Linzess and Constipation: 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."

• saj...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Just started last week. So far I love it. I have been going for colonics every 10 days just to empty because I could no longer do it myself. My doctor even suggested removing my large intestine due to nerve damage and lack of motility. I am so glad I tried this drug first. I take it at bedtime and I do get up a few hours later and have watery stools but I will take that over getting up all night and pushing myself inside out with no results. A lot of people writing about how it interferes with their mornings so maybe they should take it at a different time and that may help. I never knew that so many people had the same exact problems with constipation like me. Thank you to everybody who took time to post. I don't feel so alone now."

• 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. :)"

• GDR...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 13, 2024

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I've been taking Linzess for the past two years, and I have to say, it works really well for me. I take it in the morning 30 minutes to an hour before I eat breakfast, and I drink a lot of water throughout the day since it helps with my IBS symptoms. I've had problems with constipation and hemorrhoids in the past, with hemorrhoids being a problem more recently, but I have taken Preparation H to help with that. But since I've been drinking a lot of water every day with and after taking my Linzess medication, I have been going to the bathroom on and off every day now for the past couple of days, and my bowel movements have been very smooth going, thanks to Linzess and the fact that I drink a lot of water to help with my system. I love Linzess, and I thank the doctors and scientists for making Linzess available for people like me who need it, so it can make my life easier to live. I highly recommend Linzess."

• tbe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I started Linzess 3 weeks ago. At first, it was wonderful and then 1 week later it quit! My GI Dr. said to take it with 3 capfuls of Miralax. I didn’t do 3 but did 2 capfuls! I had diarrhea for several hours! Then went back to 290 of Linzess and nothing! I don’t know what to do as I’m constipated again! I also found out during a colonoscopy several years ago that I have several more feet of bowel than other people have so that it takes much longer for me to go to the bathroom! I really don’t know which way to turn!"

• Bon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 31, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Linzess works great for me. If you are going too much when you take it once a day, cut back by taking it every other day and that should help the diarrhea too. If you are still having too much diarrhea, take it every third day. I would be glad I wasn't constipated anymore! Not going is worse than diarrhea any day. Hope this info helps."

• PMS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I used to take Linzess and had to stop because of severe diarrhea. Years later, after a second double back fusion leaving me with terrible sciatica, I started taking tramadol and gabapentin, added to a few other drugs I was already on, all of which cause constipation. I had the old Linzess of 72 and 144, so I tried them plus eating a large salad every night. At first, they worked, but then constipation got worse. My doctor gave me 245 mg, and I have severe constipation. When I go, I strain to go, and then it turns into diarrhea. Sometimes it's more than 5 days, so I take 1 or 2 stool softeners depending on how bad my stomach is swollen and how much it hurts. I had a colonoscopy last year, and everything was fine."

• 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. :("

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• Joa...
• April 26, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "It does cause loose stool. I find the same day it’s loose, the next day I take it, I’m constipated. I have to push real hard to have a bowel movement. It feels like the loose stool is able to pass the collection of harder stool, leaving behind more formed stool. I ended up in the hospital impacted. The stool had a strange odor."

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• Hur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Dr. gave me samples (290 mcg dosage) for constipation. Took one pill 6 hrs ago, and I have been back and forth to the toilet for the last 2 hrs. The first bowel motion was normal, but every other bowel motion after is all water. I feel a rumbling in my belly, and I immediately have to run to the bathroom, or it will hit the floor. My anus is on fire! I will never take this again, and I don't recommend anyone else should."

• Kim...
• January 19, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I'm a 45-year-old extremely fit woman who eats extremely healthy, but has suffered with IBS-C for 25 years. I used to take Bentyl when I would have IBS attacks, but I kept needing more and more, which would continue to constipate me. Welcome Linzess! After getting the dosing and timing right, it's been a LIFESAVER! I take the lower dose before bed and have 4-5 loose BMs in the morning, which cleans out my system. I have not had a single IBS attack in MONTHS since I started Linzess. Yes, it's a pain in the bottom, but I'd rather have 4-5 loose stools in the morning than live with constant constipation. The days I don't take it at night, I don't go to the bathroom in the morning. Relief...finally!"

• Gid...
• December 17, 2019

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Neurological side effects: I'm taking Linzess 290 for more than 2 years. I suffered years from constipation, and Linzess solved the problem like a kind of miracle. The problem started a few months ago. I started to feel a 'pins and needles' feeling. (The professional name is paresthesia.) It started with the limbs and later all over the body. I went to a few doctors: neurologist, orthopedist. I did many checks (blood, EMG, etc.), and all the results were normal. At the beginning, no one connected it to Linzess because it's not one of the known side effects, but then one of the doctors suggested I stop taking Linzess for a few days. After 2-3 days, all the neurological symptoms disappeared! Now I'm taking Linzess 145. It solved the neurological problem, but then I suffered a little bit from constipation, so my doctor suggested I add lactulose, and now it's okay."

• Vic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Low dose worked great, but after samples were done and the coupon used, I was asked to pay 286 dollars for a 30-day supply with my auto worker retiree medical plan. Back to constipation, it seems...TOO EXPENSIVE."

