Is Dulcolax available everywhere? Yes. Dulcolax is available across the world, mainly in pharmacies. Thanks to its safety and reliability, it is a frequently requested and recommended product for constipation. Is it wise to use Dulcolax every day? No. Once Dulcolax has been used successfully, the intestine is completely empty. It takes 2-3 days for the intestine to fill sufficiently to stimulate evacuation naturally. It is not therefore wise to force evacuation on a daily basis. In medical terms, stool frequency of 3 times a day to 3 times a week is normal. Has there ever been adverse events by using Dulcolax? There might be cases of abdominal discomfort including cramps and abdominal pain. Sometimes diarrhoea has been observed. Is it necessary to increase the recommended dose of Dulcolax? No. Dulcolax is reliable in the generally recommended dose. This has been demonstrated by studies in paraplegics who used Dulcolax regularly (every 2 to 3 days) for 2 to 34 years. Can Dulcolax be taken at the same time as contraceptives? Yes. Dulcolax special comfort-coated Read more [...]

Q: Our 3-year-old boy has had a problem with constipation. His doctor has checked him out and didn't find anything unusual. He recommends giving him one to two teaspoons of mineral oil in orange juice at bedtime to ease the constipation. My questions are: What's causing this problem? Are there any other options for treatment? If I give our son mineral oil repeatedly, do we run the risk of lazy bowels? Is there any basis to claims that mineral oil inhibits the body's ability to process vitamins? A: The first step is to make sure that all you're dealing with is simple constipation, which is a common problem in young children. Then you can decide what treatment to use. One of the most common causes of constipation is lack of adequate fiber or water in the diet. Another common cause is irregular bowel habits, sometimes stemming from painful bowel movements. For example, if your child becomes constipated for any reason and has a hard time moving his bowels, he may develop an anal fissure -- a small tear in the anal opening. This painful condition will make him not want to move his bowels, which Read more [...]

Q. I occasionally have a problem with constipation, and fortunately it usually clears up by itself. But if I ever should need to take something for it, what should I take? I've noticed all kinds of laxatives, stool softeners and other treatments for constipation at the drug store, but I'm not sure what works best. Also, should I ever be concerned about what's causing the constipation? A.Many people have constipation from time to time, and it's usually not a sign of anything wrong. Every now and then, however, it can be a clue to an underlying problem with your intestines, even something as serious as cancer. So if your constipation is severe or persistent, check with your doctor to make sure nothing serious is going on. Oddly enough, there's no universally accepted definition of constipation. For some people, it means moving your bowels less often than usual; for some it means having painful or difficult bowel movements. And for others, it's both. Even excluding serious problems, there can be many reasons why you're constipated. These include being inactive, not drinking enough fluids Read more [...]

Q. I'm 14 years old. Because I'm trying to lose some weight, I'm careful about what I eat. When I was young, I had a problem with constipation. Now, when I don't eat as much as I used to, the problem with constipation has come back. So every night I take a laxative pill. Is taking laxatives like this harmful? Can I become addicted to them? How can I regulate my body without the pill? A. It's not a good idea to rely on laxatives to regulate your body. I have a few suggestions on how you can get by without them. In trying to lose weight, you've cut back on the amount of food you normally eat. If you've also cut back on the amount of fluids you normally drink, that could be the whole problem. If you don't get enough water each day, you'll become more and more constipated, meaning your bowel movements will be dry and hard. To correct this problem, all you'll need to do is increase the amount of fluid in your diet. Plain water is best and has no calories to make you gain weight. Another natural aid for constipation is eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and foods high in fiber. Fiber is Read more [...]

