Amitiza for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation User Reviews

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2013

"I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome-constipation and have tried everything out there. They either didn't work or had ridiculous side effects that outnumbered the advantages. Amitiza is the best medicine I have ever taken. I have very severe constipation and take 24mcg 2x/daily. I went from no bowel motions to going once every other day on average. Advice...take it with food. The only side effect I have is crazy nausea and a horrid headache if I take it on an empty stomach. Also, it is very expensive and can have a hefty co-pay. Amitiza has a website where you will get a free card to cover your co-pay. I went from $25 out of pocket to $0!"

• SPa...
• May 9, 2019

"After reading all of these negative reviews, I decided I need to give my 2 cents in. I have suffered with constipation and stomach aches my entire life, and recently it went from bad to worse, and I finally told my doctor that I needed to do something. He originally prescribed Linzess, but my insurance would only cover that after trying Amitiza. I have been taking Amitiza as a laxative for a week, and it is a miracle, it works so well! I take two MCG pills a day. I have found 1 at night after dinner and 1 in the morning after breakfast works great. I am having normal and complete movements for the first time in years (usually I have diarrhea from taking laxatives or rocks)... it was never normal or complete. I do get a little nauseated sometimes after I take Amitiza, but it does not compare to the nausea I get from other laxatives I have tried or being backed up. I have been drinking mint tea, and it really helps. This drug is a miracle."

• Ash...
• March 1, 2014

"I've had IBS-C for at least 2 years. In the last year, it has become increasingly worse, which resulted in me being diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction. Like most of you, I could barely go... nothing seemed to help: Miralax, Phillips, etc. I was resorting to using enemas a few times a week just to get some relief. Because of this, I was feeling tired all the time, moody, and having horrible headaches. It left me feeling awful. I recently started this medicine, and it has been a godsend. I went from never being able to go on my own to at least once a day. I take it with food and water. I read the reviews on here beforehand, so I made sure to follow what others said. The first day I took it, I felt a little nauseous, but haven't since."

• Lov...
• May 31, 2013

"I've been taking 8mcg Amitiza twice a day, for two months, to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Finally! A Dr. who actually listened to me and provided a solution instead of blaming me for the GI/bowel problems. (i.e., 'You need more fiber,' 'It's your nerves,' or 'It's caused by the NSAIDS you take.'). Almost 40 years of daily chronic painful bloating, constipation & pain under my left rib cage is almost gone, (I'm 50.) It did take a few weeks to adjust to it. By that, I mean: 1.) Discovering that taking Fiber Supplements with the prescription caused painful gas/bloating, 2.) Determining exactly how much food/drink to ingest with each dose, to avoid gas/bloating or a headache & 3.) Remembering to take it with a meal. I'd give it a 10 if there was 0 bloating and no headaches."

• lda...
• July 24, 2015

"I am a 30-year-old woman who has been suffering from IBS-C since before my teen years. This is the only pill that has ever worked for me. There have been times where I would go off the medication because it is rather pricey. And I can tell you, I regret it every time. My IBS-C is so bad to the point where I will go weeks without any relief. And then when I am able to go, I get ridiculously sick for hours prior to the BM. The stomach pains I feel are worse than labor pains, and I would know since I have been through childbirth. I only need to take one 8mcg tablet a day (with food, typically lunchtime) and I stay regular. If you are struggling with a disease like this, Amitiza is totally worth a shot! What do you have to lose?"

• Blo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 27, 2013

"I developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome-C and chronic constipation after a C-section. I now take Amitiza 24mcg 2x per day. I've been on it for about 10 months. It works fantastic. I can 'go' at least once a day now. Amitiza draws fluid from your body to increase bowel movement (I can actually hear it working) so it is important to drink a lot of water and eat before or immediately after. I've noticed that if I don't drink a lot of water, nausea will develop. In addition, IBS-C has caused me to change my diet and exercise. That helped a lot too. NOTE-- If the prescription costs a lot, even with insurance, Amitiza offers a discount card online."

