Trulance for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation User Reviews (Page 3)

• lin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 20, 2020

"Second day on Trulance, both days I took half a pill. Just to be sure I'd go, I had taken 2 sennas the night before. Today's result was watery as if I'd taken mag. citrate. For me, this is pretty powerful. I think it'd be best if they would give a 1 mg tablet. No doubt I can stop the senna now. I wanted to because over time you need more and more of senna (for me anyway). So now I'll skip the senna (was on 4-5 pills) and try half the pill. If that works, I'll try 1/4 or 1/3. I can see why headaches are an issue sometimes...losing a lot of water. So drinking up!"

• Cyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 16, 2019

"My husband has chronic constipation since I met him, 33 years ago. The doctor gave him Trulance 4 days ago as a sample, and it works, but he is so tense and reacts instantly to any kind of stimulus... dropped a book, big freak out. If a minor problem arises, it's a huge deal. He slams car doors, complains about everything, is really on edge. This drug must be responsible. Not like this before. Anyone else?"

• Sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2018

"I'm sick as a dog as I type this. I feel beat up and sore with terrible spasms after being on the commode all night. I feel really bad because my doctor really wanted this to work for me and fought so hard with my insurance company to get Trulance approved. He wanted me off of Lactulose, but I cannot go back to that due to the same symptoms I'm having now. IBS has ruled my life for so long, and I eat so healthy and exercise, but I just cannot 'go.' I live a life of constant pain and spasms...."

• For...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2019

"Doctor gave me samples of Trulance 3 mg to try. Took it for 6 days, feeling nervous because side effects include diarrhea. Nothing, I mean nothing, even with a little help (suppository & enema). Felt so bad that I had to take that vile citrus of magnesia to get some relief. It may work for you, but did nothing for me."

• bee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2019

"I've been constipated all my life - since I was an infant. I've gone up the chain of laxatives, and Trulance is my most recent medication. I took it with my evening meal, and it worked in an hour, which surprised me. I made six to eight trips to the bathroom before the excitement ended. I then noticed burning in my mouth and down my esophagus to the end of my rectum. Then my muscles started to ache. It all reminded me of a mobile sweeper that went through my gut and even in the most remote crevices to remove stool. I was exhausted. The following day I thought I was fine, and then suddenly I felt incredibly weak and unwell. I noticed slight swelling in my fingers - drank water. I want to give this a chance, but if I start swelling up or gaining weight, I will have to look at another solution."

• HJB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2018

"I have had idiopathic chronic constipation for about 2 years now. Nothing over the counter ever worked for any more than a few days or so. Only a few times over the past two years or so, I've got to the point of feeling relief when I was forced to take a colon cleanse such as GoLytely due to not going for 2 weeks at a time. My doctor has prescribed me Relistor, Linzess, and now Trulance. Relistor and Linzess, just like every other medication I tried, lasted for a few days of small bowel movements, then slowly stopped working at all. I took Trulance for the first time this morning - I have had normal to medium bowel movements since taking it over 12 hours ago. Mild cramps that come and go, mild dizziness as I get with all constipation meds, but overall can't complain at the end of my first day. Hoping this drug continues to work and clears me out as I constantly am backed up for weeks, and I am sure I have about 30 more trips to the bathroom left before I am completely empty."

• Pun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2018

"I take it twice a week. Usually works within an hour and have relatively normal BM unless I am backed up. Then I get the diarrhea everyone complains about. Have to make sure you have fiber when taking, and that seems to help decrease the bloating."

• Jsa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2020

"Been on 3 weeks. No diarrhea in either Linzess or Trulance. Overall, Trulance was a bit better. Still need Colace every day. Have headache, leg cramps, slight rash, warmth, and fatigue. Maybe depression. Doctor says not side effects. Duh!!!!"

• She...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 4, 2024

"I had reached a point where 5 bisacodyl at once didn't work any longer. I was reduced to begging my gastro for anything to try. Movantik? No results. Miralax? No. Motegrity? Nothing. Then, he gave me some Trulance. I had been 11 days and was sick. Water, soda, and some pretzels stayed down. I vomited real food. I took Trulance and in less than an hour I was on the toilet-having a bowel movement! I was up and down for 2 hours, 18 minutes. I documented to be correct in giving my gastro the information. My clothes fit better, I can breathe deeply, and I pray it continues to work like that every time I take it. Maybe not 2 hours, but at least a normal movement. Whatever that means! Trulance is my answer when nothing else worked. I will take out a bank loan if I have to. I'm on social security, but I will do whatever it takes to keep this medicine. I had forgotten how good it feels to be normal."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 25, 2018

