Dulcolax for Bowel Preparation User Reviews (Page 3)

• Cher...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2022

"My prep instructions for my Colonoscopy & esophagus scope said take 4 dulcolax pills @ 9:00am, day before procedure. One hour later I start being nauseous, sweating, hot, cold, stomach cramps, runs, and sore butt. The nightmare begins! I start BLASTING! Bright sunny yellow runs out of my butt non stop. SUPER bad stomach cramps! This is before even drinking the 64 oz of the Gatorade & Miralax. 6:00pm I start drinking the Gatorade & Miramax mixture. It took 30 minutes for the volcano to really BLOW TONS! I couldn't get off the toilet for over 45 minutes the first three times! Every time I thought I was done, it started up AGAIN! I’ve been up all night, with BAD Cramps, Exploding & Raw butt! It's been 6 hours since I drank the mixture. It's NOT letting up! I'm going every 20 minutes. My BEST FRIEND is butt cream! I'm afraid to go to bed, that I might not make it in time to the bathroom. This is worse than food poisoning, or the worst flu! I HOPE it stops soon! Never again!!!!""

• freeway...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2015

"I was going for my first colonoscopy & my Split Peg Prep Instructions were to drink 8 glasses of water the day before, then take 4 Dulcolax, with water, followed by half the prep and the remaining prep the day of the colonoscopy. The Prep drink, although a lot of it and the colonoscopy were a piece of cake compared to the Dulcolax. Within an hour of taking the Dulcolax I felt out of it and then really dizzy. Then the hot sweats, followed by cold sweats and shaking. And cramps. Lasted around 4hrs. Never again. I do have to say this is the first time I have ever taken any form of laxative."

• Doug...
• April 9, 2018

"Had colonoscopy this AM (9 Apr 2018) Prep began on Sunday morning. This is my second, first 16 years ago. I don't remember anything bad about the first except for that nasty tasting lax. I read the post about Dulcolax and almost threw them away, Who would know, right? But I thought I had taken them the first time. Sooo. I have always drank LOTS of water, still do. 2 gallons a day is not unusual. Several posts suggested that those who had pain did not drink enough liquids before and after. I took a chance. Copious amounts of liquids Sunday AM. Peed every 20 min or so, not just a little, full bladder each time. At 1PM 4 dulcolax as directed. (I'm only just 200 lbs) Lots of gatorade white grape juice and 7up followed. Still peed a river every half hour or less. First BM at 3, soft and easy. It's almost 9 AM time for the fun and I'm about to mess the bed. Nurse says the doctor will take care of it and off we go. Scope went like a charm, talked to the Doc and back home. In bed couldn't make it to the toilet. Back in my man diaper waiting for my bowels to become stable. Now as for nausea and cramping. At 10 PM Sunday I had a very very mild case of both. But I was very hungry. Chicken broth and jello later and it went away. Was that from the Dulcolax? Don't know, not an issue. But I'm pretty sure that some of the yuk drink is still in me. My advice, drink drink drink before, during and after Dulcolax, but then that's what the instructions said."

• Charl...
• May 17, 2015

"Took one tablet at 10pm last night and I woke at 2am with the worst cramps I have ever had. Last year I gave birth without pain relief and honestly the cramps were close to the pain if had then. I was shaking, I was hot and came close to collapsing I was so weak and dizzy. Yes I did go to the toilet but I would rather be constipated than have to go through that again. It's now 8am the next day and after having hardly any sleep I still feel sick and weak"

• Tutt...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2017

"I had taken the medication at 10 last night about 8 this morning had severe cramps and nausea and sweaty. And again at 10 had a liquid bowel movement and now at 11 sitting on the toilet I wanted something for relief and this isn't a nice relief more like a killer one to say the least. Would I recommend it ummm sure if you like excruciating cramps and constant nausea and very loose stool."