• Ida...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 17, 2015

"Amitiza has saved my life... seriously. My problem was so bad that I was in danger of rupturing my colon. I ended up in the ER, and they could not help me, so they had to admit me. Needless to say, drinking a gallon of nasty stuff and the most embarrassing procedure of my life... I stayed up all night, and when they discharged me, the doctor gave me Amitiza to take 2 a day. I would recommend you start at 8 mg and see how that works. 24 for me took some getting adjusted to, so I took 1 a day, and if no bowel movement, then I took the 2nd. Right now, if I do not take 2 a day... I have problems... serious problems. But for me, Amitiza is $24 for 60, but I would pay $200 if that is what it took to NEVER go back to the ER with this problem."

• Ami...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2015

"This medication is great! A few years back, I had IBS with diarrhea, but it has since changed to IBS-C. It was so bad. I was always in stomach pain, always felt full, just felt terrible and super backed up. I'm a nurse, so I tried all the non-pharmacological remedies for constipation. So after reading all of the reviews, I made a GI appointment. Thank God I knew about Amitiza because my doctor tried to send me out the door with some pamphlets! Amitiza is a lifesaver. Just don't forget to take with meals so you don't feel nauseous."

• Jul...
• December 16, 2008

"I started taking Amitiza about 4 months ago. It has been a miracle worker for me. I have had IBS for over 20 years. I just turned 40 last week and decided I had to figure something out, the doctors just do not take me seriously. For the first 3 months, I took 2 pills a day. Then I switched to 1 in the morning and benefiber in the evening, and it's the same result. I go at least once a day, some days twice. I totally recommend it. It's better than what any doctor has ever done for me."

• Anonymous
• February 5, 2012

"I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 26. I am now 37. It has only been the last year and a half that my IBS decided to seriously kick in. I was going up to 7 days with no bowel movement, and when it did come, the only thing I can compare it to was labor pains. My insurance finally decided they would pay for the Amitiza. I have been on it just over a month now, and the results have been wonderful. I am more regular, the longest I go is 3 days but usually daily, and there is no pain associated with it. Thanks Amitiza, you have been a godsend to me."

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2010

"I have had a pain in my left lower abdomen for a month and a half now. I finally went to the doctor yesterday, and he told me it sounds like IBS. I have a GI appointment just to make sure. He gave me Amitiza to try until then. I was weary to try Amitiza because so many reviews talked of bad side effects. I ate a very full meal and took it last night. This morning, I had no pain for the first time in a month and a half. I felt it some during the day, but nothing like it has been. Definitely a miracle drug! I had little side effects, some nausea and a bit of feeling 'not all there.' But that was just a short time, and it all went away. I can definitely handle the side effects when it works so well. I hope this review helps."

• Atl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 27, 2017

"I started taking Amitiza 8 mcg twice a day about a year ago. At first, I didn't notice anything. I have really bad bloating issues due to slow motility in my large intestines. He then increased my dosage to 24 mcg twice a day, and that's when my bloating decreased. I'm able to eat foods I couldn't eat before. It does give me diarrhea badly at times, but it doesn't bother me. I would give it a 10, but I still feel like there is something in my low intestines. Like it's not completely moving everything out of me. If I don't take it for a few days, I do notice the bloating get worse. I definitely feel a whole lot better taking it than if I don't."

• Dt1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2017

"I'm a 25-year-old woman who has struggled with IBS-C for about 5 years now. I started off taking Linzess, but it was too strong and I would just have to run to the bathroom every 15 minutes for hours. So my doctor put me on the 8 mg dose of Amitiza, and my life has changed for the better. It still takes me an hour to go to the bathroom in the morning, but I'm not waiting to go anymore. The medication works. I take it before bed and 2 hours before I wake up to give it a chance to work in my body and then drink a glass or 2 of water to kickstart it when I get up. And I don't have to worry about constipation anymore. I've been on it for 4 months, and I love Amitiza."

• Irm...
• September 14, 2011

"For over twenty years, I've had issues with my stomach. Mainly constipation in spite of drinking plenty of water and a high-fiber diet. I've relied on eating five servings of fruits and three veggies a day and, of course, lots of liquids. I've been seen by lots of specialists until recently I was prescribed Amitiza 8 mg. I tried it for two weeks, then tried the 24 mg as instructed by my doctor and found that the lower dose works better. I'm able to defecate at least once a day now, but I have experienced headache, nausea, and slight dizziness. Overall, I do recommend it."

