Opioid Constipation

[Brynmr]

Not a fun topic but rather than derailing further Bearpaws' thread with an off-topic query, I thought I'd start my own.

Opioid constipation is a thing and I'm dealing with it now. I'm taking 20mg oxycodone daily and having trouble moving. The laxatives I'm taking, Miralax and dulcalax, don't do much so every 3 or 5 days I reach for Fleet. That works fine. But it's not ideal healthy-wise I imagine. Any advice? My Oncologist says to drink more water.

[ViewsAskew]

Water definitely helps. Fiber in the diet also very much helps. Magnesium can help some people (really does me, but only one variety, which is odd). Exercise can help. I am sensitive to several foods that cause diarrhea when I am not taking opioids, but make things just right when I am taking opioids - that is beets and dairy.

[Lissa496]

I would suggest taking magnesium citrate starting with 250 mgs. I took it every other day, until it stopped working, then every day, and I upped the dosage to 500 mgs when I noticed it was not working as well, which was the recommended dosage. I am not sure if you can raise the dosage from 500 mgs but it seems to work well at this dose so I have not changed it. I have been taking this for about 2 years and it seems to do the trick.

This is the active ingredient in milk of magnesium!

[Brynmr]

Thank you Lissa. I will look into it. All these treatments are supposed to be short term but we have a long term issue.

[ViewsAskew]

Oddly, magnesium citrate doesn't work for me when I buy it alone. But, there is a triple magnesium product (by Swanson in the US) that always works immediately for me. And doesn't work at all for my husband. Go figure.