MIRALAX?

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MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 31 May 2016, 15:05

Hello,

I am a new member and was hoping for some guidance.

I have had a fissure for 5+ years, it never has really hurt (like some of the horror stories on here), but it has been hurting more lately and bleeding more often. So I decided it would be smart to address the issue.

MY CR doc told me to try miralax for a few weeks and see if it heals that way. It did after about 3 weeks, but shortly after the fissure came back (I don't think it was healed strong enough yet). I then decided to try miralax for a longer time period to see if that would help it heal stronger. So took it for a 1.5 months and everything seemed to be going well. I went to the CR doc for a follow up and he said I could use Colace if I was concerned about Miralax (wanted to go another 1-2 months of healing with softner but was worried about Miralax dependency). So that day I switched from Miralax to Colace....BAD IDEA.....I had the worst hard stools that I have ever experienced in all my life for about a week. Needless to say the fissure is in full swing currently and HURTS. I have been eating more fiber and such, so I am sure that didn't help (stool was big and hard!). My stools are ALOT better now (about 2 weeks after Miralax), but still not the soft soft like on Miralax. Ok enough of the rambling....My questions is the following:

1. Has anyone taken Miralax for a long period of time (> 1+ month) and then just quit cold turkey? Are the hard stools that I experienced from this? What was you experience with it? Do I need to wean off next time?

I truly believe Miralax is the only thing that can heal me, but I probably need to take it for 3+ months to fully heal. Colace is softening things up, but not nearly as well as Miralax...I am only 31 so I don't want to be dependent on something forever. I hear a lot of people in this forum take Miralax and never quit, that is great if that's whats needed. However, I am curious about those who have taken it for a few months or years and then quit...What side effects did you have. Just really worried about getting dependent on something to poop.

Thanks guys for any help that you can give.

-TX
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby Canadabum » 01 Jun 2016, 16:14

TX1984:

:wel:

Welcome to the Forum...I am sure you will find some good info here that should be helpful.

By the way -- I deleted your other post in the References section (same questions) as it is helpful to all if you stay on one thread...also, the references section is meant as just that and not so much a place to ask ?s.

I had a similar experience to you -- I got on Miralax and was very relieved of my hard stools and the plug effect -- after a few weeks of taking a full dose I figured all was good and stopped taking...only to experience hard stools, pain and blood....so I got back on.

I have been taking Miralax for almost a year now -- all of my docs (3 so far -- one surgeon, one gastro and one GP) have told me that taking it for extended periods of time is not harmful. By extended they clearly meant more than a year..perhaps even more than two. Quite frankly, one of my docs told me that if i wanted/needed to take it for the rest of my life that too would be just fine.

I started off taking a full dose but because aware after a few months or so that i didn't need that much -- so i reduced my dosage. I spoon out my dosage using measuring spoons to ensure that I get the same consistent amount each day and at each time. So when I reduced I went to taking 1/2 a teaspoon twice a day...then after a couple months i reduced to taking 3/8 of a teaspoon twice a day and kept that up for a few months and just a week or two ago I reduced to taking 1/4 a teaspoon twice a day. So as you can see I am tapering off super slowly. i reduce by 1/8 a teaspoon which is tiny. This method was not prescribed by my doc...its just the way I am approaching it. I want to slowly see how my body reacts to reduced amounts (I should say that the first couple days of the initial taper I actually keep the normal dosage in the morning and just taper in the evening...and if it is all good then I go for the full taper of 1/8 a teaspoon in the morning and evening). So far I have had a lot of success with both using Miralax and with tapering off of it. That said, if I am ever to find that I need a base dose each day no matter what then that is what I will do...the agony of the AF if not worth it for me..I'd rather take a tasteless supplement each day if I have to...hardly a difficult thing to do.

That is my experience...it has been quite good to me and after a considerable battle with my AF I am now feeling quite good (not to jinx myself!). My intention is to try my next taper some time in September and perhaps try a final taper in 2017....

Please keep the ?s coming.

All best - Canadabum
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 01 Jun 2016, 17:27

THANKS FOR THE INFO...This is exactly what I was look for. All the doctors say Miralax should not lead to a dependence, but I (and it sounds like you too) know that this is not the case.

