Lactulose for Constipation, Acute User Reviews

• Alb...
• December 24, 2020

"Wow! I took 60 mL of lactulose and OH WOW, two hours later my farts became atomic. They kept coming, one after another - shooting out like a machine gun. Once I raced to the toilet, it was as if a hydrogen bomb had gone off. The back splash was a deluge, almost a tidal wave. It was mind-altering."

• Dam...
• June 14, 2009

"I was given this bottle of Lactulose by the local hospital where I am currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. My constipation causes me more pain than I can describe, the cramps and vomiting have caused me quite a few sleepless nights. I felt the pain coming on at about 3 in the afternoon and was expecting to be in agony by 7 pm. I took the Lactulose at about 3:30 pm and by 7 pm, I was alright, and the cramps disappeared, and no vomiting. I cannot state how much relief I felt knowing that I would get a good night's sleep without pain and constipation. I've just rang my family to let them know that I've finally found something that gives me relief without grief. Best yet."

• Bal...
• August 1, 2019

"I am a middle-aged woman. I’ve had constipation issues since I can remember. I’ve become used to going twice a week. But chemo for cancer treatment recently put me over the one-week mark, and I was in agony when prescribed stool softeners, and every other OTC thing I threw at it did nothing. This drug, lactulose, worked. Took a 15 ml dose (3 tsp with a nice little syringe measure that came with) then repeated two hours later with a big drink of water, and bowels moved several times shortly after the second dose. It made my stomach rumble and gave me diarrhea, but it was worth it. (Stay home and close to a toilet.) I dialed back the dose and then stopped altogether for now, but it was the kickstart I needed. It’s a relief to know it’s in the arsenal. It is kind of thick and very sweet, but that was not a dealbreaker for me. (May be mixed into food or drink, but I just quickly drank it straight.) Highly recommend for those struggling."

• Pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2020

Duphalac (lactulose) "The worst medication I have ever taken. Not only does it not work, it makes everything 10x worse. Painful gas and flatulence at an unprecedented level. Took it to deal with constipation post-surgery, and it made the surgery pain so much worse. Useless!"

• Anonymous
• December 20, 2009

"I am pleased with the results of this medicine, and the best part is that it has natural ingredients. I don't take a lot of medicines, but this is one that I trust, and I feel it won't do harm to my body, but help it. I always make sure I drink a lot of water with any medicine I take."

• Gor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2013

"Not going for two days due to traveling and interrupted routine can really be a problem, but two large glasses of water with one tablespoon each produces positive results within 30 min. every time. Just keep close to a bathroom for 2-3 hrs."

• Lig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2015

"So I am a new nurse but have overcome a lot of health problems. Due to wearing a girdle to support my large hernia and lack of water from rushing around the ER, I became suddenly constipated. For three weeks it was wait until my days off and stay in the bathroom in agony. So I went to my doctor, and they gave me this, it was actually sweet! I took a shower, and by the time I was done, so was my problem! I am amazed, and my IBS even seems to be calming down!"

• Omg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2020

"So... I have been having trouble passing a bowel motion as currently there is a tear. Anyway, I would hurt when I was trying. So I was quite scared to go to the toilet knowing it was going to hurt. My partner has lactulose, which was for himself previously. So I took the recommended dose. A couple of hours passed, and I was delayed by the fact I needed to go to the loo. So I took another dose. OMG... DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER DOSE 2 HOURS AFTER. I was farting, burping, farting, left, right, and center, stinking the place out. I was ready to go to bed when the trapped wind came along. So I ran to the toilet, and that’s when all hell broke loose. OMG. I’ve never been that bad ever. It’s really gross, and I wouldn’t want anyone to go through that. My partner came through to see if I was okay, and funny enough, he’s making a joke out of it, but trust me, DO NOT TAKE MORE IN 2 HOURS, your toilet will hate you. I’m okay now, it does its job if that’s what you were looking for."

