Linaclotide and Gas: What Users Say (Page 2)

• All...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "This medication is definitely not for everyone. Be careful when you take it for the first few times and make sure you are close to a restroom! I have struggled with constipation my whole life and my doctor finally gave me Linzess to try. About 2-3 hours after taking the medication, I have at least 2 BMs that are diarrhea. And the gas it creates is horrible for me and everyone around me. I have been taking this medication for one week, and I can't even continue to see if it will subside because it is just too terrible. To the point that I am scared I will have an 'accident' at work. My point to others is - beware."

• Peg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "Took the 290 mg dose, and in less than an hour had severe cramping and bloating! Passed a lot of foul-smelling gas, and about an hour later had explosive watery diarrhea! I will not recommend this drug, although it helped with the impaction quickly, the smell is awful, and the cramping and diarrhea is not worth it unless it’s a last resort! Try lactose medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, which works much better with fewer side effects."

• Nur...
• January 7, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I've tried this medicine three times. The first and second time had no response. The third time I had major gas, bloating, diarrhea, chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, and anxiety, major fatigue so bad I could not function. I took myself off this and felt better. Never again. I also gained water weight, I have no diabetes or thyroid issues. I couldn't even eat, I would bloat so bad, so why the weight gain in five days? I'll go back to Miralax. I have IBS-C. Wish they would bring Zelnorm back, it was the only thing that worked with no side effects."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "My experience with this medication has been absolutely horrible! I have been taking it for 2 months. I have severe bloating, gas, and bad diarrhea. Can't even leave my home. My doctor told me to cut back to one pill every other day, and it's like it has completely stopped working. I have bad pain and nothing coming out! I have had IBS-C for 14 years, and I just wish they could come up with something that works and that's not so harsh on your bowels! It's absolutely terrible!"

• Woo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2018

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "Extremely bad, abdominal pain, same with gas, distention, an awful medication for me. Tried 2 different strengths, and I won't take it again. Just an incredibly dreadful experience with this medication."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 21, 2024

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have had chronic constipation for most of my life. I have gone as long as four weeks without a bowel movement. I have tried every laxative on the market with no success. My body is even resistant to the colonoscopy prep. Three doctors have tried to put me on Linzess and the insurance wouldn't cover it. This week I had a failed colonoscopy, the insurance finally approved the medication! I have been on the 290 Linzess for two days now. A lot of tummy rumbling, gas, and bloating, but no bowel movement yet. I am taking it on an empty stomach and waiting the prescribed 30 minutes, also drinking a lot. After reading these reviews, I am staying positive about success!"

• Mon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I took this from January to May. I started on the 145 dosage, but I had to go up to the 290 mg after a month when the lower dose stopped working. I was pleased with this medicine's ability to correct my chronic constipation. I was more gassy and sometimes had loose stools, but overall I felt a lot better. One problem I had with it was the extreme dehydration it caused; I suffered from super dry skin and 'shredded coconut lips' the length of my usage. It was incredibly frustrating to drink 100 oz of water each day and still be dehydrated! The worst effect of this drug was the nerve pain it caused. Beginning in April, my right arm started going numb, tingly, and had traveling pain up and down it. After $3,500 of tests, I connected it to Linzess."

• rmu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2024

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "It’s working great for me so far! I take the 72 mg dose in the morning with a glass of water about 30 minutes before eating, then I have a good BM about 1 hour later. Sometimes I have a small looser BM about an hour after that, but luckily never any urgency so far. I have not noticed any new flatulence, bloating, or cramping. It is likely best to be near a toilet until you know how it affects you. Linzess is working better than osmotic laxatives ever did for me."

• YMB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have tried taking it at night and in the morning on an empty stomach. Was very hopeful after reading reviews... no such luck. Nothing happened. It was like I wasn't taking anything. Maybe I should keep taking it, as after a week I quit. I wish they would bring Zelnorm back, it was perfect, worked like a dream! Now trying Amitiza, still nothing... resorting back to Miralax (which gives me gas) and Milk of Magnesia sometimes along with Dulcolax, and you have to stay home. Very frustrated."

• bmo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2018

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I took Linzess for the first time a couple of hours ago. I didn’t know a single medicine could hit me this hard. It feels like I’m having a horrible IBS episode, I’m in ridiculous pain. Bloated, gassy... oh, and I am still constipated. I cannot take this medicine again, not if it causes this much pain each time."

• fae...
• March 9, 2017

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have been taking Linzess 290 mg for over 3 months now. In the beginning, I had a few experiences of diarrhea, but not so much now. What I cannot take is the stomach pain, gas, and bloating, which has gotten worse over time. I stopped taking the drug for a few days to determine if these symptoms were from the drug, and they were. The stomach pain came right back today when I took a dose. While it does help with the constipation, it is not worth the other side effects. Back to magnesium capsules I go."

• Flo...
• October 9, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I rated Linzess a 9 because it works, but it is still a drug, with unknown long-term effects. I have decided to take that risk for quality-of-life reasons. I have been on it for 18 months (145 mg once a day), and it works very well for me. I got headaches at first, but that subsided. I gained 5 pounds, but that may be due to other factors. I used to take Aloe 450 capsules twice a day - don't do it. That resulted in the worst case of melanosis coli my gastroenterologist has ever seen; time will tell if it is reversible. I had severe constipation and crippling gas pain for 30 years before the diagnosis of IBS. With Linzess, I have normal BMs 80% of the time (diarrhea 10% and constipation the other 10%). Gas pains are rare (usually when stressed)."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2015

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "After six years of such extreme constipation that I was going maybe once a week, sometimes once every two weeks. Bloating to where it looked like I had a basketball under my shirt and such extreme gas I don't even want to go into it. And this was every day for six years. Every day. I'm scared to eat anything, absolutely anything. Then, after numerous doctor's visits and numerous doctors, I was given Linzess samples. For a month and a half, my life was completely changed, almost normal even. Then the samples ran out. I went to fill the prescription, it cost $500 a month! Even after the discount, I was in the $300 range after my deductible was met. I can't even remotely afford this. I'm devastated that I can afford this medication. Devastated!"

