription laxatives, which are considered safe for long-term use.
Long-Term Laxative Use
OTC laxatives are for short-term use only. Long-term use can lead to multiple problems, including worsening constipation and addiction. These are not problems associated with prescription laxatives, which are considered safe for long-term use.
Side Effects and Warnings
Each class of laxatives is associated with certain side effects and warnings. Individual medications may have some or all of those listed here and may also be associated with others; be sure you’re familiar with all the possible risks of any medication you’re taking.
Osmotics
Common side effects of osmotic laxatives include:
Potentially serious side effects include:
Prokinetics
Common side effects of Motegrity include:
Motegrity comes with a warning about worsening depression and the emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. You should stop taking this medication right away and contact your healthcare provider if you experience this.
Common side effects of secretagogues include:
Common side effects of opioid antagonists include:
These drugs also carry warnings about the possibility of gastrointestinal perforation in people with known or suspected lesions in the GI tract.
Drug AllergiesAllergic reactions to drugs are always possible. Get immediate medical help if you experience any of the following symptoms:Trouble breathingHivesSwellingTightness in the throatHoarse voiceSevere nausea or vomitingAbdominal painDizziness or faintingRapid heartbeatChest pain
Drug Allergies
Allergic reactions to drugs are always possible. Get immediate medical help if you experience any of the following symptoms:Trouble breathingHivesSwellingTightness in the throatHoarse voiceSevere nausea or vomitingAbdominal painDizziness or faintingRapid heartbeatChest pain
Allergic reactions to drugs are always possible. Get immediate medical help if you experience any of the following symptoms:
A Word From Verywell
Because it could be a symptom of a more serious problem, be sure to let your healthcare provider know about your constipation, especially if it lasts more than a few days or returns frequently.
You don’t have to suffer from constipation. If you have regular or long-lasting bouts, prescription laxatives may be a safer and more effective option for you than over-the-counter medications.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Polyethylene glycol 3350 - Drug summary.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Lactulose - Drug summary.Portalatin M, Winstead N.Medical management of constipation.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(1):12-19. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301754U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Motegrity: Highlights of prescribing information.Camilleri M.New treatment options for chronic constipation: mechanisms, efficacy and safety.Can J Gastroenterol. 2011;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):29B-35B.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Amitiza: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Linzess: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Trulance: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Relistor: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Movantik: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Symproic: Highlights of prescribing information.Tropini C, Moss EL, Merrill BD.Transient osmotic perturbation causes long-term alteration to the gut microbiota.Cell. 2018;173(7):1742-1754.e17. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.008American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Anaphylaxis.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Polyethylene glycol 3350 - Drug summary.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Lactulose - Drug summary.Portalatin M, Winstead N.Medical management of constipation.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(1):12-19. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301754U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Motegrity: Highlights of prescribing information.Camilleri M.New treatment options for chronic constipation: mechanisms, efficacy and safety.Can J Gastroenterol. 2011;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):29B-35B.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Amitiza: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Linzess: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Trulance: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Relistor: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Movantik: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Symproic: Highlights of prescribing information.Tropini C, Moss EL, Merrill BD.Transient osmotic perturbation causes long-term alteration to the gut microbiota.Cell. 2018;173(7):1742-1754.e17. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.008American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Anaphylaxis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Polyethylene glycol 3350 - Drug summary.Prescribers' Digital Reference.Lactulose - Drug summary.Portalatin M, Winstead N.Medical management of constipation.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(1):12-19. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301754U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Motegrity: Highlights of prescribing information.Camilleri M.New treatment options for chronic constipation: mechanisms, efficacy and safety.Can J Gastroenterol. 2011;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):29B-35B.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Amitiza: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Linzess: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Trulance: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Relistor: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Movantik: Highlights of prescribing information.U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Symproic: Highlights of prescribing information.Tropini C, Moss EL, Merrill BD.Transient osmotic perturbation causes long-term alteration to the gut microbiota.Cell. 2018;173(7):1742-1754.e17. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.008American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Anaphylaxis.
Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.
Prescribers' Digital Reference.Polyethylene glycol 3350 - Drug summary.
Prescribers' Digital Reference.Lactulose - Drug summary.
Portalatin M, Winstead N.Medical management of constipation.Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012;25(1):12-19. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1301754
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Motegrity: Highlights of prescribing information.
Camilleri M.New treatment options for chronic constipation: mechanisms, efficacy and safety.Can J Gastroenterol. 2011;25 Suppl B(Suppl B):29B-35B.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Amitiza: Highlights of prescribing information.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Linzess: Highlights of prescribing information.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Trulance: Highlights of prescribing information.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Relistor: Highlights of prescribing information.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Movantik: Highlights of prescribing information.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Symproic: Highlights of prescribing information.
Tropini C, Moss EL, Merrill BD.Transient osmotic perturbation causes long-term alteration to the gut microbiota.Cell. 2018;173(7):1742-1754.e17. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.008
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Anaphylaxis.
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