Senna for Constipation User Reviews (Page 3)

• Fee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2018

Senna "This worked really well for me. I was completely constipated for two weeks, and had tried Milk of Magnesia and Dulcolax with no effect at all. My Dr. recommended Senokot, and I took 1 of the Extra Strength at bedtime. It took 12 hours for me, but then everything got moving with ease again. I didn’t have cramps, pain, or diarrhea. I would definitely use this again."

• Nee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2019

Senna "The effects of this laxative are very unpredictable. Sometimes I can take 2 tabs and not go for 24 hours, or it works fine the next day. Currently, not having a great experience. I took 1 tab last night. Woke up this morning to awful cramps, bloating, and nausea. On the plus side, I've been to the loo 3 times in an hour and feel a lot less bunged up. Because of its unpredictability, I think I will try a high-fiber diet or lactulose. It does work, but when the side effects are bad, they're extremely unpleasant."

• Goo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2019

Senna "I've been having major bowel issues, was in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. After getting out, I was worried it would happen again. Spoke to a pharmacist, and they suggested this every night until my bowels move normally and to stay and continue on Restoralax and then back off Senokot. It worked great for me. No complaints here!"

• Nee...
• October 11, 2017

Senna "Ok, I'm gonna give you advice. If you have never taken this medicine before, make sure you have the next day off. Don't try to take this med before bed, thinking you'll have one go at the toilet and you're ready to go. Second, I would try changing your diet, an enema, or even Miralax before considering this med. I was having stomach pain and had an X-ray of my stomach, and my doctor showed me how stopped up I was. It's amazing how much the body can hold. Anyway, I say all this because it does clean you out, but yes, your cramps are close to something like food poisoning cramps because it's forcing your body to do something it can't effectively do on its own. I hope this helps."

• Har...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 16, 2020

Senna "Normally, I go at least once per day. This can slip due to circumstances or break with routine. Long distance travel is a prime culprit. I have found if I do not go at least once per day, it compounds the problem. If I find I cannot go by bedtime, I know there is a problem brewing. I know this because, as hard as you try, there is nothing there. So, I take a Senokot. I usually follow this up with sultanas and high bran cereal. It does the trick. I then review how much I have drunk and my food and adjust it accordingly. Sometimes, you can get a little colicky pain, but it passes as soon as you go. Never take it habitually, only as a last resort."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 7, 2018

Senna "I am a 20 y/o student, and recently I was having a hard time going to the restroom. One of my mother's friends recommended this medication, and at first I was hesitant, but it is the best thing that ever happened to me. When I can't go or I am bloated, I take it, and it either works 24 hrs from the time taken or 2-3 hrs after. I love this, highly recommended!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 15, 2018

Senna "I have taken Senokot for about 4 years, a couple of times a month. Now I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and suffer serious constipation. I take 2 before bed, and other than a little cramping, bowel movement passes as if normal and no other side effects. I tried Dulcolax just to see the difference, and it was the worst experience of my life. I would definitely stay with Senokot from now on."

• Sen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2024

Senna "After many surgeries and also having IBS-C, I have used Miralax for over 10 years. I'm tired of the powder and mixing, and traveling with it is a pain, so I tried Senokot. I took 1 pill at bedtime and had a BM the next afternoon. I plan on taking 1 pill every night this week to see how it goes and then try every other night after that. I had no pain and very little cramping, and with Miralax, I usually have pain and cramping, so it was nothing unusual to me to have some cramping. So far, I recommend taking it, but I suggest you start with 1 pill and see how it affects you."

• IBS...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 2, 2022

"This drug is pretty straightforward if you want/need to have a bowel movement. If you are constipated due to medical conditions, diet, stress, lack of physical movement, or lack of exercise, follow the directions and take the tablet(s). Note that this is not a magic pill, people. You still need to drink lots of water (average adult 128 fluid ounces per day), plus you must have the proper amount of fiber in your system not only to pass your old food, but to also clean out the new food. If you are gassy, bloated, cramping, your body is trying to tell you something! You need fiber, roughage, and fluids in every meal in addition to movement (walk, run, stretch) to get everything moving forward. The pill does not supply nutrients, you do! The price is much more expensive than it should be for 50 pills, but that’s where we need to fight to lower costs. Anyway, I’ve taken it for 10 years and it works every single time. Have a good diet, great hydration, and movement!"

• Aaa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 21, 2019

Senna "I've used the pills from time to time when I feel a little bloated or bunged up. Take them at least 8 hours before you want to get up for work (you'd be crazy to take any laxative before the start of a full-on work shift)."

• Sus...
• September 6, 2017

Senna "I had leg surgery last week, and the morphine from the pain relief gave me rather severe constipation - it was the worst feeling. I was sore sitting down that I was crying and depressed. I tried prunes and Fybogel - but no movement. I couldn't bear it. I took 2 Senokot 2 nights ago before bed - nothing. I took another 2 after 12 hours. About 2 hours later, I had a rather painful hard bowel movement. A couple of hours later, I had crippling stomach cramps - which led to a further 2 bowel movements, each getting softer (but no diarrhea). I had another before bed that night - back to my normal consistency, then another on waking this morning. I am delighted. Was it a pleasant experience? No. Would I do it again? Absolutely!"

• pen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 5, 2023

Senna "You HAVE to take this medication with a lot of water. I'm talking 2-3 glasses, otherwise, you are likely to have major side effects. I have chronic constipation and often don't go to the bathroom for 10 days at a time. When I first started using this, the cramps were so bad I almost fainted on the toilet. Now that I know to drink lots of water with it, the cramps still come on when my body is ready to evacuate, but I am able to go to the bathroom right away, and then it's over with. This is the only medication I've ever used that always works for me.. and I've tried everything!"