• Abon
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 15, 2016

"I did the same, took it as per prescribed then read reviews afterwards. I was so freaked out by others experiences with this drug that the anxiety was the WORST part of the night. I took it at 7pm then had a rumbling tummy at about 3am, had my first and only 'cleanse'. Went back to bed and woke up fine at 7am. I did drink LOTS of water (prob 3 litres) because I was so scared of dehydrating and possibly feeling 'on the brink of death' as some have put it...don't know if this was my saviour. It was accompanied with mild nausea, but just meant my hubby had to do the cleaning and putting kids to bed...haha!"

• Cerry...
• August 12, 2018

"First took Dulcolax as a bowel prep in conjunction with Miralax. They found diverticulitis and a 2cm cancerous polyp. Small bowel resection performed. That bowel prep combo was brutal (pretreat area with desitine) so I'm more concerned with bowel movements and pressure being regular now. 2 dulcolax isn't the right dosage for me. If you are generally regular and you are a couple days over due here's my advice. Take ONE tablet early saturday morning with about 20 ounces of water. Within 2-5 hours you'll notice the cramping and you should have a bowel movement sometime Saturday afternoon to night. If you take it at night it will wake you up and you will have some residual effects the next day. So I never take when I have to work the next day. Taking 2 is too much and the movement becomes watery for 12 hours with an uncomfortable feeling the second day all day. Medication acts differently on everyone so adjust your dosage afterward trying just 1."

• MPrita
• October 31, 2016

"I was instructed by the office of my colonoscopy/endoscopy doctor to take 2 at noon and then another 2 at 2pm on the day before the procedure. Since the manufacturer only recommended 3 as the daily maximum dosage, I just took one at 2pm. About an hour or so later, I started having severe stomach cramps. The pain was so intense I was soaking in cold sweat and I blacked out! I will never take Dulcolax ever again!"

• Logger
• December 8, 2018

"I've had four colonoscopies. My last two, I was prescribed Dulcolax, two tablets the night before the procedure. Both times, I got sick to my stomach, almost immediately. I go in again in 2 days. MD said only take one this time but I'm leery of even that. In my earlier colonoscopies, Dulcolax was never part of the prep. I hate it. I may skip it."

• Flapp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2016

"Decided to take Dulcolax in order to cleanse after a frisky weekend of unjudicious eating. Took one lil pill after 11:30pm and crawled into bed. It is 2:30am and I have particularly terrible stomach cramps. Right below my esophagus. Right in the trapper. Got up once to see if gravity would help me move the sludge along, but I just got nauseous and sat on the toilet long enough to realize that I wanted to be back in bed again. I swiped a waterbottle from the fridge and a pack of Saltine crackers from the pantry on my hunched waddle back to the bedroom. As I lay there in an extra sad version of the fetal position, I read some of the reviews on this website. As a second-time user of the stuff, I must confirm the rumors. But Saltines help."

• Anonymous
• September 16, 2022

"I have had reoccurring bowel issues for years and was prescribed a colonoscopy by my Gastro. I am 18, and was told to take two pills, wait another two hours and take two more. I have had food poisoning, rotavirus, and diarrhea so bad I have collapsed before. Nothing, NOTHING compares. I am in shock this prep is allowed. Within 30 min of taking it, I vomited all the fluids in my system, all while simultaneously leaking out the other end. I would sip a drink and vomit it up minutes later. I have never been in such intense, violating pain before. After lying on the bathroom floor, being too weak to cry, and wanting it to all end, I would drift in and out of sleep waking up to vomit and poop liquid out my bum. This morning, the diarrhea continued and I cannot even stand, I begged my parents to take me to the hospital after nearly passing out every time I stood; just this morning my mom had to clean my entire bed after I mistook a bowel movement for a fart. pure utter hell"

• Catiger
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2018

"I was preparing for a colonoscopy at 9am the next day. I took 4 tablets of Dulcolax 5mg at 6pm the day before as instructed, along with 4 litres polyethylene glycol solutions. I didn’t feel anything from the drug at first. I had watery diarrhea throughout the night but there was no pain. I thought I was done for the prep before I went to bed. It turned out I was too naive. I woke up at around 1:30am with EXTREME cramping in my abdomen and also nausea (right now when I’m writing this review). The only thought I’m having right now is that I’m so grateful for my mom. I can now feel what she’s been through when she gave birth to me. I can’t wait for the procedure to happen in the morning. Hope the anesthesia will bring the end to all this!"

