Linzess and Bloating: What Users Say

• Kat...
• February 21, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I just cannot! Because of my IBS, I bounce between symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Yes, Linzess works, but oh wow! I don't know how anyone takes this drug frequently. There has been nothing but straight liquid explosions. You definitely cannot underestimate urges to pass gas as it is likely just more watery stool (found out the hard way). I sat on the toilet so long that my lower extremities went numb but I couldn't get up to stretch because every time I would try more stool would come rushing like a flood. There were light stomach cramps and some bloating but nothing too severe. I will keep this medication on hand and use it merely as a laxative if I again experience a string of days with no bowel movement. But, there is no way on Earth I would take this pill every day or even every other day. I’d never be able to leave my home."

• Blu...
• February 29, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I've suffered from constipation since I was a toddler and it hasn't been fun. I had a colonoscopy at 4 years old, and they saw that I had an enlarged bowel. I used to have to take harsh laxatives as a kid, and then I switched to Miralax in my teens. I've been taking Miralax for 14 years, but for some reason, it decided to stop working as well. So, I switched to milk of mag until I could get in to see a GI doc. He prescribed me 72mcg of Linzess and scheduled me for a colonoscopy. I've been taking it for 2 weeks, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. When it does work, though, it's just like water peeing out of my butt, but sometimes it can be slightly formed. I've noticed it makes me really bloated feeling, especially if I drink something. I feel like I'm retaining water, and that's not a fun feeling because it hurts my abdomen. Sometimes I feel better after having a bowel movement, sometimes I don't."

• Jud...
• January 23, 2021

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have used Linzess for almost two years. Yes, I have moments where you can’t trust a fart, where I have run to the bathroom (as a teacher, I can’t always do this), and every other poop is liquid. I used to have one, maybe two bowel movements a week. My stomach pains felt like contractions of childbirth. I used to sit on the toilet for 3-4 hours every time I had to go and had a panic attack on top for fear of throwing up. My doctor told me to do an enema first to clear out my bowels. I then took the medicine 30 minutes before eating. It helps. I can miss one but not two days in a row. I have some bloating but I am not in pain and can enjoy my life."

• wat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Prior to starting Linzess, I took a daily dose of Miralax and was able to have a bowel movement almost every day, but I did not have a complete bowel movement. With Linzess, I was able to have a complete bowel movement at first, but after a few weeks, I had to add Miralax to be able to have any kind of bowel movement. It also made me gassy and bloated. I will not be continuing with the medication."

• Ron...
• August 24, 2014

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I took Linzess for about 3 months and immediately began to gain weight. I noticed the weight gain and thought that it had to be my diet. I began cutting back, watching what I ate and nothing was working. After taking myself off of the medication, I immediately noticed the weight loss. I felt bloated around my entire midsection going all the way around to my back. Biggest I had ever been. Someone commented that they felt 3 months pregnant and that would about sum it up. I think the FDA should disclose that side effect after looking into the medicine more closely."

• Joy...
• August 13, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I've dealt with chronic constipation/ IBS for many years, but in my mid-20s, it has been particularly terrible. Bloating and nausea, occasional vomiting after eating. After some trouble getting Linzess approved by my insurance, I am SO grateful for this little pill! -Day 1: nothing -Day 2: serious bout of diarrhea (be warned, you might not make it to the toilet in time) -Remaining 2 weeks: again constipated/frustrated. Was starting to lose hope. -Post-2 week mark: I feel GREAT. I have a good (mostly less urgent) loose stool every couple of days. A lot of gurgling/cramping, but anything is better than what I was feeling prior. I still drink a lot of water and exercise to get things moving as naturally as possible. Overall: a true constipation/IBS-C sufferer like myself, you will welcome the diarrhea with open arms. It has not interfered with my quality of life, I just find a bathroom ASAP if I feel a bowel movement coming. Try to stick it out for at least 6 weeks. :)"

• Cai...
• July 15, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been constipated for YEARS. Since I was about 16, and I'm now 24. I tried everything from changing what I ate to fiber gimmies and drink mixes, two laxatives, and vegetable laxatives, milk of magnesia, I even drank magnesium citrate. It has been a constant struggle with bloating and cramping. I could gain up to 5 pounds and I was constipated for more than a week, and that even made fitting in my clothes difficult! Since using Linzess, I am never constipated! I take it every other day, and that is enough for me. My movements aren't hard, but they aren't diarrhea either... play with it and take it as you need it, but it surely is a miracle pill."

