How does bisacodyl work as a laxative

You should have a bowel movement within 15 to 60 minutes after using a rectal suppository , or within 5 to 20 minutes after using the rectal enema. Call your doctor if you do not have a bowel movement after using this medicine, or if you have constipation for longer than 7 days. If you are using bisacodyl to prepare for a medical test, follow your doctor's instructions about when to use the medicine.

If you are preparing for a medical test and you miss your dose, call your doctor for instructions. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at , especially if anyone has accidentally swallowed a rectal suppository.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction : hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Other drugs may interact with bisacodyl, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.

Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient.

Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. It can also be used for the preparation of certain medical tests e. It works by stimulating the bowel muscles and also accumulates water in the intestines. This helps to soften the stool and produce a bowel movement more quickly. The tablets should be taken at bedtime to produce a bowel movement the next morning. The suppositories usually take about 15 minutes to 1 hour to work.

Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here. Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are being given this medication, speak to your doctor.

Do not stop using this medication without consulting your doctor. Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to use this medication if their doctor or pharmacist has not recommended it. Suppositories Each rectal suppository contains bisacodyl 10 mg adult formula. Nonmedicinal ingredient: hard fat. Tablets Each yellow, enteric-coated tablet contains bisacodyl 5 mg.

Nonmedicinal ingredients: acacia, beeswax, carnauba wax, corn starch, dibutyl phthalate, eudragit, glycerine, lactose, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, sucrose, talc, tartrazine yellow , and titanium dioxide.

For constipation, the usual dose for adults and children over 12 years of age is 1 to 2 tablets 5 mg to 10 mg taken by mouth, or 1 adult suppository 10 mg inserted rectally. For children 6 to 12 years of age, the usual dose is 1 tablet 5 mg taken by mouth or 1 pediatric suppository 5 mg inserted rectally. Before a medical test or surgery, the usual dose for adults is 2 to 4 tablets 10 mg to 20 mg by mouth the night before the procedure, followed by 1 suppository inserted rectally the morning of the procedure.

For children 6 years of age and older, the usual dose is 1 tablet 5 mg taken by mouth at bedtime and 1 pediatric suppository 5 mg inserted rectally the following morning. Take the tablets at night to produce a bowel movement the following morning. Do not take the tablets with milk or antacids as this may dissolve the coating on the tablet. Swallow the tablets whole with liquids.

Do not crush or chew the tablets. Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you. If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with your other medicines. Dated October Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy.

Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions. Bisacodyl should only be used to provide short-term relief from constipation. If you are still constipated after using bisacodyl for five days, you should see your doctor. In this article About bisacodyl Before using bisacodyl How to use bisacodyl Getting the most from your treatment Can bisacodyl cause problems? How to store bisacodyl Important information about all medicines.

It can also cause an electrolyte or salt imbalance, where levels sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.

A severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as muscle spasm and twitching, and even convulsions. Using bisacodyl for many weeks, even months, could also stop your bowel working properly on its own. If you need to use laxatives every day for longer than 5 days, talk to your doctor.

For most people, 1 laxative will be enough to make your constipation better. Occasionally, you may need to take 2 different types of laxatives at the same time to get your bowels moving again. Only take 2 laxatives together if your doctor or pharmacist tells you to, as this increases the risk of side effects. There are several types of laxative. They work in a different way from bisacodyl but are equally good at treating constipation.

Bulk-forming laxatives, such as Fybogel and methylcellulose, increase the "bulk" or weight of poo, which in turn stimulates bowel movement. They take 2 or 3 days to work. Osmotic laxatives, such as lactulose , draw water from the rest of the body into your bowel to soften your poo and make it easier for you to go to the toilet. They take at least 2 days to work.

Stimulant laxatives, like senna , stimulate the muscles that line your gut, helping them to move poo along your gut to your anus bottom. Senna takes about 8 hours to work. There's no evidence to suggest that taking bisacodyl will reduce fertility in either men or women.

But if you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do. Do not take bisacodyl at the same time as dairy products like milk, cheese or yoghurt. The small amount of milk in coffee and tea will not affect your bisacodyl tablets. If you're constipated it's a good idea to stop eating pastries, cakes, puddings and cheese for a while, as foods high in fat can make constipation worse.

It's quite common to have constipation after surgery. Using a laxative may help. If you have constipation after an operation, it's better to use lactulose because it is gentler than bisacodyl.

You can get it on prescription or buy it from pharmacies. You can often improve constipation without having to use laxatives. Before trying bisacodyl, or to stop your constipation coming back, it may help to:. Page last reviewed: 14 June Next review due: 14 June Bisacodyl - Brand name: Dulcolax On this page About bisacodyl Key facts Who can and cannot take bisacodyl How and when to take or use bisacodyl Side effects How to cope with side effects of bisacodyl Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about bisacodyl.

About bisacodyl Bisacodyl is a laxative. Before trying bisacodyl, it's better to try other ways to help your constipation by: having more fibre in your diet and drinking more water exercising Only use bisacodyl if you have tried other types of laxatives first such as: bulk-forming laxatives like Fybogel ispaghula husk and methylcellulose osmotic laxatives like lactulose and polyethylene glycol.

Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Bisacodyl tablets take 6 to 12 hours to work. The suppositories take 10 to 45 minutes to work, so it's best to stay close to a toilet after you've used them.

The most common side effects are feeling sick nausea , diarrhoea, stomach pain or cramps. Only give bisacodyl to children and young people if a doctor or pharmacist recommends it. Do not take bisacodyl tablets or use bisacodyl suppositories every day for more than 5 days.

Bisacodyl can be used by most adults aged 18 years and over.