• Colon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2017

"I read reviews before taking. I was very worried as I consider myself to have a weak stomach. I only took two, don't tell my doc, everything was normal so I took the 3rd an hour later. An hour after that everything still fine, no feeling at all of abdominal pain! Also, no need to go to bathroom, I did drink some water but not a lot. However, 15 minutes after taking magnesium citrate I did go 4 to 5 times without stomach or organ problems. Crazy. Also, the miralax didn't even really work and I usually have bowel movement 4 to 5 times a day. Even though I have had lots o water out of my butt I feel like not enough solids came out, strange."

• ToniB
• January 28, 2018

"This laxative needs to be taken off the market. I took it at 6pm on a Saturday. By 10pm I had terrible pain in my stomach. I felt nauseated and just miserable. By 11pm I was on the toilet, pooping water. That lasted off and on until about 1am. I felt better for a few hours but then the pain came back with a vengeance!!! Omg. Off and on all day Sunday I was in unbearable pain. I ended up taking a pain pill to stop the pain. My girlfriend threw every single one of those pills out!! I’m done with Dulcolax for life..."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2017

"It is almost 5am. I took it last night at 8 ish for prep for my colonoscopy. I never ever have diarhea, but all this morning I've been having diarheaa with a lot of blood in it non stop. This is the worst pain I've ever been in and I felt like I was going to pass out. Never again. Female/18"

• Keaney
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2021

"I read all these reviews before I took the tablet. I have to be honest from all these reviews, I was in tears, not wanting to do the bowel prep. I took 1 tablet, drank 2L of water and went to bed around 9:30pm. Woke up at 7:30, went to the toilet 2/3 times, slight stomach ache but nothing really. Hardly any pain, just needed to poop pain. Do not have this with a meal, do not crush the tablet, do not drink it with milk and make sure you drink alot of water. But honestly, it is not to bad in my experience. You can get this drug from the shelf at the chemist, they wouldn't have it the accessible if it was truly that bad."

• Robby
• June 26, 2017

"55 male 6' 265. Doing colonoscopy prep. Only clear liquids today. Had a small soft stool twice in the afternoon. Took 2 Dulcolax at 4 pm. Drank 64 oz Gatorade with generic Miralax (the whole bottle of powder). Movements began in earnest about 6-630. Its 720 now and I think the worst of it is over. Basically camped in the bathroom in a chair because it seemed I wouldn't make it. Wearing nothing but a winter gown in the summer because I got cold, and I'm almost never cold. I'm supposed to take two more later, but I think that's it for me. Don't know what else could come out. I don't even want to drink any more liquid, but I'm diabetic and take two meds that make me pee more. So happy I have a kitchen sprayer hooked up to my toilet to wash."

• Lulubee
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2017

"I took one tablet before bed as instructed. I was doing a bowel prep before a specialist ultrasound to assess bowel endometriosis. I woke the next morning feeling fine. Immediately needed the toilet, which was fine. But pretty soon the nausea hit. I ended up going to the toilet at least 5 times that day. The product definitely worked but boy the nausea was no fun - all day, intense waves, and stomach pain also. I would NOT use Dulcolax again"

• THC
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 23, 2022

"Had to take Dulcolax for a colonoscopy prep. Doctor advised me to take 4 pills at 2:00pm and at 5pm to drink the Miralax mixture. My first diarrhea bm was around 6pm with some slight cramping and sweating. The pain disappeared for the rest of the night and I thought that was it, not as bad as people say it was. NO! I was so wrong. Woke up around 1am to excruciating stomach pain that would come in waves of every 4-5 mins and then on top of that I started Feeling nauseous and vomited twice. The pain continue for the rest of the morning."