• JWA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2022

Senna "Took this at night before to help with constipation. Next morning, small movement. And then slowly, the pains built up to intense stomach cramps that lasted well into the early hours of the following day. Unable to sleep. Three days later, and things are still not quite right. Never again."

• Sen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2018

Senna "This worked so well for me that I was driven to write a review, which I never do! I had constipation issues for 3 days, took this last night, and today I wasn’t even in pain from it as I had worried, I just had the slight urge to go - and it was so easy. Thank you!!!!"

• Do...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2022

Senna "That stuff ripped through my intestines and gave me diarrhea and chills for hours. It doesn't just relieve constipation, it gives you a colon cleansing. Would not recommend it unless you have a really strong stomach or really bad constipation. The box saying it's gentle is a lie."

• Pap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2019

Senna "I had constipation for 2 days because of the lack of fiber. I took Senokot syrup in the night hoping for some sort of bowel movement like diarrhea. But I felt nothing. When I went to the toilet, however, I was able to poop, and most of it had cleared, and it was soft, but I had to push out more, and it wasn’t as natural as I would’ve liked it. But it’s most likely because I have bowel problems anyway. So results are varied."

• Bob...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 2, 2020

"I had another medical condition, so I was prescribed a medication that was effective but made me constipated as a side effect. So anyway, my GP gave me a prescription for senna with instructions to take it daily. A few months later, I began experiencing lower abdominal cramps before I needed to poo. My GP was unconcerned. Some time later, I moved house and registered with a new GP. During my first appointment, she looked over my medical history and my repeat prescriptions, and she was shocked to see I’d been taking senna every day for a year. She said it should never be prescribed for long-term use and she would never have a patient on it for more than one week. She told me to stop taking it and instead prescribed Laxido as a daily laxative (I'm in the UK). I hoped that the pain would then stop, but unfortunately, it hasn’t. My GP thinks the overuse of senna has inflamed my intestines, and I’m now having to see a gastroenterologist. So while senna was effective, overuse can cause serious problems. I can only hope that the gastro doctor can help."

• Bjo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 27, 2023

Senna "It’s hit or miss. Usually 2 regular strength will cause something in 24 hours. No cramps, no feeling of movement, just a sudden urge to go. It’ll be large and hard. One poop, no follow-ups, no diarrhea. Currently I’m on 30ml of lactulose twice daily, and Senokot every 3rd day to get it out. The lactulose doesn’t do anything but make my every third day poop not as hard as a rock."

• Unh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2022

"I took Ex-Lax with senna to induce a BM due to unrelenting constipation. The result? My mind was sped up, I felt faint with a panic attack feeling, stood in the dark, praying to get back to normal. BM? Yeah, a very small BM, wasn't worth the bad trip. I'll never use anything with senna again!"

• lit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 17, 2016

Senna "Took two one day, then 2 more 36 hours later. Did not help much with my constipation. Also, very bad leg cramp during the night. Also, cramp in my left arm, which went down to my fingertips. I have not experienced such painful cramp before, so will not take these tablets again."

• Rin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2022

Senna "I had been suffering with constipation for about 4 days when my husband suggested taking Senokot, which worked for him. I took two tablets on the night of day 4, and on day 5-nothing happened... I took two tablets on the night of day 6. Nothing happened until about 8 AM, and all hell broke loose. I've had the squirts for 24 hours with no sign of it stopping. Jesus, Mary, and the wee donkey, I'm certain my bowels are on fire. Pros: I'm no longer constipated, I've lost 3 lbs on the scales, I've learned how to sprint, haven't had to leave the house for fear of straying too far from a toilet. Cons: I haven't been able to put any faith in a fart in 24 hours, I've run out of Sudocrem for the ring sting, I'm like a shriveled-up prune, I'm afraid to take a pain reliever for the cramps in case they are the only warning shot before the onslaught of liquid fire from the depths of hell."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2019

Senna "Have been experiencing constipation for approx 3 weeks. It’s never ever happened before. I’ve always been regular. I took 1 tablet last night before bed. This morning movements were back to normal. Hope it continues."

• JSB...
• July 1, 2019

"After being plugged up for a bit over a week with minimal relief, decided to get a doctor's appointment. Got recommended Senna, went with Senna Plus (stool softener as well). Took it at 8 PM with some food, woke up at about 7 AM and made a small to mid-sized normal movement. Around 10:30 AM, was hit like a truck with the immediate need to go and had to pull off on the highway to uncork the dormant geyser that had been plugged for the past week. A vicious bout of diarrhea. Had lunch at noon, and around 1:30 was again beckoned to the bowl for the remnants. 48 hours later, things look pretty normal, have had some of the less ideal side effects like the stomach/ab cramps and appetite dampening. Not a terrible experience, but not something I would do if it wasn’t needed."

• Mea...
• August 4, 2018

Senna "Took one dose and nothing. Took second dose, and that’s when the headache and cramps, and the stomach gurgles started. It sure cleared the pipes, but wow, liquid fire from within, and lived in my bathroom for a day. I was tempted to just sleep on my bathroom floor to make it easier. Once I thought nothing more could possibly come out, a new wave would hit. Can’t even eat crackers or it goes right through."

• Lis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2025

Senna "After coming back from vacation, where my guts were not happy, I was 3 weeks of not having a decent BM. I felt awful and had a brutal headache. I read all the reviews, which had me concerned, but I was desperate. I’m 61 and weigh 125 (well, maybe 130 with the extra poop)."