• Mel...
• June 3, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been on the medication for the last 7 days for chronic constipation and gastrointestinal pain. It has produced daily bowel movements in the form of diarrhea or very loose stools. However, it has also resulted in unbearable abdominal and intestinal pain, nausea, gas, distention, bloating, inability to eat, intestinal gurgling, and intestinal spasms that last 12 full hours after taking this medication. I was so hopeful that this would be effective, and it has produced daily stools (diarrhea and loose stools) but at the compromise of feeling 10 times worse than I have felt not having any bowel movements or minimal bowel movements before taking this medication."

• Esi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 9, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "This medicine only worked in the beginning. In the beginning, it made me go like two to three times a week. My doc increased the dosage to 290 mg, and I am miserable! With the 290 mg, I am completely unable to go and extremely bloated and gassy. I look pregnant! It is so depressing not being able to go."

• Myr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have suffered from constipation and IBS for over 40 years. The drug works great, no gas, no cramping. I still have occasional problems and occasional diarrhea. I will soon find out if it works as well when I travel -- which has been terrible in the past. If it works when I travel, it will be a miracle! The price, however, is shocking, and so in order to buy it at all, I have to order it from Canada."

• Sja...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "So I took one yesterday and nothing happened. Took one today around 4ish. Around 6 pm I started to have severe gas and bloating. My stomach has been bubbling since 6 pm, it is now 1 am, and I have been having explosive diarrhea since 7 pm. Just want to go to sleep on the toilet. My butt is raw now, and my stomach is bubbling now as I type. I counted seven trips to the bathroom. Good luck to anyone who takes this."

• TRL...
• February 20, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been constipated my whole life. Dr. put me on Linzess, the lowest 72 mcg. Said if it doesn't work, increase it to 145 mcg. I took it for nearly 2 weeks, all it did was give me gas, bad stomach cramps. I didn't go to the bathroom for several days, I also took stool softeners, nothing. I stopped taking it. I took milk of mag the next morning and it worked. I called the Dr., and the nurse said he can increase to 290 mg - no thank you. I guess they don't hear you when you tell them it doesn't work."

• See...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 30, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "Dr. prescription for IBS a couple of years ago, it worked well at first, then it lost effectiveness. I recently tried again and got diarrhea and bad gas pains and not able to leave the house. Not doing that again."

• Jen...
• January 13, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have experienced chronic constipation since I was diagnosed with systemic lupus 15 years ago. I have tried nearly every over-the-counter remedy with only short-term relief. I have been on 185 mg Linzess for a month and am happy when it actually works. Maybe it is too soon to decide if it is a great drug to relieve my constipation, but so far, it only stimulates a bowel movement 2-3 days/week; most often within 2 hours of taking the drug on an empty stomach. The other days, I am bloated, constipated, and full of gas."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2015

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I was excited to try something new. I took this med as directed, half an hour before eating in the morning. Within a half hour, I had liquid bowels. Some days it would be once or twice, other times, all morning. I would become dehydrated. It also left me with more gas than I started with, so I decided to take a different route. My pharmacist recommended taking probiotics, and I went back to magnesium. I also drink a tea called Smooth Move. It has senna in it. This seemed to help."

• tob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "Diarrhea for 2 hours, stomach gurgling all day, urge to go but nothing, feels like gas brewing but nothing. May take tomorrow but don't know after that. Was having a bowel movement every day with Citrucel, but still had the urge to go, so the doctor thinks I'm not emptying. But I will have to say I don't really like this med."

• Mr ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2018

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been taking this drug for a couple of weeks, having been on the drug for 7 months previously before it stopped working. The bowel movements are good, considering I have chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). I am finding it hard managing the drug: one day good bowel movement, next day diarrhea. I also find it sends a lot of water to the anal area, which makes being at work very hard because you constantly feel uncomfortable! I would advise anyone to keep milk, bread, and potatoes to a minimum, or this drug will cause hideous bloating and wind."

• Rac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2017

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have IBS mixed. Alternating constipation and overflow diarrhea. My doctor gave me 145 mg of Linzess to take 30 minutes before dinner. Nothing but gas. Then she said to take it with dinner. Two hours later, I had diarrhea a few times the first week. Then I got terrible stomach cramps a few hours later. I would go, but it was hard to pass, and a lot. The next couple of days, I would have the same stomach pain, have hard stools, but then diarrhea right after. I was all over the place. I told my doctor, and she gave me 245 mg and 30 minutes before dinner. It's been a few days, and I think my body is still adjusting because I did have diarrhea. But I've had many normal bowel movements! I feel it coming after I eat or wake up and go like normal! No belly pain, bloating, or rumbling. I hope I am finally stabilized!"

• Ker...
• February 7, 2020

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I had a hysterectomy last week and hadn’t been able to use the restroom (constipated). I’m also on many medications that make me constipated. The doctor gave me the 72 mcg Linzess capsule, and it worked within two hours. It relieved the bloated feeling I had since my surgery. I wouldn’t take this long term though, as it does seem to cause diarrhea. It cleans you out very well. But I needed that. I liked it, as it did not cause cramps, gas, or stomach discomfort with other laxatives or things I’ve taken to relieve constipation."