• Anonymous
• June 24, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been on Linzess for over a year now. I suffered for years with bloating, constipation, hard tummy and fever to the touch, lethargic, unable to get up some days. After many doctors' appointments and an emergency room visit where they thought I had everything from gallstones to appendicitis, I was referred to a gastrointestinal doctor. He wanted to do what doctors before did: more fiber, stool softener, even anti-depressant drugs to see if that relaxed the intestines. He diagnosed me with IBS-C, which taking supplemental fiber or eating fibrous foods inflames even more. I did the research myself and argued with him I wouldn't do what I'd done for years and demanded I get Linzess. I am 100% normal and cured. Take the pill! It works."

• Tha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2018

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I'm 27 and have severe endometriosis that has attached to my colon, causing IBS. I go through horrible bouts of diarrhea and then constipation. I started this medicine on the lowest dose. It is recommended to take as soon as you wake up on a day you have off to first see how your body reacts. You take it on an empty stomach, then eat about 20-30 minutes later. It does its job, and you do use the bathroom a lot for the first few hours until you are emptied. In my case, it doesn't continue working all day long. Some of these reviews shocked me because I love this. It doesn't give me stomach cramps. You do have watery stools, so it doesn't hurt to pass. I highly recommend this. I do not take it daily, but maybe once a week. It is expensive, but I was given a coupon. Every person handles medications differently, so don't get too worried with all the reviews."

• Cra...
• March 17, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I can truly say this medication has changed my life! I have had years of constipation and used suppositories and Miralax on a regular basis. Other oral medications were too harsh and caused me to throw up. I tried Linzess a year ago, and I didn't give myself enough time to adjust to the medication-lots of diarrhea. But my doctor encouraged me to try again and commit to it for a few weeks. Sure enough, the side effects tapered off, and things are mostly regular. It is very expensive, and my doctor had to go through hoops to get the medication approved by my insurance."

• Bea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 18, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "It worked great for the first few months, but then I felt bloated and constipated 24/7, and it got to an extreme back and forth to the bathroom 30-40 times a night trying to pass gas, etc. I stopped taking Linzess and started on IBGuard Peppermint oil, and the sensation I've been living with is gone! I feel the best I've felt in 20 years."

• DSh...
• June 22, 2013

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "After suffering most of my life from all the issues related to irritable bowel syndrome, gas, diarrhea, chronic constipation, I have finally found I have a normal life with little or no gas, no more constipation, and rare loose stools. But for anyone who has ever suffered from constipation, having loose stools is a welcome trade-off. Thank you, Linzess."

• Air...
• June 11, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have been using Linzess for over a week. I had a lot of success with Resotran for three years until it stopped working. I was back to being bloated/distended and constipated. I also gained weight when I noticed that the meds were not working any longer. I was miserable. I did some research and realized that Linzess was available and covered under my insurance plan. My doctor gave me a prescription and I finally found relief again! All the reviews I read made me a little nervous, but it's not as bad as I thought. It does clean you out! I take the meds in the morning 1/2 hour before I eat, and within 2-3 hours I have at least three bowel movements. My bloating/distension has improved, and I lost weight. I hope it continues to work!"

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "If you're taking samples currently, please read this. I have to love and hate this medicine. Pros: It does what it says it does. It makes you go! It doesn't give you full-on diarrhea if you take it every few days. Just soft stools, which is a great thing! Cons: You cannot take this medication every day, no matter what the doctor tells you. Maybe it's my body or something, but I can promise you, your body will soon reject the medication if taken every day for more than 5 days. If continued in such a fashion, you will bloat, cramp, and become MORE constipated than before. It will plug you up FOR REAL. It's not strong enough to make you go a lot the next day if you need it. Take a weak laxative with it. Still, the best IBS/Constipation meds I've found."

• M27...
• July 6, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I'm 29 years old, and I haven't had a problem with BMs really until the last 2 years, and then the last few weeks I have had ZERO/zip/no movement. I have been in so much pain and agony, being so constipated with no relief, and I tried EVERYTHING at home. Enema, laxatives, stool softeners, ice cream (sometimes it helps)... absolutely nothing helped. I finally went into my doctor after a night of throwing up blood (not sure what was up with that), and finally, he referred me to a specialist but also prescribed me Linzess. This is a MIRACLE PILL. It took about an hour and 45 minutes for it to kick in, but it helped and continues. Ask your doctor for a co-pay card, it may help with price. It is expensive."

• BRN...
• August 13, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have had IBS most of my life with feelings of fatigue from constipation and cramping. Tried not eating certain foods, no gluten, no dairy, but never seemed to overcome this issue. Tried every bottle for sale to help with this and seemed to make issues worse and only a temporary solution. I got a script for Linzess 145 and decided to try it out in the evening after dinner to see what would happen. I finally had a normal BM. Decided to then take it as directed in the morning on an empty stomach, it also works but will give you the squirts. Will try the evening again and morning as my schedules allow. The main thing is I'm moving my food through now and no cramping, etc. Love it so far."

• Ara...
• April 2, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I took a 145 mcg dose yesterday morning at 8 a.m. on an empty stomach and ate 1 hour later. I still haven't gone to the bathroom, nothing at all but stomach gurgles. I just had a CT scan on Wednesday and X-ray showing I was completely backed up. I tried an enema at home Thursday and Miralax and probiotics and that didn't help either. I am on opioid medication and have been experiencing chronic constipation for years now. My husband, however, experiences temporary constipation and took the same medication yesterday morning, and within hours he had diarrhea and his stomach has been hurting all day. I was worried about starting this after reading all the bad reviews, especially about weight gain. I can see it works differently for everyone. I will try again."