Lubiprostone for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation User Reviews (Page 2)

• gig...
• May 13, 2015

"I have been taking this medicine, 24 mcg once a day for a week now. Nothing has happened yet. I drink 1 to 2 quarts of water a day, on the FODMAP diet, eat tofu, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables. Also eat a lot of chicken. I have had no luck so far. I have left 3 messages with my doctor's nurse and no callbacks yet. I feel bloated, full of gas, and feel miserable. So I am stuck taking laxatives, Epsom salt enemas, or citrate mag (awful tasting stuff ever), then feeling sick all the next day with an upset tummy and sitting on the throne off and on all day. I clean myself out about every 3 to 4 days because I feel miserable and sluggish, and it starts all over again after cleaning myself out. I have had this IBS-C for about 20 years now. It ruins my life!"

• 123...
• August 15, 2010

"I have been constipated for the past 8 months following an injury that left me with two broken vertebrae. Nothing seemed to help. Went to GI and they ordered a scope. Started me on Amitiza. I had been taking Miralax and Ducolax as well as the occasional stimulant laxative. The day I started on Amitiza I destroyed my bathroom. Very few side effects. I take the 8mg dose. People that complain of bad side effects are probably taking the higher dose. It's literally like the scene from 300 where the Spartan kicks the Persian in the chest and he falls down the well. It's like Amitiza is doing that but in my colon."

• T4a...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2015

"Amitiza is GREAT! My constipation began 11 years ago at the age of 20, which caused me to deal with very bad fissures. I hated going to the bathroom. I would be in the bathroom for literally an hour to an hour and a half, mentally trying to prepare myself for what would occur. I began taking laxatives every other day just to get some relief, but yet I still had unhealed fissures. When I finally was prescribed Amitiza, I was scared to go to the bathroom as I mentally had to prepare myself, and to my surprise, it didn't hurt and I felt normal. I wanted to cry. I wasn't in pain. I still tend to feel slight nausea for a little while, though I eat with the meds and drink plenty of fluids, but I will take that over constipation and pain."

• det...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2013

"The first round of 8 mcg twice daily produced a bowel movement the next day, but further use has not helped. I will increase the dosage to 16 mcg, in hopes it will work once again. From other comments, there seems to be quite a bit of leeway in dosing and in combining with other things to alleviate chronic constipation. I experienced no side effects from the 8 mcg twice daily."

• Anonymous
• October 22, 2008

"I noticed in the previous reviews that nausea and headache are a problem. I had those too when I first started using Amitiza, but I have learned that you MUST take it with a FULL meal and drink lots of water, and both side effects won't happen. I love the results!"

• Mim...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 1, 2018

"I used this drug for chronic constipation for years with good results, stopping after I retired and didn't seem to need it anymore. More recently, I have needed it, and it still works for the most part. You do need to drink a full glass of water with it, per instructions, though a 'glass' can be as little as 6 or 8 ounces. If you don't take it with a meal, take it with a big spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter, or you will likely have nausea. That is the one side effect I have noticed, but I like peanut/almond butter anyway, so it's not a problem. I'm sad that my insurance is going to make me 'try' Linzess now instead of Amitiza; I'm a bit leery of that product after reading the reviews."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 14, 2021

"I am 21 years old, and I have struggled with chronic idiopathic constipation my entire life. I was prescribed 24 mcg of Amitiza and took it for a year and a half. Overall, I had a positive experience with it, and I recommend it to other people. The first two weeks I was on it, I experienced some intense nausea, but that subsided after my body adjusted. Just make sure you take it with a full meal. I also suggest making sure you are consuming enough water throughout the day. Amitiza worked very well for me in the beginning, but throughout my time, I needed to ensure I was drinking enough water in order for it to work properly. The only reason I am switching to Linzess is that my insurance no longer covers Amitiza. Hope my experience helps someone out there!"

• Owe...
• May 30, 2017

"Incredible experience. I started having chronic constipation shortly after joining the military. I had intense constipation all the time and was completely dependent on laxatives. After one year, I had a colonoscopy to see what the problem was, but there was nothing. I've met with a dietitian, made a food log, tried tons of fiber, and supplements, but nothing worked. After one more year, Miralax stopped working, and I was prescribed Amitiza. Amitiza immediately made me regular, I've only taken four pills total, after three weeks, and I've been the most regular ever in two years. Only fault is it makes me nauseous for a couple of hours. I wish I had this years ago!"