• Anonymous
• February 23, 2011

"I absolutely love this medication! The trick I have found is to take it right before bed, then you can avoid the upset stomach and nausea. I know it says to take with food, but I have been on this for over a year, and it has been working great for me."

• Kek...
• September 23, 2011

"In the beginning, I was very skeptical about taking this medicine because most of the reviews I read were negative. Now, I honestly love it. The first week was a little rough due to the shortness of breath as well as the gasiness. Then I realized almost every medicine has some type of side effect until your body gets used to it after a few days or so. By the second week, I was fine. Before taking Amitiza, I only had bowel movements every 4 or 5 days, and sometimes it would take a week, and I also had pains in my abdomen. But now I am going regularly, and I feel much better about it. The only negative I have is that my insurance won't cover Amitiza."

• IBS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2014

"I have tried Amitiza, and yes, it worked and got me to use the bathroom, but didn't do very much for my stomach pain. I did get some relief just from going. I also had to take way over the recommended dose to get anything significant."

• Tee...
• November 17, 2015

"I have had problems with IBS for several years. I was on Amitiza, and one of my physicians took me off it. I was off for 5 years, started having severe problems with my IBS again. My new doctor, a GI doctor, put me back on it, and it is a Godsend. I am back to regular again. I give this medicine a 10. I have no side effects, and I love it. Thank you."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2012

"I had tried everything for irritable bowel syndrome -- colonic treatments; stool softeners; magnesium; stimulant laxatives. The list is endless, but until I went on Amitiza, nothing worked well. I take the larger dosage at bedtime -- very mild nausea occasionally, but at least one bowel movement daily. This medication has literally been a life-saver."

• No...
• April 14, 2015

"I have been on Rx Miralax for years, due to a two-decade-long eating disorder. The Miralax works great, but for some reason, my GI wanted to put me on Linzess. He gave me samples, and insurance didn't cover it. They said I had to try Amitiza first. The Linzess didn't work (horrible bloating, cramps, no movement), and the Amitiza is almost worse. I had to call out of work today because of it. I was awake all night, up and down, kept getting sick. 14ish hours after taking the medicine, I'm having very small movements. Strongly debating calling the office and telling them I'm going back on Miralax, and that's it."

• INm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2013

"I have irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, as well as colon issues. My GI started me on Amitiza about 10 days ago. So far, it has been great. I do have some cramping a little after a pill, but not compared to the constipation cramping that I have had on and off for 15 years. I was lucky he gave me a sample pack good for a month, so now I just have to hope my insurance picks it up next month."

• Ano...
• October 14, 2009

"I used this medication. After the second pill, I began to feel an awful feeling in my stomach that worked itself all the way up to my throat. My tongue swelled, and I had to take a Benadryl to counteract this allergic reaction. Just wanted to alert others to this just in case it happens to them."

• Mar...
• August 30, 2015

"I tried the samples my dr sent me home with. It gave me some of the worst stomach aches of my life. And I didn't go to the bathroom any more than I normally do. I hated this medication, it made me feel much worse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2020

"This drug was my worst nightmare. It took about 3 to 4 weeks. I started out sad, but 1st let me add that usually I am the happiest person in the whole wide world, so I thought I would be OK. Big mistake. A few weeks into taking the medication, I started feeling like I was going crazy. Part of me wanted to slash someone's throat, and the other half of me was all glitter and rainbows! The doctor said that this could not happen, there was no way this medication would cause this reaction. So, I waited 6 months and tried it again, and sure enough, as soon as I started to feel sad and angry, I stopped this medication. I would not recommend."

• My...
• March 27, 2017

"Update: I told my doctor about all of this, and his worry was that my acid reflux was so severe that it was causing these symptoms. In conjunction with omeprazole and Amitiza, he added a bedtime Zantac. It's been a few days, and my condition has improved some. I'm not sure if this will solve it, but it's worth a try!"