Linaclotide for Irritable Bowel Syndrome User Reviews

• Jan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 9, 2024

Linaclotide "Linzess 72mcg daily did help me to have more frequent bowel movements. However, it also caused urinary incontinence for me. Apparently, it relaxed the muscles in my urethra as well as those in my intestinal tract. So I had to stop it for that reason."

• Pri...
• April 25, 2017

"I've suffered with constipation and stomach pain for 6 years. Every time I eat, I get pain. All the food that I eat and any liquids seem to stay in my body. I feel bloated, tired, and the pain creeps up from my lower abdomen and spreads to my sides, back, and upper abdomen areas, causing pressure on my heart and lungs. I've had many, many tests done, but nothing has been found. This medicine has been a savior. I wake up early at 5 a.m., take one pill, and go back to sleep. I wake up at 7 a.m. and start to get ready for work. By that time, I go to the toilet, and my whole body is completely flushed out of food and liquids. You have to take it on an empty stomach to get the full benefit and take 1 every day for at least the first 6-8 weeks."

• zaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2016

"Half an hour after the first dose, taken on an empty stomach first thing on waking, I had to RUN to the loo and had an explosive BM. After this, it failed to work again (as was my experience with Epsom salts, very similar). I did, however, get very bad bloating, gurgling, sloshy sounding belly, felt tired and nauseous, and thirsty, needing 4 glasses of water at night. Bloating was far worse than my usual IBS symptoms, and no further BM after 6 days on the drug. Just felt toxic and my face was puffy... so I discontinued its use. Back to low FODMAP diet and enemas when necessary, which is often the case. I was so hopeful after the first dose, but think severe bloating affects the nerves and hinders the reflex of evacuation in my case."

• Sen...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 23, 2020

"I have used this medicine for 6 years, it has worked miracles for me in terms of quality of life. I have reduced my dosage by measuring approximately one-third of 290 mcg into gelatin capsules. People might try to up their liquid intake a lot to resolve some of the issues with the drug, e.g., drink at least half a liter of water after the capsule because of the way it acts in the gut."

• Hel...
• November 8, 2015

"I was given this medication for IBS-D, not constipation. I took one pill, and it increased the D part for a day. After that, my IBS-D symptoms are almost gone. After three years of having to know where a bathroom was every minute, this is a miracle. Just wanted folks with IBS-D that this may work for them. One pill did it."

• Urs...
• March 3, 2021

"I would have a bowel motion maybe one a week or every 2 weeks, laxatives didn’t work. I would have to take docusate and magnesium citrate together just to have a bowel movement, and they were far too loose. I would be in pain all the time, and gas was horrible. I am now on Constella, and my goodness, I have never felt better. I don’t have to suffer at all. Thank you to researchers and doctors."

• bam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2021

"I've suffered with IBS and diverticular disease for years. I used to take magnesium citrate capsules to help with constipation, but a consultant recently gave me linaclotide. After reading lots of good reviews, I was really optimistic, but it's really messed me up big time. I've been unable to leave the bed for 5 days, in lots of abdominal cramps and pain like labor pains. Instead of the diarrhea people talk about, they give me constipation. I'm passing loads of painful gas, but no bowel movement. This has really made my diverticular disease 100 times worse."

• pre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2021

"I was instructed to take this medication by my GI doctor due to constipation. Let me tell you this stuff works, at least for me anyway. It cleans you out. My experience is stomach cramps, dizziness, and it makes me feel kind of sick, like I have a cold or something. I also get a terrible headache the next day. The side effects may be my fault, as I don’t take the medication like I should. I’m supposed to take it in the morning, 30 minutes before eating. But I only take it once a week due to its side effects. I’m on the lowest dosage, 75 mg. This has been the only medication that has allowed me to go, it’s just the side effects are a bit too much for me to handle."

• Col...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2020

"IBS for 16 years, however, mixed or variable versus C with an allergy to gluten. I am on my sixth day of this medication and have been housebound the past two days - days 5 and 6. I read that you are to stay on it for seven days, but I have decided that this will be my last. Symptoms are worsening. Severe diarrhea after an hour of taking it, and it lasted 12 hours yesterday. It feels like someone is milking my intestine. I have a headache, am tired, have brain fog, a sore abdomen, gas, a loud gurgle, and have been running to the bathroom a good 40 or more times in 24 hours. Possibly more. Day one was like food poisoning for half a day, then I felt okay or good after the first couple of hours. Days 2-4 okay with gas and mild watery diarrhea 3-4 times per day. It must be the wrong medication for me. I have prolapse and thought this may make it better than the impact of constipation, but now fear it may be worse. Great to hear it works for some people."

