Linzess for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation User Reviews (Page 4)

• Bda...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2014

"I was hospitalized for a week because of a bout with diverticulitis. As a result, my intestines, so I was told, stopped pushing waste through. I was constipated for 3 weeks! My doctor gave me samples of Linzess. It was a miracle! I began having bowel movements on the first day! Some mild diarrhea, but I'm going and there is no cramping, no aches, no bloating. Amazing. I have had constipation issues for years, but not anymore! I highly recommend trying it! Thanks Linzess!"

• KRA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2013

"I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation. My doctor put me on Linzess 145. I was told to take it 30 minutes before my first meal. However, my schedule doesn't permit me to do so. I take it whenever my bowels are slowing down and I need some help (about once a week). Immediately, I start feeling the effects, starting with gas, then painless bowels that I can literally feel my stomach emptying. On average, it makes me go to the bathroom for 3 hours. It all depends on how much is in there. All in all, love."

• LIf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2014

"From infancy to my 50s, I've used it all - phenothalein laxatives, castor oil, fiber, Miralax, enemas, bisacodyl, exercise, hydration, Zelnorm while it was available, and on and on. Only the phenothalien/old Ex-lax formula laxatives and Zelnorm were of use. Phenothalien also required drinking 8-16 ounces more fluid when you were already congested, adding painfully to existing distension and then needing to wait up to hours. Since that laxative was removed from the US market in the 2000s, availability now is very limited; Zelnorm was recalled by the FDA for strokes and cardiac issues (and did cause punch-in-the-gut cramping.) Linzess is amazing, reliable, no pain, some diarrhea, but complete control and great increased quality of life!"

• JMc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2014

"I am a healthy type one diabetic who, in November of 2011, completed my first marathon. That changed in May 2011 when I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. I've been hospitalized 32 times since then and suffer chronic constipation that, like everyone else here, I couldn't fix. It is the most miserable feeling in the world. Clothes don't fit, painful itchy hemorrhoids that cause embarrassing bleeding through my clothes, and hours in the bathroom. I've been on the medicine for two weeks and it's an absolute miracle! I started at 290mcg and realized I could handle 145mcg. The lower dose allows me to have a regular schedule and no accidents. If I feel like I'm backing up at all, I go to 290 for a day or two."

• 31...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2014

"I have had irritable bowel syndrome with severe constipation for 16 years, and this is the first medicine that I can say has truly worked for me. On the medicine, I have diarrhea, bloating, and a lot of gas, but it definitely cleans me out. Hope to get past the gas and bloating once it gets in my system good. Only been taking it for 3 days."

• Che...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2019

"So I’m only on week two, but I have felt better than I have in a really long time! The first couple of days I took the 72 mcg and didn’t have a bowel movement yet. The third day I went up to the 145 mcg and I had a bowel movement two hours later! I took that for 4 days and now went back down to 72 just to see if it would work. I’ve been taking 72 since, and I have a bowel movement every day. I experienced a little bit of diarrhea, but nothing horrible. Nothing that kept me in the bathroom back and forth all day or for hours at a time like others have said on here. I have IBS-C, so I constantly felt bloated. I swear this medication reduced the bloating the very next day! I felt so much better in general even though I hadn’t had a bowel movement yet! It works wonders for me! I’d highly recommend it!"

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2019

"I've had IBS-C most of my adult life. I've struggled with bouts of several days of constipation followed by a bout of diarrhea as a cycle. My co-pay on Linzess is about $300 per month. My doctor prescribed 145 mg of Linzess, and I took it a week before I could get it to work. That was a hard, painful week. After about 5 days of no results, I tried taking two at a time, as I read in some of the reviews, and it finally worked. It worked so well, in fact, that I use it every day. I normally take it as soon as I wake up with a glass of warm water and have a BM within 1-2 hours. I have been taking it every day for about 4 months now. I follow it with a teaspoon of Metamucil right after my BM. All in all, I would say I'm 80% better off now than I was before. My main encouragement to others is to GIVE IT TIME to get started. It could take a week or even more. After it does, don't expect perfection. If you have lived with IBS-C, it could make a major improvement."

