United States
Sorry to discount whatever information you were seeing from the NHS, but if you haven’t had a bowel movement in a week, you should be seeing someone.
Maybe I’m not understanding your situation. Are you saying that you are having periodic episodes where it is hard to pass a stool? Or is it that nothing is being passes at all? If it’s the latter and you’ve not passed anything in almost 4 weeks, please contact your GP.
If it’s just that you cannot have bowel movements without medication, that’s different. Be sure you are using a stool softner and not a laxative. Check the box or container and make sure that the word “stimulant” is nowhere to be found. It is possible for you to have a rebound effect with stimulant products when you stop using them and things plug up again until your body adjusts. And sometimes it doesn’t.
Stool softeners work differently and you actually can take them long term if needed. They would be US products such as Colace or MiraLax (Movicol, Laxido, CosmoCol, or Molaxole in the UK).
Maybe I’m not understanding your situation. Are you saying that you are having periodic episodes where it is hard to pass a stool? Or is it that nothing is being passes at all? If it’s the latter and you’ve not passed anything in almost 4 weeks, please contact your GP.
If it’s just that you cannot have bowel movements without medication, that’s different. Be sure you are using a stool softner and not a laxative. Check the box or container and make sure that the word “stimulant” is nowhere to be found. It is possible for you to have a rebound effect with stimulant products when you stop using them and things plug up again until your body adjusts. And sometimes it doesn’t.
Stool softeners work differently and you actually can take them long term if needed. They would be US products such as Colace or MiraLax (Movicol, Laxido, CosmoCol, or Molaxole in the UK).
Last edited:
