mlgable, Harry, re: Colace - Bowel Disorders Message Board

goldenhorn1 · 10-04-2003, 02:13 PM

Ia Colace habit forming? I am abit confused about it. The bottle says one tablet can be taken on a regular basis for Maintenance purposes. But I read elsewhere that it should be take only for one week. I also read somewhere that Harry uses it on a daily basis. Aren't the stool softners like laxative, which should not be taken on a regular basis. Also,is the generic make( manufactured by a major pharmacy) as good as the brand name? I bought the geric bottle ( much cheaper) bottle but it says that it should be taken only for 1 week.

Thanks for your help.

Harry · 10-04-2003, 07:50 PM

I have never taken a stool softener in my life but there are cases where a soft stool is needed so you don't pass a hard stool such rectal & hemorrhoid surgeries. Hard stools could cause bleeding.

I use psyllium daily and make sure I eat enough fruits and veggies.

Harry

karannk · 10-04-2003, 09:40 PM

Colace is certianly safe to use on a daily basis. It is not habit forming. Essentially, it is a detergent/soap-like substance that causes stools to become softer. It does not affect bowel motility. You do not build up resistance to it.

mlgable · 10-04-2003, 11:21 PM

Colace is fine to use but you should try to find out what is causing your hard stools and elminate the cause. For many people with nervous system problems such as MS or paraplegics stool softeners are used routinely as they cannot get the proper exercise so they tend to have hard stools. Be sure to use Metamucil routinely and once it kicks in and your stools are regular then you should be able to discontinue the colace.

goldenhorn1 · 10-05-2003, 02:59 PM

Harry, karannk and mlgable, thanks for your response.

Harry, sorry , I must have confused you with someone else's Post.

mlgable, I have read several of your Posts and I do take metamucil.(twice a day)and prunes. It has been working (every other day) from time to time. But lately doesn't seem to be working fully. From time to time, I miss a bowel movement and that starts all the problem. Then I find it hard to pass the stool without the help of an enema (half the bottle) or a little laxative. Even half tablet of dulcolax does the trick. Truth is, lately, I get the full bowel movement only upon taking a little bit of laxative. Why is this so? Lately I get only a partial quantity of stool in smaller pieces without a laxative.

I do drink 6-7 glasses of water a day but soon after I drink water, it is released by way of urination shortly thereafter. I have to go to the bathroom several times a day to release water that I drank. Is this normal? Shouldn't the body be able to retain water much longer? Could this be the cause of the hard stool that I seem to experience even while I am on metamucil? I am a male 40s, have no noticeable sign of any infection in urination channel, though.

Finally, could there be an impaction or inflammation somewhere that might be causing the stool to get hard and/or difficult to pass fully and wholly without the help of some laxative? Recently I have also started taking acidophilus and magnesium supplement as I had been experiencing a lot of acid reflux

Thanks in advance for your input. I know there are more than one question in my Post.