• Chr...
• October 30, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "First of all, I NEVER leave reviews... So the fact that I'm taking time to write one should speak volumes. I absolutely love this medication and will NOT do without it! Chronic constipation for years and years... I recently went 3 weeks without a bowel movement. I took every laxative and stool softener including giving myself suppositories and enemas. This is a miracle! I've been on it one week, and I have had a bowel movement every single morning just a few hours after taking this medicine. No cramping, no bloating! Life-changing. I feel amazing, and I will not ever go without this pill!"

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I took this drug Linzess for IBS for 3 days. Each day I took it, I had severe, and I mean severe diarrhea within 2 hours of taking it. It caused me to stay near a restroom for several hours as I had to go often and suddenly. After the diarrhea subsided, I was left with bloating and cramping that was so bad it made me nauseous. The day I stopped taking it, all of these symptoms disappeared."

• bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I am a 70-year-old female who has had a chronic problem with colonic inertia for many years. I have done the water-fiber thing, eating healthy, exercise, various laxatives, enemas - you name it. Not only did these measures not help much, but I was always having abdominal pain, bloating, heartburn, and just not enjoying eating anymore. I was placed on Linzess and have taken 2 pills thus far, and I think I am experiencing a miracle. I have a full and complete bowel movement with normal cramping and no more suffering with bloating and cramping during the day. I just pray it continues and my body doesn't get used to it and stop working."

• Hyp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2020

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I started Linzess samples 145 mg May 11, 2020, for severe bloating and constipation that had been going on for almost 2 months. The first 2 weeks, the Linzess caused me to eat constantly, but I still had to take suppositories or an enema to have a bowel motion. I am now in the 3rd week with Linzess, and I have experienced a full belly of air morning, noon, and night. I have to force myself to eat because I have so much trapped air, and it’s very difficult to even belch and pass gas. I think I will discontinue on my own today. I can’t wait until my doctor's appointment because the bloating makes it difficult for me to breathe, because my stomach is expanded to the max day and night. This week I had to eat less and drink Vernors and take Gas-X in order to get a slight belch. Vernors and Gas-X usually work well for me. When I belch now, it’s more so like the air reverses and goes into my stomach and causes me to spit up my food. :("

• Khy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been diagnosed with CIC. I was 'normal' until after a hysterectomy a year ago. I didn't have a BM for 15 days after surgery and rarely have gone on my own since. I have to use enemas, suppositories, mag citrate, etc., to force a BM. If I take the 'wait and see' approach, I simply don't go. At all. I tried Amitiza and it did nothing but make me so nauseous and headaches that I couldn't function. Switched me to Linzess. I started on 72 mcg dose for 2 weeks and except for a few noticeable tummy gurgles, it did not work. Two weeks later I had to use mag citrate and an enema to get things flushed out. Dr. upped the dose to 144 mcg daily. It's been a full week and nothing but insane bloating and nausea. I have had every test under the sun and it all comes back normal. But this med has not worked either."

• RLR...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2024

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I am a 43-year-old female and have dealt with severe chronic constipation issues for a good portion of my life. I have tried everything to the point of losing my mind. I started on Linzess 290 in 2021 and took it exactly as prescribed - in the morning with LOTS of water 30 mins before breakfast. All it ever did was make me bloated & partially work maybe 2 times out of 10, so I quit taking it. Fast forward to March 2024. My symptoms were getting worse, so I saw my gastro dr again and figured I'd give it another shot out of desperation. Took it again as directed for 2 weeks with the same issues as they were in 2021. So I did some reading of reviews and saw others having success taking it at night after eating, so I decided to do the same...this has been a game-changer for me! I take it every other night about 20 minutes after I eat dinner and drink a huge glass of water with it, and the next morning...RELIEF! I feel like a new person! I pray it continues to work like it has been."

• LAC...
• June 22, 2014

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "Have had YEARS of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Bowel movement usually only twice per week...in and out of the bathroom for several hours, cramping and pain that would sometimes give me cold sweats. Then exhaustion and residual intestinal ache all day. No one understood. Fiber was useless. Several bouts of diverticulitis. Never realized that IBS and constipation could contribute to the development of diverticulosis. To me, Linzess is a miracle. Yes, you do need to be near a bathroom and the bowel motions are mostly liquid in the first 2 weeks I have been taking it. But NO PAIN, RESIDUAL ACHE, OR EXHAUSTION! I can take it and go to work. Going out...just get up a little earlier. I even feel better and more energetic overall."

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• cal...
• September 26, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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!"