• Jos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2016

"Linzess has completely changed my life. I am a 28-year-old male who was constantly living with bloatedness and constipation. I would have very irregular bowel movements (once every 2 to 3 days on average) and was not getting enough sleep due to having a constant 'dull' pain in my gut. I tried everything from cleanses, fiber, a cleaner diet, and also another drug (Amitiza) for help. Nothing was working long term, and I still felt drained of my energy. My doctor wrote me a prescription for Linzess (145mcg dose), and after day 1, I no longer felt bloated, and after about a week, my energy level was completely restored. I feel like a completely new person. Some minor diarrhea if taken later in the day. Nothing major though, no other side effects."

• msb...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 5, 2019

"Linzess is awesome. I've had chronic constipation most of my life. This is the first thing that has worked! I take it, and a couple of hours later, it starts clearing me out. No nausea. No cramping. I feel like a new person. No longer miserable. You will get diarrhea for an hour or so, but it's worth not being sick and bloated all the time."

• Bor...
• January 23, 2013

"I have had chronic constipation for twenty years. I have tried everything. Zelnorm was the only thing I ever found that worked. As we all know, they took it off the market in 2007. I have been suffering ever since. Until now! I have only been on Linzess for two days and have had 3 bowel movements with no bad side effects. I'm excited about this new medicine. I'm hoping and praying it continues to work. Give it a try, it's definitely worth it. Good luck."

• tv2...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 19, 2015

"Totally life-changing medicine for people with chronic constipation and straining. I only need one every 4 days to keep me regular now. It is not like other laxatives, this lasts for a couple of days. It's really a great medicine for me. I think it could help many others!"

• Sun...
• March 23, 2017

"This medication has been great for me. I take it every morning (the lowest dose) on an empty stomach when I first wake up. I have had many years of chronic constipation and have tried MANY different things. This is the only thing that has really worked for me. Fortunately, I have not had the diarrhea issues that some people have reported. My doctor did say this can be a side effect for some. For others like me, it has worked great. Like any medication, there is always the chance you may have side effects and have to discontinue it. I think it's worth trying to see if it's right for you if you have had years of constipation that has affected your quality of life."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2017

"Has been a wonder drug for me! I have suffered from extreme constipation for years. Now, I have a regular bowel movement about 2 hours after I take it. It took about 2 weeks to work, so give it some time! I have never had the diarrhea side effect."

• Got...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2019

"I took Linzess after being constipated for 4 straight days. I took it around 4:30 PM in the afternoon. By 6:30 PM, my stomach was gurgling and rolling, and by 7 PM, I was on the toilet with explosive diarrhea. Everything but the kitchen sink came out of me. And let me tell you, it felt great to get cleaned out. My stomach did not hurt. No cramping. Just lots of bathroom trips. Be sure to be at home when you take it. You'll go A LOT. Also, drink lots of fluids because diarrhea like that can dehydrate you."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2024

"I have been reading these posts about Linzess for months and was very scared to try Linzess. But I took 72mg this morning as directed and it worked great - no explosive diarrhea or cramping. I feel great! For those who are hesitant to try, I recommend starting low and seeing how your body reacts. Everyone is different. For those worried about cost, contact the company and see if there is a discount card. If it is still too expensive, try OTC miralax. My gastroenterologist swears by it. It's the safest and you can take it twice a day. Also, add Kiwi to your diet! I met with a nutritionist and they said 2 Kiwi a day is a natural laxative. Chia, Flaxseed, and Kefir are all great for the digestive system. I know this is a lot of information, but I want to share all I have learned as I try to manage my chronic idiopathic constipation. I truly hope this helps! :)"

• Nny...
• August 22, 2015

"First off, I would like to say that the majority of people not having a good experience with Linzess are not taking it properly. Following my doctor's orders which were also labeled on the packaging from the pharmacy, Linzess 145mg works perfectly for me. I have suffered from chronic constipation since I was a young girl, and now I have a bowel movement every morning! A few things to keep in mind: Linzess takes 2 weeks to cycle through your body before it will work properly. Get through the first two weeks, and it's great. I do have watery stools every morning. Always take it in the a.m., 30 mins prior to breakfast with a full glass of water. I allow 2 hours for Linzess to work through my system. So plan accordingly!"