• Jen...
• May 7, 2010

"I was nervous taking this after reading the reviews, but this medicine has been great! I first started out taking the 8 mg twice a day, and was using the bathroom every third day. I moved up to the 24 mg twice a day, and I actually use the bathroom once a day. The first time I took it, I did have stomach cramping during the night, but that just lasted for one night. I have had no side effects whatsoever. My stool is actually what it is supposed to look like and I feel great. I used to be on Zelnorm and I miss that so much, but this medicine seems to do its trick. Hopefully, this one will stay on the market. Don't be afraid of trying this at all after reading some other reviews."

• mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2013

"I have been on laxatives forever. Specifically, Perdiem. I take 3 Perdiem and 1 Amitiza at bedtime and go every morning. The Perdiem (similar to Senokot) was starting to not work as well after 25 years, and once I added the Amitiza, all is well. I am trying to cut back on the laxative now. My doc wants me to take Linzess, but I'm reading how many people are gaining weight. My only complaint with Amitiza is the gas, so I am reluctant to take it in the morning."

• Bun...
• June 23, 2017

"In the first week I took Amitiza, I thought it was going to be a miracle answer to my chronic constipation. But I had a side effect of severe headaches almost every day... and sometimes all day long. Since I already have migraines, I blamed it on them getting worse... even though the symptoms were different. First, the headache would start, and within 5-10 minutes, a gush of uncontrollable diarrhea. I kept blaming it all on migraines and seeking treatment for them. Finally, because of the expense of this one medication and having to take so many more, I had to stop taking Amitiza. Within just a few days, the headaches with diarrhea stopped. This is an excellent product if you don't have the side effects."

• Cos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2012

"If you suffer with occasional constipation like me and you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, then this is a great medication. It is very safe with very little side effects that most women will already go through, like headaches, random nausea, and dizziness. I take this medication 2-3 pills twice a day, and I feel so much better being on this medication. It isn't normal to go a day or two or three or even a week, like what used to happen to me, without having a bowel movement. This medication will help you release all that waste you need to. It works great for me. IBS is not a fun condition, but I guess it's just for all of us lucky people to struggle with and experiment trial and error. Give Amitiza a try, it really works. Good luck!"

• Nur...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 5, 2017

"I've been on Amitiza for about a year, and while it works, it doesn't work as well as I'd like it to. I tried the 24 mcg dose at first, but it was way too strong, it definitely makes you run to the bathroom all day. I then switched to the 8 mcg capsules twice a day. If I take them on an empty stomach, I get really nauseated, so I usually take them with a meal. I still had to use Miralax and fiber along with the Amitiza to ensure I stayed regular. Sometimes, with all of this, I still got constipated, so I would take a 24 mcg dosage and deal with the aftermath. When I did have a BM with Amitiza, it wasn't a 'complete' one. It would make me poop out water, but it felt like the bulk of the stool was still left inside. I stopped taking it."

• Aut...
• December 17, 2019

"I started taking Amitiza when I was around 16-17. I was on it for about 2 years. I had tried a lot of drugs before my pediatric doctor finally landed on this one. My family and I were hesitant to try it because of how expensive it was, but we felt like we were out of options. It was the first med that actually worked other than stimulant laxatives. I remained on the highest dose of Amitiza during my time on it. I had no side effects. I eventually stopped taking it because the medicine began to stop working. It was basically a gradual decline of efficiency near the end. I don't regret taking it even though it stopped working. I switched to Linzess and it's working just as well. If Linzess stops working, my plan is to switch back to Amitiza and see if it'll work again. If you're considering trying Amitiza, I would. Just make sure you try it on your day off if you're worried about side effects."

• Qua...
• January 6, 2013

"45-year-old female with a diagnosis of chronic constipation due to long-term use of meds, to include opioids for pain management. Also, diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome around 8 years ago. When I'm taking this medicine, usually 2-3 times per day, I'm regular with a bowel movement of one to two times a day, depending on my diet and food intake (I eat very little on most days). Whenever I'm not taking this medication, I'm lucky if I'm able to go once over a 3-4 day time frame, even with laxatives, stool softeners, and my daily dose of lactulose syrup. I took Zelnorm about 8 years ago, until it went off the market, but Amitiza works much better. I asked my doctor to prescribe it after seeing a commercial for it. I've done well with it, only side effect: flatulence."

• Ang...
• May 16, 2017

"I have been using Amitiza for a week. You need to take this literally with food. If you have eaten, let's say, an hour before, do not take it. It will cause you severe, painful stomach-type nausea. I feel after taking this. It causes me some type of stomach cramps. Not severely painful that will cause you to curl up in a fetal position, but uncomfortable enough that you know it's there, the weird feeling in your stomach area. I have called my doctor to see if it's even worth one more week to try despite the side effects. I have not seen any improvement in my bowel movement."

