User Reviews for Linzess to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“I just cannot! Because of my IBS , I bounce between symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Yes Linzess works, but oh wow! I don't know how anyone takes this drug frequently. There has been nothing but straight liquid explosions. You definitely cannot underestimate urges to pass gas as it is likely just more watery stool (found out the hard way). I sat on the toilet so long that my lower extremities went numb but I couldn't get up to stretch because every time I would try more stool would come rushing like a flood. There were light stomach cramps and some bloating but nothing too severe. I will keep this medication on hand and use it merely as a laxative if I again experience a string of days with no bowel movement. But, there is no way on Earth I would take this pill every day or even every other day. I’d never be able to leave my home.”

“I been on 72mg for about a month in a half. I love it. I do drink a lot of water with it, I get a good cleaning out daily. I take 1 capsule first thing in the morning around 4am. It makes me use the bathroom about a hour later.”

“I have IBS-C and it has made me so sick for years. My dr prescribed me linzess 72mcg. I take 1 tablet on an empty stomach when I wake up. I eat 30 minutes later and within the hour I'm using the restroom. No stomach cramps at all. It gets rid of my stomach pain and I no longer have IBS attacks that make me sick. This medicine has been a life saver. I take my medicine everyday and I skip it on days I'm not near a restroom.”

“Linzess had huge impact on my quality of life. You have to be careful to follow the dosing restrictions. Food within a certain period of dosing especially fatty food will elicit an expedited response from the medicine. This means that the symptoms you may feel which normally might be strung out over a period come fast and hard. I began eating oatmeal for breakfast every day. One high fiber package and one normal. I also keep miralax on hand to fine tune my GI system. Altogether, this medicine used correctly can make a vast difference. I sometimes worry that I have to use this medicine to feel normal but until they come up with something better for IBS-C it's about as good as it gets.”

“Before starting Linzess at age 21 (~1 yr ago), I was going to the bathroom about once every 3 weeks. Eventually, laxatives were necessary but still I was going maybe 3 times a month. I was experiencing severe stomach pains that left me in bed for hours at a time daily, eventually I ended up in the ER. Within 24 hours of starting Linzess, I went to the bathroom. Yes, the first few days it was diarrhea. Within the first week, I was having regular bowel movements and have been having about 1/day since then. MY STOMACH PAIN HAS DISAPPEARED (that's huge!!!!) Gas? Yes, all the time. Diarrhea? Only if I take it too late in the day. Increased hunger? Yes, obviously, because my stomach is empty. Worth it? 5 billion percent.”

“I have IBS and my doctor recommended linzess, this was a lifesaver for me I have regular bowel movements now when I take this I make sure I'm not going out of the house for the day cuz it works immediately at least for me it did within 15 minutes to up to an hour your stomach will start bubbling and growling and it helped so much with the bloating I look like I was 6 months pregnant now the bloating is gone my stomach feels better and I get plenty of relief make sure you don't leave your home though when taking this medicine cuz you definitely going to be on the toilet it works for me I'm glad my doctor recommended it.”

“I started linzess samples 145mg May 11 2020 for severe bloating and constipation, that had been going on for almost 2 months. The first 2 weeks the linzess caused me eat to constantly, but I still had to take suppositories or enema to have a bowel motion. I am now in the 3rd week with linzess, and I have experienced a full belly of air morning, noon, and night. I have to force myself to eat, because I have so much trapped air, and it’s very difficult to even belch and pass gas. I think I will discontinue on my own today. I can’t wait until my doctors appointment, because the bloating makes it difficult for me to breathe, because my stomach is expanded to the max day and night. This week I had to eat less and drink Vernors and take gas x in order to get a slight belch. Vernors and gas x usually works well for me. When I belch now it’s more so like the air reverses and go into my stomach, and causes me to spit up my food. :(”

“I took Linzess for about 3 months and IMMEDIATELY began to gain weight. I noticed the weight gain and thought that it had to be my diet. I began cutting back, watching what I ate and nothing was worked. After taking myself off of the medication, I IMMEDIATELY noticed the weight loss. I felt bloated around my entire midsection going all the way around to my back. Biggest I had ever been. Someone commented that they felt 3 months pregnant and that would about sum it up. I think the FDA should disclose that side effect after looking into the medicine more closely.”