• Liz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have been dealing with severe constipation from IBS-C, which is exacerbated by a medication I have to take for over a decade. I have tried literally every lifestyle, diet, supplement, and OTC laxative you can think of. Linzess has been absolutely life-changing for me. I take it 30 mins before breakfast. Most days I have a completely normal BM within 2 hours of eating. If I don’t, I always have one that day, just after lunch or dinner instead. I have not experienced any diarrhea. I have experienced mild bloating and occasionally cramping, but it pales in comparison to the symptoms associated with my severe constipation. Honestly, I have cried multiple times from sheer relief and joy to find something that worked. I should have listened to my GI doctor and tried it sooner. If you’re nervous about trying it because of side effects, I highly recommend you at least try it. I’m on the 145 mg dose, but I also only weigh 115 lbs."

• Mel...
• August 5, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I've been on Linzess for 2 weeks and feel amazing! Yes, I go to the bathroom a lot in the morning, about 4 times, mostly watery. BUT it beats feeling cramped and gross all day like I did before. My stomach is flatter because I am finally not bloated. I am not sure how people gain weight on this because it makes you go to the bathroom a lot. Maybe fluid retention. I do drink a lot of water with this medicine and followed the recommendation of increased fiber in my diet. I've lost 5 lbs. It's only been 2 weeks, but I am having amazing results and am finally pain-free!"

• Bet...
• June 28, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have had constipation problems for years. Before Linzess, I was taking up to 6 different medications to try to go, and then it would hit with a vengeance and last all day long. I couldn't work a full-time job because of it. I was miserable all the time with bloating, cramping, and nausea. I have only been on it for a week, and I already feel so much better. I now have bowel movements like normal people. Yes, there is some diarrhea, but I think I am still getting used to it. If the diarrhea gets bad, I will cut back to every other day. But, I will talk to my doctor first."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 29, 2015

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I've taken Linzess (145 mg) for about 7 months now. I think what people need to know is that you can experiment with the dosing of it. My doctor prescribed it for me because I've suffered from IBS-C since my early 20s-17 years. Like others, it caused a lot of loose stool at first, but it does get better. I also found that if I took it every day after the initial adjustment period, it stopped working as well, so I backed off and started taking it every 3 days. My body doesn't get too used to it, so it is still routinely effective without having to go to a higher dose. Also, sometimes I have bowel movements normally between doses, and sometimes I don't. The magic of this is that I don't have to freak out about it now, and I don't get bloated."

• Lov...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 17, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Holy hell! I suffer from chronic constipation, IBS, and I have diverticulosis. I tried fiber products that you mix with water, chia seeds, every laxative, and nothing worked 'right.' Laxatives gave me cramps, and fiber gave me bloat. I took Linzess 145 mcg, and 30 minutes later I literally exploded at least 8 times. Over a month, I took it 2-3 times a week, couldn't handle daily. But I did lose pounds, from 142 to 128. It has helped me so much, I love it! I've always been thin, but my gut was growing. Problem solved. No more constipation! Highly recommend it, but stay close to a toilet."

• Sup...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 19, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have had a sluggish bowel with incomplete emptying on a daily basis. I was always full, bloated, and miserable. Since taking 145 mg of Linzess in the morning, I empty 100% and feel great every day. It has changed my life, it's a miracle drug for me."

• Anonymous
• July 10, 2014

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have had irritable bowel syndrome all my life, and I'm 26 years old. I'm very healthy and work out daily. I've been to many doctors, and I was told to add more fiber to my diet but was never prescribed Linzess until now. Before now, I would have a bowel movement maybe once every two weeks with bloating and pain. Now I have a bowel movement once a day. You do need to plan accordingly, but if you do, it works perfectly! Love it!"

• fin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I've been chronically constipated for as long as I can remember. My parents would give me suppositories as a toddler and prescription medicines to help ease my struggle. Eventually, I moved on to taking gross amounts of Miralax every night in hopes of softening stools that had only ever been rock-hard. This worked as a stool softener, but didn't help to give me the urge to ever use the restroom. I started taking Amitiza, which came with its side effects: bloating, headaches, nausea, and cramping. Finally, my gastro doctor turned me on to Linzess. So far, I've been using it for a week and have NEVER been more regular in my life. Mornings are a breeze... this medicine is life-changing."

• Cj ...
• June 19, 2014

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I had bad IBS-C for almost 10 years. I'm a 23-year-old male who has tried everything and had enough of it. I tried Linzess 290 mg, and it was too much. I was very excited. I went down to 145 mg, and now I have my life back. I was so worried about leaving my house, but now it's the total opposite, this drug is a miracle drug for me. What I normally do is take the 145 mg at 9 AM, drink water until 9:30, then at 9:35 I will eat and relax. In an hour or a little more, I will have a BM. The rest of the day I will hardly go, but I will feel good-no bloating, no tummy ache, no worries!!! I hope this helped!"