• Anu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2019

Duphalac (lactulose) "I used this Duphalac syrup but I can say that its the worst medicine have seen ever in my life and has not even a single percent of laxative effect, in fact it had opposite effect to this it will even increase hardness of stool. If I would had an option to rate this medicine I would have rated it in negative. Such a waste company and product. I would request to don’t buy this medicine any chance. Rating: -10 the worst"

• Anonymous
• May 5, 2016

"So I've been constipated for about 4 days, and I've tried everything. I went from eating more fiber to trying to force it out. I told my parents, my mom, who was clueless on what to do, told my dad, and he gave me lactulose. It took about 4 hours to kick in, and it did not hurt at all to poop, and it was just so amazing getting it all out. My stomach did feel uncomfortable before I pooped, but it really does go away. I stayed near the bathroom for about an hour, but I guess it depends."

• Lis...
• July 13, 2016

"I was prescribed this only a few days ago because I generally only pass a bowel motion about once a week. My dosage is 20 mls per day, and I initially didn't think it was working, but it has most definitely kicked in now! I've had heaps of flatulence since first taking it, and now, 2 hrs after my 3rd dose, I feel about 5 kilos lighter. I'm so glad that I am not at work because the smell of this first visit to the bathroom is absolutely revolting... (sorry for over-sharing). It tastes sickly sweet, but I'm getting used to it. I think this product will actually change my life for the better. P.S. I'm in New Zealand, where a lot of medication is funded by the government."

• Ire...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2017

"I've been taking iron off and on for the last 5 months. My red blood cell count is too low, they can't get it to stay up. But I've been getting constipated-9 days without a poo. The lactulose is great, within a few hours, I was at the toilet. It's gentle."

• Lil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 2, 2020

"Try different ways of taking this medicine, lactulose. For me, taking it the way the label said just didn’t do anything. It caused major and very embarrassing gas. Honestly, don’t leave the house the day you begin this dosing. What I found was it hindered my sleep because of the gas, a lot of tummy rumbling, luckily, I was sleeping alone that night. Don’t underestimate the frequency of the gas either, constant. I think try out different ways. I take 1 entire capful, and that usually does the trick. Just don’t make any plans for that day."

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2019

"I have an anal fissure, which is very painful if my stool is hard. Each time I go to the toilet, the fissure can reopen, and the healing process has to start again. Taking lactulose has softened my stool, so giving my anal fissure time to heal. I take 15 ml once a day before bed with a cup of water. It certainly makes life in the morning a lot less painful."

• Luc...
• June 12, 2021

"4 days of suffering, nothing was coming out of me despite 30 times of trying, also had a lot of pain at my kidneys. I had all the fiber foods, drank gallons of water, but nothing!! One of my friends suggested loose syrup, which I drank 40ml. Finally, I felt some pressure, took my chance, but the size of the tool was so wide that my body was undersized. What came next is graphic, but I literally had no choice. I had to manually clear some of the hard stool out of my butt. Passage still felt super small for the huge train, but I had to push it so hard, it felt like I was giving birth as it exited me. What followed the impacted stool was runnier, and everything was just free-flowing. This is a super painful experience, and I now understand what others go through. If my experience could be of any help, the medicine is for sure effective, but it took 8+ hours to show results with a lot of my own efforts to make it work."

• Axa...
• May 29, 2020

"I started to take this the way it says on the label, 15 mL twice a day. It did nothing for me other than cause terrible, vile flatulence. The smell was like a sewer, and zero relief. Annoyed after about 3 days, I decided to take more. So I took 60 mL in one. Within 2 hours, I had had a bowel movement. In the end, all that came out was liquid. There seemed to be less flatulence also. I find it’s sort of unpredictable when you take it day and night, you may or may not have a movement the next day. Or you might, and it might not be satisfactory (could be very small, still feel like you need to go after), which is very almost upsetting really when you know what it’s like to suffer so much from constipation. The flatulence ends if you take it for a few days, it’s as though your body needs time to get used to it. If you’re going to use this, use it on a day when you don’t need to be anywhere or meet anyone! Take the 60 mL and take it with a warm drink to help it along."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2020

"I occasionally use this lactulose for severe constipation, most often caused by drugs. I don't find it works straight away. I have lymphocytic colitis and IBS-D, so my gut is very sensitive. Yes, lactulose is effective, but very quickly the frequent farts become smelly and toxic. I stay away from people because of it. Over a few days, farts start to expel little bits of poo, and I soil my pants. I become too frightened to fart when out. I also can't tell the difference between a fart or a poo, so I have to go to the loo every time, just in case. Bit of a nuisance when it turns out to be just a fart. For those without lymphocytic colitis and IBS-D, it's probably fine. Don't be put off by my experience."

