Laxatives

These are perfectly safe to use if eating more roughage is unsuccessful. They work in 5 different ways:

to soften the stools………………………………use lactulose

to lubricate the stools…………………………..use liquid paraffin

to increase the bulk of the stools……………..use fybogel

to stimulate the bowel to contract……………use senekot

to draw water into the lumen of the bowel…use ‘salts’

When you buy a laxative, ask your pharmacist how it works – the most gentle are lactulose and fybogel – others with a stimulant action are more powerful and may have side effects such as colicky abdominal pain and urgent diarrhoea with incontinence.

Those which stimulate or draw water into the bowel always work if you take enough of them!

If your problem doesn’t settle completely after simple treatments or keeps coming back when you stop treatment see your GP.