Magnesium sulfate / potassium chloride / sodium sulfate and Diarrhea: What Users Say

• Nev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "Took the first part of the prep as directed and felt bloated and nauseous. Took 3 hours to move my bowels, then the next 9 hours I spent either on the commode, running to try to get to the commode in time, sitting on the commode for hours at a time to be safe, or pooping on myself, or standing in the shower cleaning myself off and cleaning up poop. I have NEVER had an experience like this in my entire 62 years of life! I regretfully took the second dose as directed and immediately began to forcefully vomit yellow bile, all while shooting liquid poop out. 12 plus hours of the worst experience of my life and a raw, swollen anus that burns like fire just from the excessive amount of pooping. I swear I pooped out food that I digested as a toddler! NEVER USING THIS PREP AGAIN AND POSSIBLY NEVER GETTING ANOTHER COLONOSCOPY AGAIN BECAUSE OF IT!"

• Den...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "I had a colonoscopy on March 8, 2023, and the prep was Sutab. I followed all the instructions perfectly. Although the bowel prep was deemed "good" by the GI doc, NEVER again will I go near Sutab. I suffered from extreme abdominal pain, nausea, and explosive diarrhea for 10 hours. I'm one day post-procedure, and I still feel sick, nauseated, and overall terrible. This product needs to be withdrawn from the market. It was absolute torture, cruel, and abusive doing this prep. I'm a big, strong woman, and it literally brought me to my knees. I feel like I'm going to have PTSD from this experience."

• And...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "I followed directions, and immediately after the 1st dose, it definitely worked. I was nonstop in the restroom. I couldn’t even sip water. It was horrible! By the next day, I was so scared to take the 2nd dose because I couldn’t even keep down water. Took my 2nd dose on the day of the procedure, and immediately after that, I got intense abdominal pain and was vomiting bile. No matter how much water I drank, I was so dehydrated. I thought I was going to faint. The procedure ended up going well, but now I’m on day 4 after the procedure, still having diarrhea and not being able to really eat because I get bad stomach pain and diarrhea. On day 3, the pain was so bad it woke me up from deep sleep and sent me to the ER. All tests came back negative for anything serious, but here I am still in pain with trouble eating/drinking and diarrhea. And yes, I’m following up with GI. Did not have this pain and diarrhea before, and I would never take it again or recommend it to anyone."

• JAO...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "Most god-awful experience ever. Read all reviews, my doctor never heard of a bad reaction, so I tried it. Super hydrated and fasted. I took the first 12 pills at 5 PM and threw up at 6 PM (mostly water), sweating, cramps, nausea, and no poop. Then the second 8 pills at 10 PM (the last 4 pills would have literally killed me), and I had profuse sweating, violent, unrelenting vomiting into dry heaving while having first solid stool, then projectile diarrhea and excruciating cramps so bad I couldn't breathe. I lay on the bathroom floor to get cool and relieve pain, but it was impossible—sweat puddles for hours alone (bad idea). A friend begged to come get me and take me to the ER, but immobilized from pain, I couldn't open the door for her or an ambulance. Barely made it to bed because I was so weak and dizzy from trauma to my body. Left five messages for my doctor through the night that he mysteriously never received or responded to, but tried colonoscopy anyway and failed, so all for nothing and $$$. Research!!! Get water colonoscopy, do Miralax only prep."

• Pam...
• May 27, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "My third colonoscopy, so pills and drinking water sounded like a good idea. Followed instructions of low-residue foods and liquid diet on prep day. First dose, 6 PM, with 16 oz of water. Unfortunately, I had violent vomiting. Once that stopped, I drank the second 16 oz of water, and the cleansing started. Had to stay in the bathroom for several hours. The second dose was taken at midnight. In hindsight, I should have not done the second dose, but the scope was scheduled for 6:30 AM. With no way to call anyone to cancel. Definitely a nightmare of vomiting and diarrhea. The biggest problem now is my stomach is so sensitive to food, I'm on a low FODMAP diet. Never had a problem eating anything before the prep. Love spicy foods. A 24-hour phone number to a medical professional would have been very helpful. I could have called and asked questions and canceled the procedure. My husband took the same prep before me and didn't have any problems. Me, everything was severe from vomiting to diarrhea, and the second dose was worse."

• Anonymous
• February 22, 2023

For Bowel Preparation "I have had many colonoscopies before and have always done the traditional drinking gallons upon gallons of Miralax. So when offered to take Sutab pills, it was a no-brainer. Well, worst mistake of my life. I took the first bottle of pills starting at 4 PM. By 4:30, I was nonstop vomiting and had a throbbing headache. The second bottle of pills brought more vomit and brought on rather violent diarrhea. Next time, I am guzzling the Miralax and will gladly do so."

• MrG...
• September 23, 2022

For Bowel Preparation "If you have IBS or a slow-moving digestive system, make sure your gastro is aware of this prep! I was going all night long and even in the waiting room waiting for the procedure that morning. It took too long to clean me out. Good thing I went to bed with a diaper and diaper cover. I didn't get much sleep, and what little I did, I woke up with my diaper soaked in diarrhea. I found out after the follow-up appointment that this should have cleaned me out before bedtime. Now I have to go back and get another one done so that they can see better with the scope."