"Wrote a review previously. Still no side effects after taking for 3 months. The only thing I’ve noticed is weight gain - I was consistently 120 lbs for several years without change, and since starting the medicine, I am up to 126 without any other significant lifestyle changes. This medication somewhat improved the frequency of BM, but it’s hit or miss. Some days I still feel really backed up, others, I have a well-formed movement. When taken with a probiotic, this medication reduced my bloating significantly. I would prefer not to be on long-term medication anyway, so I may consider discontinuing if I can’t drop the weight by increasing exercise. I need to find the root cause of my constipation instead of putting a band-aid on it. Make sure to get your ALS liver panel checked, as this medication can elevate those in some patients. Elevated ALS means your liver is inflamed/irritated."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2018

"After years of trying everything on the market, including Linzess and Amitiza, I was given samples. It has been working great! I do have days of loose stools, but the alternative to me is worse. I go every day, and my bloating is gone! No cramping, headache, or bloating. I would recommend this medication. I'm not sure the cost, though, I haven't purchased from the pharmacy yet. I hope it is not too expensive! Drug companies need to know that what we go through is awful, and these drugs should be covered by insurance!"

• Sam...
• August 23, 2017

"After suffering for 2 years of bloating, I had been using Miralax, which works slowly every day. Then the doctor said to try this. Within 10 minutes, I was in the bathroom on and off for 2 hours while it was cleaning my system out. I had no bloating and no abdominal pain. I took the second dose today, and it did the same thing. In 10 minutes, rolling thunder started in my stomach and cleaned out everything. I will try in a few more days, then will ask the doctor. So far, no more pain, but I feel like it's an F-18 fighter sound going through my stomach for a few hours after taking this. Thank goodness I tried it after work when I was home. Lol."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 28, 2022

"I have a barrel full of gastro diseases. I was prescribed Trulance for chronic constipation and gastroparesis. I don't take it every day, but when I do, I have a bowel movement within 2 hours, and it's done within a few hours (I take it when I get home from work). I have no side effects except for some diarrhea mixed with solids. Do note that if you do not drink liquids when you take Trulance, you probably won't have a BM. Trulance works by drawing liquid into your small intestine. If you're already dehydrated, Trulance more than likely won't work. If you're feeling 'sick' after taking Trulance, again, it is more than likely because of dehydration. Make sure you can keep liquids down prior to taking, during, and after taking Trulance, that's how Trulance works."

• KCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2018

"I had to share my experience. Opposite of most. I was afraid to even try this, reading how much diarrhea people get. Took the first one in the evening and prepared to rush to the bathroom. Felt nothing. Next morning, I had a very small hard bowel motion. Throughout the day, I began to feel progressively more sick. Headache, exhausted, foggy, shaky. Almost a migraine-type feeling. Took the second dose that evening. Woke up the next morning feeling like I was run over by a train. Horrible headache, shaking, pain in face behind eyes, totally wiped out. I was completely bloated, felt like I had a round balloon in my stomach. I had a hard time getting through the day and decided I needed to stop. It took a full 24 hours to feel better. Finally, 36 hours later, I have started pooping again and the headache is fading. This medicine was NOT for me. I have never had such serious side effects."

• RB9...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2023

"The instructions on Trulance claim there is no specific time of day to take the medicine for it to be most effective. From my experience, taking it with a meal makes it work better. At first, I was taking it when I woke up (empty stomach) and I wasn't getting great results. Sometimes no bowel movement, sometimes hard bowel movement midday. No impressive bowel movement. I started taking it with food (in the middle of my breakfast) and in just 2 hours, I'm having a big bowel movement that almost turns into diarrhea. I know diarrhea isn't pleasant for most, but after being constipated for so long despite doing everything (literally everything!) correctly, diarrhea for me is a relief."

• FOS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2019

"Five days of taking this medication and not impressed. Had diarrhea twice, for which I'm thankful after reading some of the reviews. All I'm getting from this medication is a stomach so bloated it would appear I'm in my 9th month of pregnancy and cramps that have me constantly running to the bathroom with absolutely no results. Glad this was a sample and I didn't pay any money."

• Mbe...
• October 17, 2017

"I started taking this RX after years of severe constipation. I thought this was just a 'woman' thing. I never knew IBS was also a constipation thing. I started out on Linzess and was moved to this drug as a cheaper alternative that was maybe better. So, 5 days into it, I had nothing.....belly bloat, looked pregnant, and miserable. Day 6 came and let's say it was terrible, poo all over my bed as I slept. Day 7, poo all over the bed again. As I slept, severe diarrhea. So now I sleep with my first pair of diaper underpants. ????? I am 49, this is not a part of my life I wish to have at this point."

