Magnesium Oxide for constipation

YankeeRose
on 10/24/11 11:34 am - Meadville, PA
How much do you take? I just bought some today in hopes of becoming "more regular." I'm just not sure how much to take and when. I also bought some Mirilax. For those of you that take these, what do you recommend?

Tammy
Luck 'o the Irish
HW399/SW362/CW219/GW130
*37 lbs were lost pre-op
       

Price S.
on 10/24/11 11:38 am - Mills River, NC
Start with 250mg, go up to 500 if needed.  Mine is 400 and it helps, I think.  I also do generic benefiber and eat veggies several times a day.

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Ladytazz
on 10/24/11 11:51 am
I take 500mg twice a day with my morning and evening calcium.  I also use Miralax daily and I haven't had a problem since.

WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010

High Weight  (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.

poet_kelly
on 10/24/11 12:00 pm - OH
I take one dose of  Mirilax a day and 500 mg magnesium oxide, which is what vitalady suggested to me.  It seems to work pretty well.  I take my magnesium mid-afternoon because I have a couple other meds to take then but not too many, so it seemed like a good place to add something.

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YankeeRose
on 10/24/11 12:45 pm - Meadville, PA
I bought the GNC brand. It says it is magnesium oxide and magnesium gluconate. Will this be okay? I think I may also need a stool softener. Everything was going fine and then within the last week or two I have been having more and more trouble. Should I call my surgeon for a script or just buy a stool softener OTC? Which do you all prefer?

Tammy
Luck 'o the Irish
HW399/SW362/CW219/GW130
*37 lbs were lost pre-op
       

vitalady
on 10/24/11 2:41 pm - Puyallup, WA
RNY on 10/05/94

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 30 servings per bottle, but somebody can't count. Me or them? I use only one, but if I spill or get too much, I still have enough to last til next refill.

Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94 

P.S.  My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.

hlacy
on 10/24/11 3:03 pm, edited 10/24/11 3:04 pm - Chandler, AZ
I tweaked your formula a bit, but it has been a lifesaver for me ever since:

In the morning, hot tea with 4 tsp. Benefiber first thing on empty gut
1/2 serving MiraLax at night
2 stool softeners at night
1 mag ox with afternoon calcium, 1 with night vitamins

In the AM, about 5-15 mins. after my hot tea, I go like clockwork :) Thanks Michelle!
"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come"           

tulips52
on 10/25/11 12:30 am, edited 10/25/11 12:31 am
My Dr has emphatically said to NEVER EVER take magnesium citrate. I just hope everyone checks with their Dr before taking anything new.

     

YankeeRose
on 10/25/11 2:29 am - Meadville, PA
I think magnesium citrate is different than magnesium OXIDE. Just curious though, why did you doc say not to take it?

Tammy
Luck 'o the Irish
HW399/SW362/CW219/GW130
*37 lbs were lost pre-op
       

Onmyweightohappine
ss

on 10/25/11 12:39 am - Houston, TX
I started taking Magnesium Oxide 3 weeks ago off the advice from people here. I take 2 pills every evening, not sure the dosage off hand as I am at work right now. Within 3 days it started working. I go every single morning and I no longer have hard stool issues. That was a huge problem before I always felt like I had to go but couldn't get it to come out. Sorry for the TMI. All I do is take these Magnesium Oxide pills for the constipation and they work amazing!!!!!!!!! Try them without a stool softener first you might be surprised.
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