Sorry if this is to much information for some but I need some advise.

I never had problems "going" before surgery in fact I was very regular. Since surgery I seem to be constantly dealing with constipation issues.
It seems I have to force myself to go each day or every other day otherwise I become constipated and my stool becomes rather large. I eat lots of fiber, bran, fruit, salads etc but nothing seems to help.

My question is; has anyone tried Lax A Day and if so does it help...Is it something that is recommended. Are there side effects from taking a daily laxative long term? I  have never used them so I really have no idea about the long term effects if any.

Thanks everyone I appreciate your help and again sorry if it was TMI for some. 

Ann

 I know as a DSer, we are told not to use laxatives long term because it could cause problems. 

VitaLady has a plan to help with constipation which has helped a lot of DSers, here is her remedy:
As per VitaLady

I had chronic constipation for 11 years. I tried: more fiber, less fiber, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, no fiber, both fibers, stool softeners, Smooth Moves & Correctol teas and Metamucil wafers, together, apart, more water, less water, cut out anything bu****er (and protein), senna, cascara sagrada, everything one could possibly try until I was basically dependent on enemas for 3 yrs. 

Miralax helped the stool be passable. It was rx and finally became generic, so went from $80 for 3 months to $20 for 3 months. Now it is OTC, but is about $8 for 5-6 servings. If you can get the rx, it is much cheaper, safe, daily, for life, according to my GI doc. 

The stool softeners are store brand equal to Colace, not PERI-colace.

Word was that magnesium citrate was such a great thing. This is pills, not the green bottle, so I tried it and nothing happened, and so I kept increasing it. What DID happen is that my foot and leg cramps ceased. So, I kept doing that and tried magnesium oxide. This is small, cheap, found anywhere, like drug stores. And finally, it worked. Mine are 500 mg and I take 2.

My final formula:
1 serving MiraLax (rx) * 
4 stool softeners at night
1 mag ox with lunch, 1 with dinner

In the morning, hot beverage first thing on empty gut

This has worked for several years yrs now. 

* MiraLax was rx only until the end of 2007, and is now generic by rx. The original name brand is available at drug stores at about $20 for a large bottle. You might want to try one first, taken daily, at about the same time. If it solves the problem, then ask your doc for rx. It is NOT a laxative. It is safe, daily, taken for life, per 4 doctors I've asked. It was a pediatrician who introduced me to it. My rx plan allows me to have 6 of those big bottles every 3 months for $20. Check with your doc and your insurance to see if it's beneficial to buy it by rx. BTW, my doc writes for 2 servings per day, because they might SAY there are.. 


http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4276854/Vita-Ladys-quot UNconstipation-planquot/#35204165 

not just DSers, but anyone should not use a laxative long term.

 I thought it might be for all but I didn't want to throw it out there without knowing for sure (:

Lax a day, Restorolax, Miralax, PEG powder, they are all the same thing so it doesn't matter which one you get, it's all polyethylene glycol 3350.  I bought it before it was available OTC and I didn't find it helped me much.  I used it for months with very little help so I started trying different probiotics until one actually worked and so far no issues.  I buy the Jamieson 4 strain probriotics and it works like a charm.  I started with the max of 3 per day and now only take one every 3 days.

 Is Lax-A-Day not a laxative? It's not something I've heard before and because of the name I thought it was.

Thanks (:

They are all the same ingredient just sold under different names.  I was told by the pharmacist that they are laxatives but ones that can be used daily.  Miralax was the first one that was sold OTC in the US and then the other 2 came to Canada but you could always ask the pharmacist for PEG powder prior to the name brand companies bringing one here.

 Ooohh good to know! Thanks :D

I would discuss it with your pharmacist but that is what mine told me years ago and I think if you look at Miralax or any of the others, they say it's safe to use daily.  They have been using PEG powder for kids for years so it must be safe.

I was having the same problem then decided to take prunes and they help me

I had really really bad constipation issues. They have resolved now over a year later. (knock on wood)Lax - A -Day was very helpful for me when things were really bad. It is a stool softener. I would take a does every hour until I went. My Dr. says it is not habit -forming. Me personally though I didn 't want to use it forever. 
Fibre/exercise/water are the keys I think. Other than that I think our bodies have to work it out.
Good luck!

I use Restoralax as well. For me I find it does take a two-three days of using before it starts to work. I get panicky because usually by the time I realize I need it, it has been three days of not going, then it takes another two days to actually go. In the end it has worked for me.

I learned the hard way (although it was early post-op) that trying too many things just made it worse. When things get really bad I have used Acilac syrup and it works like a charm.

Hope you get things 'worked out' (pun intended).

Have a good day,
Kristie

Ann...I've been eating the Blue Menu Twigs --Fibre First every morning with my yogurt and blueberries every day for the past 2 years...I also make low fat/low sugar high fibre bran muffins....and this works for me!!  Patti K.

I had BAD constipation issues! (even ended up in the ER for it)

I did what Monica told me to do (THX MONICA!) and added more bran to my diet. I bought "Rogers 100% all natural wheat bran and I make muffins with it. I also added All bran cereal and buds. I eat what i feel like for a day.

I also added a probiotic in the morning and a herbal laxative at night.
Doing these things have REALLY helped me tremendously! And I am going regular now!

Good luck

Edited to add: I had tried many different things, colace, soflax, reatoralax, enamas, and other things, and none of it seemed to work for me.

I had major issues post surgery! I had to have 2 enimas 3 days after surgery.
My surgeon advised to use stool softener called macropods which you can get st shoppers you just have to ask at the pharmacist. $12
I would put it in my protein shake. Works like a charm. Then I would also use lax a day. The two together help you get things moving. I still use this combo if I notice things haven't been quiet regular. It's gentle on our system.

I went to see a GI doc for my issues with constipation and extreme bloating.
He told me to take Lax A Day twice a day for a week. At the end of the week add a dose if I still wasn't going regularly or subtract a dose if it was working too well. It is safe to take long term. I also added more fibre rich foods to my diet and drink more water.
I also take probiotics daily.
Now I only take the Lax A Day every other day and things are much better for me.

Linda

I use Lax-A-Day too.  First few days I took a dose in the morning and again at night, then once things started moving again I started just taking it every evening.  That was still a little too effective, so now I take a dose every day-and-a-half... so Monday morning, Tuesday night, Thursday morning, Friday night... like that!  LOL  That seems to be doing the trick!!!!  *Crossing fingers that it continues that way* 

Laura

 Thanks a lot for the great advice ladies, much appreciated 

Ann :-)

I get the equate brand of stool softeners in the US (I think they are the colace? copies) and take 1 a day and eat 3-4 prunes and it's helped immensely.

I have had constipation issues for 20 years. I tried everything...most have already been listed...nothing worked until Lax-a-day. If I forget to take it for a day or two I suffer! For the last year I have been taking it once a day and it has been wonderful!

I have just recently become aware that it can be prescribed- I have been buying it at Costco it is quite inexpensive around $6 for the large sized bottle.

Give it a try and see if it works for you. I hope you get relief soon, constipation is horrible.
Kristen