• Pol...
• March 17, 2014

"At last! A drug that seems to help. I've had chronic constipation for many years. I had endometriosis 20 years ago, and the scarring and adhesions from that cause a degree of stricture on parts of my bowels. I'm in the UK, so no cost to the medicine. My gastroenterologist has tried so many medicines with me, and nothing seemed to be effective-gabapentin was the most effective out of the lot but left me really foggy-brained. So a week ago, I got prescribed linaclotide. The first day was explosive. Probably 20 times to the loo. The second day, maybe 15, the third around 12. I'm now (about a week later) at maybe 8 times a day and seem to have settled out at that for now. I'm much less tired, and although my rectum is sore, that seems to be settling down. Massive relief!"

• Mol...
• August 7, 2015

"Great. First day I took it, I got diarrhea and felt discouraged, however, I took it the next day because it was expensive and I wanted to see if the expense was worth it. It was. I have been taking my pill every morning, and my stomach is not bloated anymore, and I can go to the bathroom daily."

• Gra...
• September 4, 2017

"After years of pain, bloating, anal bleeding, fissures, chronic constipation, being told to eat more fiber, tears, and several trips to the hospital, I was prescribed Constella (Europe brand) by a consultant. It is a miracle drug, but I have found it hard to fit into a long working day due to the fact that once it works, I need to stay close to the toilet! I seem to keep going until empty (where does it all come from?!). I experience some very loose, watery stools and can become lightheaded. I take the tablet in the evening during the week, which means I am often late to bed, and social activities are restricted, but it beats the misery of severe constipation. Having read helpful reviews, I am going to try taking it before bed to see if I can hold until morning."

• hea...
• August 30, 2013

"I've suffered from constipation, irregular bathroom visits for years. I'm talking 2 times a week and constantly felt bloated. I just mentioned it to my doctor at a recent regular visit, and he gave me a couple of samples of Linzess. I went to the bathroom the day I took it. I did get diarrhea for about 3 or 4 days, but every day it got better. Talk about instant relief! I've been on Linzess for about a week and a half now, and it's changed the way my stomach feels, and I go to the bathroom about every day."

• Sin...
• June 11, 2016

"I'm not sure that this was a direct result of taking Linaclotide, but my experience was constipation. My doctor prescribed it because I had bowel movements almost every day, but the stool was so hard and large by the time it reached the end of me that I couldn't pass it. So my bowels would move...but the contents couldn't exit. I started Linaclotide 145 mcg as directed on a Wednesday, by the next Wednesday, I was very uncomfortable, bloated, clocked an extra six pounds (surely not actual weight gain), and hadn't passed any stool or had any arrive in my rectum. Pico-Salax was needed, the meds stopped, and I'm still not returned to baseline (14 days from dose 1). We're not sure what's happened."

• GM2...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2021

"I am currently on linaclotide 280 mg, they have changed my life. I was suffering from a period of really bad constipation, where I could go without going to the toilet for 3 weeks at least. I had gotten into a habit of using harsh laxatives on the weekend, causing me pain and sickness. The doctor prescribed these as a last resort (1-month course). Almost 2 weeks in, and I seem to be going to the toilet every day or every other day. No diarrhea as described. I take these first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before food. The time of bowel movement varies."

• Anonymous
• January 25, 2022

"I take 290 mg, it helps me have a proper BM, but I still have a lot of abdominal pain and really bad bloating. This medication is very expensive. I don’t think I will get a refill because I can’t afford it."

• fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2017

"I have been taking Linzess 290 for about 2 months for severe abdominal pain due to irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. From the start of taking it, I have had no further episodes of abdominal pain or constipation. If I don't take it for one day, I start to feel very unwell again with abdominal cramps. I find that once I take it, I need to be near a bathroom within a couple of hours, but after 1 or 2 bowel movements, there are no more. To be free of the severe cramps that were so bad that I would be sick to my stomach and almost pass out from the pain is such a relief and has improved my quality of life immensely. The pills are expensive though."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 25, 2023

Linaclotide "Works wonders! It relieves the pressure of bloating, upset stomach, gas, and major discomfort. Helps with the relief of having a bowel movement, but a bowel movement you won't forget."

• Avi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2018

"Bloating. Excessive diarrhea."