Amitiza anyone?

I'm 28 months post op and in my 28th month of chronic constipation.  After trying EVERYTHING else and having nasty, invasive medical tests to rule out physiological reasons, my doctor has prescribed Amitiza.  It's not a laxative exactly but it works like one and isn't habit forming and your body doesn't become "used" to it.  At least that's what the doctor tells me.  I know Zelnorm was taken off the market and I'm a bit leery of trying this at the same time I am desperate to do ANYTHING.  Anybody here have experience with Amitiza?

Have you tried Miralax, taken nightly, as RX? Have you taken stool softeners, all of them in the evening? Increasing your water? All of that all together?

For me, the final fix was adding magnesium oxide. It's in pill form, and the ones I use are 500mg and I take 2, but you have to trial and error.

Magnesium citrate (again, the pill, not the CLEAN OUT!) is said to be better. BUt whilethat stopped my night foot/leg cramping, it did nothing for the "boulders". Mag ox did the trick and that was after 11 ys of misery!

I have had a problem with constipation since the day after my RNY, my doctor told me to take Miralx once a day for i week and increase the dose every week up to 4 times a day until I felt my bowel habit were my norm. it has been the best thing for me so far. I buy it at walmart or any pharmacy.

I have been on a RX for Colyte since 3 months after surgery.  It is what they give you for bowel prep before surgery.  It works, but I have come to discover that the side effects are not worth the relief -- the sodium in it decreases the calcium  absorption.  So now I have bone loss and have to take Fosimax.  I have started weening myself off the Colyte and have increased the Mag (not sure which one I am using, but I increase the amount each week and decrease the Colyte some.  I spoke to one Gastro Doc *****commended the Amitiza.  If I can't get the right Mag dose, I will probably ask for a RX for that.

I got some samples for Amitiza from my Gastro provider and I thought it worked so-so, I had been on Zelnorm for two weeks prior to the recall and it worked great! I have been using Miralax as well. I put in my rx for Amitiza and the co pay was $300 for a 1 month supply; I did not purchase it. I increased the Miralax to twice a day and had better results with that than the Amitiza. I was taking the Amitiza along with the Miralax. I could not justify the expense for the little bit of relief it provided. I had a colonoscopy to rule out any mechanical issues. I will try what the Vitalady uses, I am up for anything! I have also tried the flax seed oil in my protein drinks without much success. Maybe you could get a 2 week sample supply from your provider and see what you think. Good Luck! Mary

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions!

Hi Lynda: I went through 16 months of constipation and only being able to go if I took a senokot once or twice a week per my doctor.  I have since discovered the power of coffee.  I have never been a coffee drinker but my friend who had the surgery two years before me was.  She has never been constipated or had any bathroom issues what so ever.  I asked what her secret was and she said that she drank a cup of coffee first thing every morning to get the pipes moving.  Well, I decided to give it a go and it worked for me.  In the past six weeks, I have had a bowel movement every morning except for 3 days.  I feel like a brand new person.  This may not work for you but if you are not a coffee drinker then at least give it a try.  I hope you find relief soon. Darlene

This may sound silly in the days of popping a pill but my grandpa swore by drinking something hot followed by something cold (the reverse works also).  I have also subscribed to the same thing and constipation is not an issue for me at all. Good luck!

HI Lynda, I take Amizita, and have for about three months. I took Zelnorm before the recall and had wonderful results with it, but only so-so with the Amizita. Not to be gross here, but I take it before bed then as soon as I get up in the morning. I have about an hour (sometimes less) before I'd better be near a bathroom. That's on the days it works. On other days I don't go at all.  So, I find that to have consistent  results I eat Activia once a day as well. Somehow it doesn't seem right that I should have to do both, but after months of horrible constipation I'll do just about anything. As the other poster said, it's expensive as all get out. My Ins pays for it, by my co-pay is 35$ Bottom line:  I'll still keep taking it.....some relief is better than none! Good luck

As others before me have said. I was taking Zelorm until the recall. I loved Zelnorm. it's the only thing that has ever workded for me. I was in heaven while taking it.  It was the first time in my adult life that constipation was not a daily concern. After the Zelnorm recall I was given Amitiza and Merilax. Even together both work only so so for me.  Once again constipation is a big part of my life. I just hope Zelnorm in put back on the market.  I paid the same for Zelnorm as I do for Amitiza. The Zelnorm was worth it. The Amitiza is not. In fact I would have p aid almost any price for the Zelnorm. I would have take a second out on my house to pay for it  :)  It made that much of a difference for me.  I was constipated before RNY and thing only got worse after.