• Simon
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 29, 2024

"I had an overall good experience with this before my first colonoscopy. Reading all of the horror stories got me on my nerves and worried about the prep process. I am happy to report that it turned out to be a very smooth process. I took 4 tablets as prescribed as part of the prep with PLENTY of water. As soon as I heard/felt any kind of stomach rumbling/churning, I just head for the toilet. I had no nausea, no vomiting, I only had very mild cramping - very tolerable. The things that may have helped me was to prep before the prep: - Have light meals 5 to 7 days before the prep - Have a low-fiber diet 5 to 7 days before the prep - Have plenty of fluids in the days leading to the prep day and during prep day - Try to have daily BM (don't strain) 5 to 7 days before prep day - the less you got in there, the less needs to come out - my apologies for the TMI. I hope this helps calm some nerves."

• Loose...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2022

"Works great! I prepared with plenty of Gatorade, coconut water(for potassium), and emergen-c powder. The complaints I’ve read are due to electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. Biolyte is also a great electrolyte drink when prepping for a procedure."

• Square...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2021

"HORRIBLE DRUG - DO NOT TAKE! I took 4 Dulcolax tablets as directed by my doctor at 4 pm. At 10 pm, the gates of hell opened with severe cramps and explosive diarrhea - nothing gentle about this! The worst thing, though was at 2 AM after another bout of pain and diarrhea. I became drenched with sweat and nauseated. I stumbled (literally) out of the bathroom and passed out on the floor. My husband helped me up and I told him to get me to the bathroom (still had to go). On the way, I passed out again! Considered calling an ambulance as I had never felt anything like this before. The diarrhea went on the 18 hours- into the next day. DO NOT TAKE THIS! I am really surprised there are not more warnings on the box about this or lawsuits filed from people who faint and get hurt falling down. The irony of the whole thing---- my colonoscapy got re-scheduled by the doctor's office but only AFTER I had taken this wretched drug."

• LReneeF
• January 8, 2018

"I took two at 8pm (was supposed to take 4 but didn’t because I was already feeling the effects of the Miralax prep). I’m so glad I only took two because I’d probably be passed out with 4. I woke at 4am with intense gurgling, burning, and nausea. I thought I was having a panic attack and maybe I was having one because I was still not prepared for how this medication would work. I’ve had pressurized watery stool 4-5x in the last hour and I don’t have a clue where it’s even coming from, all the while my stomach was burning like it was going to melt. This isn’t gentle. I plan on letting my gastroenterologist know that I’m too sensitive for this medication. It worked but at quite the cost to my mental health."

• Lesyi
• April 3, 2016

"I dont really use laxatives in my life but because I felt a bit constipated I took two pills( thought 1 will not be enough due to its size) and at 5 am got really bad cramps, and lots of regrets. No more laxatives for me, not worth the pain. By the way, it took just 3-4 hours for the pill to kick in, a way shorter interval of time expected."

• MAYA
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2022

"I’ve had a colon resection and have had several colonoscopies at least every 2 years. Throughout my life, I’ve not been constipated. Apparently, that isn’t the norm. The first colonoscopy I took dulcolax and had horrible cramping. After the resection, I have chronic loose stools, so I’ve not taken dulcolax even when the bowel prep says to. This time, I thought since I’m taking Viberzi that I would take dulcolax to be on the safe side. I was supposed to take 4 tablets, but took only 1. I am so glad I made that decision. The cramps started within 20 minutes and have not let up. It’s been 8 hours and still cramping. I will never take this again. I’ll rely on Miralax only for bowel prep. This is just an awful drug."