• Jak...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2018

"Was on both Lactulose & Relistor for over 2 years. Just started Trulance, and what an amazing drug. Within an hour, had a decent bowel movement without abdominal cramps, bloating, & flatulence. 5 stars out of 5."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2018

"I have struggled with chronic constipation my entire life. I am a 29-year-old female, and my gastro doctor prescribed me Trulance over 2 weeks ago. For the last 11 years, I have tried everything, including Amitiza, Linzess, bag enemas, Miralax, Dulcolax, etc. None worked. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, celiac disease, and chronic constipation. My entire colon is slow transit. I was really optimistic when I saw other reviews saying within 2 hours they were having diarrhea. I was surprised some people gave up taking this drug due to the diarrhea. I have a 4-year-old son, I don't have time to feel awful anymore. I am so disappointed. Over 2 weeks on Trulance and nothing. Just bloating and gas. I plan on seeing my doctor and asking about removing some of my colon. I am desperate to stop feeling toxic. I am glad this medication works for some people. I would recommend at least giving it a try, you could have better results than what I did. Good luck!"

• Tru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2018

"I've been on Trulance now for three months, 3 mg. At first use, maybe like 4 days in, I was going to quit because it was not doing much of anything. I was going to go back to my Miralax, but my wife convinced me to hang in there, so on the 5th day, the heavens opened up."

• Gut...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2023

"Nope. Nope, nope, nope. This stuff was a disaster for me. I have MCAS and hEDS, and over the past couple of years, my motility has slowed down a bit. I had been considering motility-enhancing medications for some time and discussed with my new GI doctor if anything like that would be helpful. We talked about Linzess (which I had tried years ago, but it gave me diarrhea) and Motegrity (he felt it would be too harsh). He suggested Trulance as a good option since I'm sensitive to many medications. I took a half dose at 10 a.m. Exactly two hours later, I started experiencing the urgent need to use the bathroom (I had some rumbles and cramping beforehand). Within 20 minutes, the consistency changed from straining to liquid, accompanied by intense gut pain. It has now been three hours, and I'm still not finished. The stool is mostly liquid with a small amount of solid. It feels like I'm going through a colonoscopy cleanout. I'm grateful that we have a high-quality bidet seat in our toilet. I will never take another one of these pills again, not even at a half dose. It's pure and simple torture."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2019

"I’ve used Trulance 3 mg for about 3 months now. It worked really well at first, but now it’s not working so good. My ammonia level in my blood is very high, and I thought I’d found the miracle drug. It quit working after one month of taking it. I’m moving on to something else. This medicine has crazy side effects as well. I would not recommend this medicine."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 11, 2023

"Trulance is an amazing drug that has been life-changing for me. I was suffering from such severe constipation that I could barely eat, had horrible abdominal cramps, and was losing too much weight. Now that I am taking this medication, I am pretty much back to normal. Some people who give the drug a bad review because it works REALLY well for constipation probably didn't need it as much as I do!"

• Gst...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2024

"Hit with gastroparesis in 2012. The first 6 years I was near death. Slim treatment options. I forced almost every BM with manual tactics and fought sepsis for many years. I regained control of my life with daily enema use. Recently, I got a new gastro doc and asked her for the newest treatments available for chronic idiopathic bowel obstruction, gastroparesis, CIC, etc. Fast forward: I've been on Trulance for a couple of weeks. As warned, I did suffer mild symptoms of upset stomach and diarrhea once the medicine first entered my blood. And I felt good about it! No further 'troubling' gut reactions have occurred. Had some annoying dry sinus for a few days. I kept taking the pill with half a multivitamin daily - and all my gut pain went away overnight. I'm already doing #2 pretty regularly now. I might finally have my life back after ten years lost. For me, it's a miracle pill!"

• Kip...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 19, 2024

"I've been taking Trulance for over a year. It does, at times, make me feel sick, and once I was so dehydrated that I fainted at work, hurting myself badly. However, it has helped release pressure, and at first, it would cause what I call a 'sludge' movement, always followed by liquid. Lately, it's not been as effective. I have a partial blockage, and the gastro doctor says that the waste I pass is going around the blockage now. Taking it every day makes it hard to live a normal life because I'm homebound for the night. I need to make some decisions because the doctor suggests removing the colon as the next step, but I'm uncertain about what to do."