Our MOM over here is peppermint indigestion medicine. It does say it relieves constipation if you take a lot of it. So is this the same stuff as you guys are taking?And if it's a laxative can you take it long term, or would that do more harm than good. I've heard that taking laxatives for a long time can actually cause a fissure.
Also, totally off topic, how do you put little smiley emotion ball things in your messages? I think they're really cute!
thanks!

What ingredient does your MOM have? Ours has magnesium hydroxide 1200 mg. You don't have to take very much of it to work. I rarely use a full dose as it can make things too runny.
Because it is not a stimulant your body shouldn't become dependent on it. But it does draw more liquid into the stool which makes me wonder if it could cause an imbalance of electrolytes or dehydration because of it.
I have taken some kind of stool softener on and off for years and if I have to for the rest of my life I would if it meant never having another fissure or hemorrhoid.
The emoticons (smilies) should be up at the top of the message box. There is a smiley face and if you click on the arrow facing down next to him it should pull down the menu for it. If that doesn't work you need to make sure that on your profile that you have checked "yes" that you want to enable smilies.
HTH!
Lecia

I actually find MOM to be very gentle if i take only 2T or less, basically the max one is supposed to take for indigestion. I have been back onthe MOM for a few days now and am feeling fine. In fact, the spasms and soreness of the scara have graudally reduced to unnoticable over the past few days.

MOM might cause an electrolyte imbalance, but it hasn't for me. I have used for a month or two at a time. I eat really well though and I am not afraid to salt things, i.e. my eggs and veggies. I also drink a huge amount of water with it, like 20+ ounces. Perhaps this helps. If i do feel a bit crampy, I drink gatorade and that takes care of it. But really, the reasonable doses of MOM have cause me no trouble, only halped me heal. Like Lecia says, I'd take it forever if it would keep me out of that awful pain.

I didn't realise you could still get MOM!
My mum used to give me that as a kid. Does it still have a chalky taste?
I might try some of that, my bran crispbreads aren't working as well as I'd like them to this last couple of days.

our MOM contains 415 mg magnesium hydroxide per 5ml., purified water, sodium hydrogen carbonate, oil of peppermint, sodium saccharin, glycerol. It says to take 6-9 5ml spoonfuls for a laxative but that is SCARILY too much! I was up all night on much less than that!
Thanks for the 'smileys' info Lecia, I am so rubbish with a computer- my son always tells me off and says I let viruses on it. Good job computers don't get fissures!!
Yes, analangel, it does have that horrible chalky taste, it's disgusting! But no more disgusting than the aloe juice or flaxseed oil!!!

Okay, Val, you have to start using smilies in your posts from now on! :D
In the US they have a mint flavored and cherry flavored MOM. I am not saying it tastes good but it sure beats the orginal flavor!

I take the regular chalky tasting stuff, mainly because it comes generic and in a big bottle.

For me, Val, it was all about figuring out what dose works well and sticking to it for a while so that I could heal. The confusing part was sometime I need less, sometimes more. If I eat a lot of solid, bready or meaty foods, I need more If I eat al ot of veggies and fruit, I need much less. 2T is the max I can take without having the runs all day. Others might be different though.

when you say 2T do you mean teaspoons or tablespoons?
BTW I did it! I can do smileys! :cheer:

Tablespoons.

thanks :D