What other things are you taking to help with your hard stools? I go everyday but my stools are HARD (currently off Miralax and taking Colace). I feel like Miralax covers up all our "eating sins", so I am trying to get my diet figured out now. So when the day comes when I am healed and can get off Miralax I know what I can and can not eat, and know what other supplements I need to take.

What other supplements do you take? Just a fiber diet?

Can I ask how old you are? Just curious because age obviously plays a role in what our body's can do.

Thanks again! You are exactly the resource I have been look for.

-TX
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby Canadabum » 01 Jun 2016, 18:08

Honestly I am not too concerned about dependence - my main concern is not to be in the sort of pain I once found myself in.

I'm 44 now...this all started almost 2 years ago now. I also take one dose of Metamucil in the morning and one dose of acacia fibre in the evening. I also take 200mg of magnesium bisglycinate each day.

I drink a lot of water and make sure I eat good amounts of fiber.

That's pretty much my regimen.
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby sore » 01 Jun 2016, 20:28

Hi TX1984,

I just wanted to give you another reassurance that it doesn't lead to dependency. I first saw a CRS about five years ago and he diagnosed me as having a fissure (he actually suspected I had had them before but I had always just misdiagnosed myself as having haemmies) and put me on Movicol (i.e. Miralax). I think I took it for about 4-6 months that time - 2 sachets a day, then reduced to 1 a day when I was healed, then on to 1 every two days then like twice a week or something, then I just stopped using it regularly. It wasn't an actual "decision" I made, I just found I didn't need it anymore. Over the years I have kept some on hand and used it on and off but never for more than a couple of weeks straight at a time as I just didn't need to - I was able to find a balance of keeping things soft without the aid of Movicol.

At the moment I am back on it again regularly and have been for the last 3 months (2 sachets a day) as I had another bad tear, but I don't see myself being on it forever. I too am not really concerned about dependency, it's more that I have side effects from it which I prefer to do without.

Like CB, I make sure I drink a lot of water (like, a minimum of 3.5L of fluid a day including tea etc.) and eat a good amount of fibre - 25-35g. Taking too much fibre can be an issue for some people too (especially if they aren't drinking enough water) - it really is a balancing act and figuring out which fibre works for you. (Metamucil etc for me aren't good as they produce too much gas in my intestinal tract and slow the movement down, but for some others they are awesome. Prune juice, on the other hand, works a charm.)

All the best!
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 02 Jun 2016, 13:43

Canad...1/8 teaspoon is hardly anything. Do you mean tablespoon? You could probably just quit with that little I would think?......
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 03 Jun 2016, 09:12

Sore...>Thanks for the response. I guess I need to just taker Miralax for a few months and then very slowly ween off. I need to realize the priority is getting healed. Over this time period I will get my diet in check and get the Benefiber going too. Need to get me body on a system, so once this thing is healed I can just keep things rolling without the miralax.

Thanks Again....


Canada...So is it indeed teaspoons and not tablespoons?
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby Healingthroughdiet » 03 Jun 2016, 19:24

I had been using colace religiously started 100 mg three times a day and then upped to 200 mg three times a day. But you are right , some form of tolerance seems to develop. After reading these posts - I just went and bought Miralax which is sort of expensive but then so is colace. It supposed to be an osmotic laxative which sounds like colace. I took my 2 rounds of colace today and will top off with Miralax - I will do one cupful as recommended. I will try to check back soon to let you know how the transition goes. I am in bad shape right now just post botox so I am praying this works. I feel like everyone is the family has stopped smiling because of my pain. I am also trying yoga. Is there a thread for which yoga's are safe?
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 03 Jun 2016, 20:38

Healingthroughdiet....Good luck. I will be right there with you on your journey. Please keep us updated on your progress over the next 1-3 months.

Thanks,
TX
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Re: MIRALAX?

Postby TX1984 » 03 Jun 2016, 20:40

Canadabum...Never mind about my teaspoon vs tablespoon comment. I just did some measuring with the doses and you are definitely right about the teaspoons; tablespoons would be WAY too much.


-TX
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