“I've dealt with chronic constipation/ IBS for many years but in my mid-20s, it has been particularly terrible. Bloating and nausea, occasional vomiting after eating. After some trouble getting Linzess approved by my insurance, I am SO grateful for this little pill! -Day 1: nothing -Day 2: serious bout of diarrhea (be warned, you might not make it to toilet in time) -Remaining 2 weeks: again constipated/ frustrated. Was starting to lose hope. -Post-2 week mark: I feel GREAT. I have a good (mostly less urgent) loose stool every couple days. A lot of gurgling/cramping, but anything is better than what I was feeling prior. I still drink a lot of water and exercise to get things moving as naturally as possible. Overall: a true constipation/ IBS-C sufferer like myself, you will welcome the diarrhea with open arms. It has not interfered with my quality of life, I just find a bathroom ASAP if I feel a bowel movement coming. Try to stick it out for at least 6 weeks. :)”

“I don't get any cramping or bloating but Linzess for my irritable bowel keeps me in the bathroom. When I take it my bowel movements are extremely watery, I get so weak and tired. The doctor told me to only take this as needed. We I take if I can't leave the house so I can't take it every day. Has anyone experienced this thank you”

“I have IBD with C. I like Linzess. I use it like a laxative once or twice a week in the evenings after work. I can take it around 5 pm and conclude the "trotting back and forth to the bathroom" well before bedtime. The only thing I wonder is will my constitution ever be "normal"?”

“It does cause loose stool. I find the same day it’s loose the next day I take it I’m constipated. I have to push real hard to have a bowel movement. It feels like the loose stool is able to pass the collection of harder stool leaving behind more formed stool. I ended up in the hospital impacted. The stool had a strange odor.”

“I took this drug Linzess for IBS for 3 days. Each day I took it I had severe, and I mean severe diarrhea within 2 hours of taking it. It caused me to stay near a restroom for several hours as I had to go often and suddenly. After the diarrhea subsided I was left with bloating and cramping that was so bad it made me nauseous. The day I stopped taking it all of these symptoms disappeared.”

“I started taking Linzess about a week ago and I'm beyond thrilled. I'm 26 and have never been able to go to the bathroom without taking something and even then usually only every two weeks. My first day taking this medication 30 mins. Before my first meal, I had no pain, no cramping, no gurgling etc. And was able to go within 4 hours. My bowel motions are not watery like some describe but actually what a normal bowel motion should be like. There's no after pain and no pain while I am going. I haven't had a sudden urge to go but rather I just go when I try to. Additionally, I have only gone 1-2 times per day and I am so excited about that! This is a miracle medication and I can't wait to see how much healthier my body will be. Thank you for creating this!”

“This is a miracle. Not only do I have irritable bowel syndrome, I also take narcotics for chronic pain, both of which will cause significant constipation. This medicine works great for both. My irritable bowel episodes that used to rule my life have been reduced substantially since I started taking this, and the abdominal pain that used to accompany my IBS has been reduced as well. I was nervous taking it at first because it is a new medicine, but so far I haven't had any problems with side effects.”

“I have Gastroparesis / ibs-c so I tried taking Linzess for 10 days. Each day my weight went up another 1/2 pound, my abdomen became more and more swollen and my blood pressure skyrocketed. Been off of it for 2 days now and my BP is still 165/88 (usual for me is 125/70). Resting heart rate is still up 15 points and I am completely swollen with fluid from my head to my feet. Gained 6 pounds of fluid since I have been on it. It only worked on the 1st day and did not work after that. Milk of Magnesia works much better than this drug and is a lot less expensive.”

“I could go 9 to 12 days not having a bowel movement. I stayed very sick. I even got to where I only ate very little food. Bloating was very severe. I have pants from size 4 -7 depending on the day. Then my Dr. prescribed Linzess. I have been on Linzess for 3 yrs. I had no side effects but diarrhea. But I don't even care. It's a blessing. I must take every day or I still will not have a movement. I will take this miracle pill the rest of my life! Cost is high but you can get cheaper with a card through the makers.”