• bpm...
• July 25, 2017

"If you don't mind the overwhelming feeling of urgency and flatulence, you can take 5 tablespoons of lactulose along with a bowl of bran cereal for breakfast. No matter how hard they try, most people won't be able to hold back the results after 4 hours."

• AFC...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 27, 2018

"My doctor prescribed a bottle of this 45 ml twice a day. Had very little effect on me, just a few tummy rumbles. The doctor then decided I was partially impacted and prescribed Movicol 3 times daily. Did clear the impaction after 8 days. Now use lactulose 30 ml twice daily after my IBS diagnosis. Keeps me reasonably regular."

• Shi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2018

"I had constipation as a side effect of the Codamol I was taking. I was sore, and I’m a big dude. My stomach was solid all the way to the bottom of my ribs. I drank two mouthfuls of this stuff and had the best clear-out ever, must have been an hour on the loo over a three-hour period."

• Ayl...
• October 10, 2021

"I suffer from endometriosis, and for the past 5 years, I've been prescribed codeine on and off when I have my flare-ups, which are roughly only 4-6 times a year. I'd always been prescribed laxatives that weren't very helpful with my constipation - they either took too long to work, and I'd be in pain for a few days, or they didn't soften the stool enough, so when I did finally pass a motion, it would be extremely painful. I discovered lactulose 5 months ago when my mum bought me some from a pharmacy, and it has been a lifesaver! I only take it when I haven't passed a motion in a few days, and every other home remedy I do (kiwifruit and prune juice, increased water, exercise) hasn't helped. It works within 1-2 hours, and it softens the stool enough so that I feel like I'm passing a normal motion, and it's virtually painless. I highly recommend this! It's the best laxative I've ever come across, and I've had my fair share of trials of different laxatives in the last 5 years."

• Ver...
• December 5, 2017

"This worked after 48 hours. The label said that it could take up to 48 hours, but most of the other reviews said that it worked much faster, so when it didn't work quickly for me, I began to lose hope. Thankfully, it worked, pretty much exactly after 48 hours. I'm in my second trimester, and hadn't done a poo for 4 days, and the last time had been very painful. I'd felt incredibly bloated and uncomfortable, and hunched over when I walked, and couldn't get comfortable to sleep. When I first went again after 48 hours, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't really painful either. I stirred the medicine into large glasses of water to help me drink enough fluids, and also to dilute the excessively sweet taste."

• Caz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2020

"If you are at all sensitive to sugars, beware. What it was supposed to help just made it 1,000x worse. When I actually looked it up, I figured out why I was suffering. Was not a fun night, my poor dog, lol."

• Joe...
• February 6, 2020

"I was prescribed lactulose for constant bloating and constipation, but the taste is disgusting and tastes so overly sweet (like drinking syrup). Apart from that, I find that it doesn't work as well at all, unlike the sodium picosulphate, which works instantly after 7 hours. This laxative isn't as effective at all, apart from that, it causes excessive wind, and they smell so bad to the point it's too disgusting to bear. Plus, I can't tell when it's a fart or a poo, neither is it scary to expel it in case I poo myself. TMI, I know, but it's true! I don't think it's as good for constipation, but it's good for wind. It also has not helped with bloating, as I still wake up bloated and have it all day and night."

• kja...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 10, 2016

"I suffered from iron deficiency, and I was put on iron tablets. With these, they cause constipation, so my doctor also prescribed lactulose. It works really well, and it gives you a lot of gas and a bowel movement within eight hours of taking the medicine."