• com...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2014

"I had abdominal surgery and was on opioids for the recovery period. I became constipated and finally gave in and took Linzess. It worked perfectly. I had a normal movement the next morning and had no side effects at all. As long as I take Linzess in the morning, I am regular as clockwork."

• sup...
• December 18, 2013

"I just started taking Linzess 145 mg. My doctor gave me samples to try. The first few days I didn't notice anything, by the third day, I finally cleared out my intestines, which was after almost a month of not having a real bowel motion. I actually stopped taking the medication for a few days because I was concerned I wouldn't be able to go anywhere, then started again today. In about 30-45 minutes, I was in the bathroom. I'm not sure if I have to take it every day or if I can skip a few days in between. I will ask my doctor. So far, so good. Anything that helps me go is a miracle. I'm happy with once every several days, especially because I am used to going every couple of weeks."

• Ell...
• February 13, 2016

"This drug has been a lifesaver. After having chronic constipation for years, I feel like a new person. I read the reviews and figured out how it would work best for me. I take the pill in the morning on an empty stomach every 2 to 3 days. I feel so much better now. I used to feel sluggish all the time, having had one bowel movement a week. Believe me, I tried everything imaginable before this, so I was very happy when my gastroenterologist suggested this drug."

• Lis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2016

"I'm a 49-year-old woman, and I have a different situation than most. I have ICC. Mine is caused by a rare autoimmune liver disease. I have stage 4 scarring of the bile ducts that run through my liver. The enzymes try to get to the food to help digest it, but it runs into a scarred liver. The process of breaking down food takes so long for me that food just doesn't move fast enough. That's how I get backed up and so distended in my belly. I look 6 months pregnant sometimes. I can't say enough about Linzess. It's helped me so much. I have to take my dose at night so I can be close to the bathroom as many times as I need to be. Usually, within 2-4 hours, I hear gurgling, nothing painful, and yep... time to go... Lol! I'm thrilled and feel so much better!"

• Cin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2020

"Have been taking Linzess for about 6 months, and it worked great! My pharmacy quit using Linzess, I was required to get a new prescription for a different drug. Because it worked so well, my doctor gave my prescription to a different pharmacy. My insurance now says I don’t “qualify,” and the new prescription is $1600 for 90 days!!! The card from Linzess is not valid because I have insurance! So I guess I will use Ex-Lax because Linzess is not available for me!"

• Fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2019

"I first went to the doctor for constipation at the age of thirteen. I would have a bowel movement only a few times a month. It was a struggle to pass a bowel movement. The laxatives I took would hurt my stomach. Last year, I had surgery to repair a hole in my colon. After surgery, I stopped having bowel movements, and the laxatives wouldn't help anymore. I started taking Linzess this year at forty-nine years of age. Where have you been all of my life? Finally, after using Linzess, it is working, I'm regular, no straining, and no stomach pain. I feel great."

• not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2013

"This is a miracle. I have been very bad for 8 years. There was nothing more the doctors could do for me until this came out. I am off all of my other medicine now and just take 1 pill a day. I do like to take it at the end of the day after my dinner, then I go before bed. Will not be without it ever again."

• cal...
• September 26, 2016

"I'm 23 years old. I have been constipated my entire life, but I didn't really realize it wasn't normal until the past couple of years. I started Linzess about 3 weeks ago. The first 2 days I hated it. I felt like I needed to be near a bathroom at all times. My body then started to regulate it after the first week. I take it 30 minutes before my protein shake every morning and get my relief before I head into work. Some days it affects me more than others, but I go at least once a day now. The only downside of it is I have to plan my first part of the morning around taking this medicine, but it's better than walking around with a bloated belly and a brick in my stomach all day!"

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 15, 2020

"I've been on this for over a year. It worked at first, then stopped. Up the dose to 290. Same works for a while, then stops, and I have to use milk of magnesia. Can't go out and about unless I wear a Depend. You never know when it's going to work."