“I have been on Linzess 290 for 5 months now. It is a miracle pill. I take it first thing when I get up in the morning and wait to eat until after I get to the office. It seems that as soon as food or drink goes in, yesterday's junk comes out. If you know you are not going to be near a restroom (i.e. going to the beach, park, etc.) then skip the pill that day. I'm sure that's not recommended but it gives you some control over your body at least. Everything goes back to normal when you take the pill again the next day.”

“Linzess has been my best friend for a year . After spending thirty years with painful stomach aches, I feel like I have been given a new life! I take one 290 capsule in the morning , usually run to bathroom a few times with no pain. No pain. No lying in bed all day feeling exhausted. No worrying about going to work, shopping, wondering if I will be able to make appointments without cancelling. No more staying in the bathroom all day. I tried hundreds of things, and Linzess came through for me and my family. Forever grateful.”

“I have been dealing with severe constipation from IBS-C which is exacerbated by a medication I have to take for over a decade. I have tried literally every lifestyle, diet, supplements, and OTC laxative you can think of. Linzess has been absolutely life changing for me. I take it 30 mins before breakfast. Most days I have a completely normal BM within 2 hours of eating. If I don’t I always have one that day, just after lunch or dinner instead. I have not experienced any diarrhea. I have experienced mild bloating and occasionally cramping but it pales in comparison to the symptoms associated with my severe constipation. Honestly, I have cried multiple times from sheer relief and joy to find something that worked. I should have listened to my GI doctor and tried it sooner. If you’re nervous about trying it because of side effects, I highly recommend you at least try it. I’m on the 145mg dose, but I also only weigh 115 lbs.”

“Have suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Constipation for many years. Have been taking Linzess for 2 months now. I take it every morning 30-60 minutes before I eat, and it works wonderfully! I no longer have to deal the that bloated feeling and belly pain I would feel throughout the day. I also feel that I completely get my stools out, no longer deal with straining on the toilet. Having a bowel motion is now very easy for me and I no longer have to deal with these issues on a regular basis. You do have to take it every day and not skip a dose. You might get loose stools on the first couple of doses when you start Linzess, wasn't a big deal and went away after the first few days. Probably "loosening" my stools up so I would no longer be constipated.”

“I will never take this again! It works alright. Starts out as regular bm and then goes into diarrhea. Having diarrhea is one thing but when it gives you no warning and just starts flowing out, that's other. I've tried this for a few weeks; some days weren't too bad but the last time I took it at 5:30 a.m. and after about a half hour, it started to work. It was a nightmare. Though I was home I couldn't even make it to the bathroom. Later at about 9:30 thought it was ok and went to aerobics class and luckily I had a pad on as it started again. This med is too too harsh.”

“I have been taking Linzess for at least 5 years. I started on 145mg and it worked fine for a short period. I was then moved to 290mg and had the same outcome. My case is not a typical one. I have lots of motility issues, MANY foods I can’t eat, and EXTEME IBS-C. I now have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction as well. I started taking 290mg of Linzess along with 10mL of Lactulose in the morning. The 2 together work very well!! I now have to take 30mL of Lactulose but I can count on everything working out just fine within an hour and a half after taking them 95% of the time.”

“I am 37 year old female who has been suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome-C for almost a year now. I went from having a bowel movement every 5 to 7 days to having one daily on this medication. I've been taking it for a month now and it started working right away. I do not have to run to the bathroom like some users have mentioned. You take it in the morning and about 30 to 60 minutes later it creates a movement. It has been so wonderful to feel "normal" again. However, the two draw backs I have noticed are, one, it doesn't really help with bloating (which is probably my main complaint), and the cost is an issue. I have three months of free samples then the cost is right around $200 a month.”

“One dose made me sick enough that I would never take another. It started working within 30 minutes had over 20 trips to bathroom which is what its intended to do. 5 hours into it I was still going nonstop and it was clear. I couldn't retain fluid became dehydrated and then came the projectile vomit. My legs were heavy, I was shivering, had to go to ER”