Question: Hello, could you explain why a mucus discharge may occur with a bowel movement? The amount of mucus is very small, there is no pain associated with the bowel movement, and this happens very infrequently. Answer: Mucous is produced by certain cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. It has both a lubricating and protective effect. Therefore, the passage of mucous is not in of itself an abnormal finding. The passage of mucous with a bowel movement, in those patients with a change in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation) is often due to the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS); in fact this syndrome used to be called "Mucous Colitis". If persistent mucous constitutes the major portion of a bowel movement or is passed in large amounts, then the possibility of a villous adenoma is considered. There are a certain type of polyp or benign tumor of the colon, that can become cancerous. If there is a strong history of colon polyps or cancer in the family, an endoscopic exam of the lower colon may be warranted. Thank you for your question.  Read more [...]

Question from Ken of Virginia, USA: My mother had surgery to remove colon polyps (about 12-18" of colon removed). This occurred about 3 weeks ago, and she has recovered as expected from the surgery. However, there has been a continuation of severe gas pains and diarrhea ever since. Is this normal, and how long should you expect it to last. The doctor has only said "these things take time." Dear Ken It is not unusual for patients who have had a portion of the colon removed to experience diarrhea for a period of time; this is most common when the sigmoid colon is removed, but can occur after loss of any area of the colon. This usually does improve with time, although bulk agents (such as psyllium) are sometimes needed to solidify the stools, as well as the use of antidiarrheal meds in some such as Loperamide (Imodium) or Diphenoxylate (Lomotil). These should not be use without consulting a physician. Another frequent cause of diarrhea after almost any type of surgery is known as Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea or Colitis (also known as Pseudomembranous Colitis). This is due to the use of Read more [...]

Questions from Robert: My doctor told me I need a colonoscopy. Can a colonoscopy examination damage my coccyx? Dear Robert Thank you for your question regarding colonoscopy examination. Colonoscopy is a test where by a doctor inserts a long flexible viewing instrument into the rectum to examine the entire large bowel (colon). The examination is performed after over-night cleansing with laxatives. The colonsocopy is usually performed by a doctor in the evaluation of a explained anemia, blood loss in the intestinal tract, unexplained diarrhea, and/or change in bowel habits. Colonoscopy is also used in the diagnosis and evaluation of certain chronic conditions such as chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Finally, colonoscopy can be used to screen for colon polyps and cancer. Some colon polyps are precursors to colon cancer. The majority of colon polyps found during colonoscopy can be removed completely at the time of the colonoscopy examination. Removing pre-cancerous polyps can prevent future develop of colon cancers. During colonoscopy, small tissue samples (biopsies) can also be Read more [...]

Question from Alex, NY, US: I have tried stool softeners, laxatives and other measures, but still having painful difficult bowel movements. There has been no recent changes in my diet. Have you any other suggestions for me? The money I'm spending on these other things is outrageous, and it's probably not healthy. Dear Alex: Any recent change in bowel habit should be evaluated by your doctor. We can only provide you with some information regarding different causes of constipation. Constipation is a common problem that frequently requires treatment. Although individuals with constipation usually are viewed as a single, homogenous group, there are, in fact, numerous causes of constipation that subdivided constipated individuals into subgroups. Moreover, the cause of the constipation usually determines the best treatment. Constipation may be defined as infrequent bowel movements, hard (dry) movements or bowel movements that are difficult to pass. It is normal to have bowel movements from three times a day to once every three days. Severe (pathological) constipation is a bowel movement Read more [...]

Question from Lee of NJ, USA.

I all of a sudden got very constipated, But when I tried to take a laxative that did not help. I felt like I had a very hard stomach ache. During this period of constipation I was having back pains in the muscles up and down my back. Two weeks later the constipation relieved, but, the back pains remained. Now the stool movements are normal except there is a little bright blood in the stool and the back pains have gotten worse.

Dear Lee:

The sudden onset of constipation-especially if associated with pain and bleeding should prompt medical evaluation. Constipation can be related to many causes; often it is a chronic and sometimes can be relieved by dietary changes.

The back pain you were experiencing can be related to colonic contractions or even inflammation in the colon. There are many causes of back pain, however, and the pain may/may not be related to the constipation. The bottom line here is to consult your physician (Family Practitioner or Gastroenterologist).