• coa...
• May 11, 2017

"55 yr old female, chronic constipation my whole life. I have tried everything, OTC to Linzess, which did nothing. I am thin, exercise, high fiber, flax, Metamucil, probiotic, and nothing. I go 4-5 days, then take 3 Dulcolax, magnesium citrate, and pray. Now that doesn't work. Colonoscopy ruled out anything 'serious.' Prescribed 24 mcg Amitiza. Ate breakfast, took the pill, and within an hour, I was SO SICK. I had explosive diarrhea, felt faint, nauseous, cold chills, and sweating. Laying on my bathroom floor, going back and forth to the toilet, thought I would throw up too. But I went! I did not take it again because of the side effects. Doc gave me 8 mcg. I'm scared to take it. It's awful that I would even think of taking it again just to go to the bathroom."

• Ms...
• September 19, 2011

"I've been chronically constipated since I was 5 (I'm in my early 20s now). I always went to doctors, who kept saying over and over, 'fiber and water.' Prune juice and normal laxatives (not stimulant laxatives) would have little to no effect on me. Amitiza makes me feel normal, and for the first time I can ever remember, I don't dread when I have to do a bowel movement. It's painless! I've solved this taboo problem that I have suffered with for my entire life! It's a great feeling to have relief now. I do get nausea and a headache if I take it without a moderate-sized meal. I also get cramps and explosive diarrhea if I take it and then eat a lot of dairy, like a milkshake (I'm not lactose intolerant though). Despite this, I love this medicine!"

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2016

"Well, I started this medicine on Monday, and it's Thursday, and I am extremely sick. My stomach is killing me. I sit on the toilet because I feel like I am going to go to the bathroom, but nothing ever comes out. I have severe abdominal cramping and cold chills that make it even worse. My chest feels tight, and I am so uncomfortable and grouchy because of the pain. This is awful. I would not recommend it because I was so excited about being able to go to the bathroom and be normal, but this has not worked. I am not taking any more of this medication when it is supposed to help with chronic idiopathic constipation and IBS, and it's made it worse! So upset I could scream..."

• Tum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2019

"Oh my, no, no, no! Avoid this. I took one 24 mg pill with food. 30 mins later, I felt lightheaded and drenched in sweat. Vomited all over the floor. Couldn’t even make it to the bathroom, and more vomit hit. Then the horrible, loose stool started. So loose you can’t get off the toilet or you’ll have a mess. Finally took a Zofran to ease the vomiting. I feel so much worse. Not worth it! Avoid this med. I feel like death."

• Ret...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2018

"Have suffered from chronic constipation for many years. 'Specialists' may label it 'idiopathic,' which sounds technical, but really means 'I don't know why, either, so just take this pill, or this other pill,' etc. (So why not do more research, instead of just prescribing different pills????) Was prescribed low-dose Amitiza, and the side effects were absolutely awful!!!! Spent the night in the bathroom! Incredible pain, cramps, bloating, nausea all night! And no BM! Eventually had a very painful BM at 4:00 A.M., which left me with an inflamed, painful, distended GI system. My doctor says that I should 'try Amitiza AGAIN'??? Really?! This is insane and unacceptable; and hopefully, in spite of this terrible experience, I think I am still sane! Will keep looking for something that does not include torture as a side effect! God bless!"

• PAT...
• May 2, 2008

"I just began taking Amitiza and had immediate results. I've struggled with this condition all of my life. No side effects except I feel a bit tired. If that's all I have to deal with, that's fine with me. The alternative is much worse."

• Eve...
• August 15, 2009

"I have had chronic back pain for years, taking pain pills and was always constipated. I was miserable. My doctor prescribed Amitiza, and I have had excellent results. No more straining and trying one laxative after another. Absolutely no side effects. What a great medicine!"

• mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2018

"For the past 2 years, I've been struggling with constipation since going through chemo. I finally got referred to see a gastroenterologist. He put me on a low dose: 8 mg twice a day, and I can say for me personally, I feel like a normal person again!! This is the best medication, no side effects so far other than having to go to the bathroom a few times a day. I've tried drinking more water, having more fiber, other laxatives, and even Linzess, which was a no after the first pill. Not having the bloat feeling and feeling like you have to struggle to go to the bathroom is the worst."

• cbn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2013

"Amitiza works pretty well. I do still have to take Milk of Magnesia and mineral oil to feel completely emptied out. The severe nausea and headaches are very bothersome, and sometimes they are worse than others. The side effects do go away once you have a bowel movement."