Lubiprostone and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 2)

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• Irm...
• September 14, 2011

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "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."

• Ang...
• May 16, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• Anonymous
• February 23, 2011

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "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."

• coa...
• May 11, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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!"

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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!"

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

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "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."

• Lil...
• September 26, 2015

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "My doctor put me on the 24s twice a day with a meal. Despite always taking it correctly, it always gives me unbearable nausea and occasionally diarrhea. For me personally, the side effects make this medication very unbearable. However, I gave it a decent rating because it certainly gets things moving along. The first day I took it, I passed stool 5 times, which seemed excessive. Overall, it's up to you to decide if you feel better or worse after taking it."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2012

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "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."

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2009

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have had very severe chronic constipation for over two years that has just seemed to get worse and worse over time. I've tried Amitiza on a few occasions over the last couple of years, and each time has been an awful experience. It works, but it takes about 3 days, and those 3 days are unbearable. Horrible gas and bloating, headaches, cramps, nausea, not to mention the pain in my back and sides from the severe bloating. I gave a friend some of my samples, and it worked wonders for her, she had none of those side effects. Everyone is different, it's always worth a try."

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2016

For Opioid-Induced Constipation "I have opiate-induced constipation from narcotic pain killers. My doctor gave me samples of Manitoba, and it worked great. I didn't have any side effects other than cramping, which is to be expected with any laxative. It worked within 2 hours and continued to work throughout the rest of the day. I would definitely recommend taking this on a day you have nothing to do. It causes a little gas and stomach cramps that feel like you're gonna have diarrhea. But it definitely does the job. I also had a little nausea after taking it, but it was worth it. Especially if you have been dealing with chronic constipation for a while. Anything is better than the constant bloating and pain associated with constipation."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2012

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I've suffered from constipation for about 10 years now. I would use a laxative once or twice a week. Tired of laxatives, so the doctor prescribed Amitiza. The first 2 days, I suffered from severe nausea and had to lay in bed for an hour or so until it passed. Then I had extreme diarrhea that lasted the whole day. So far, it seems that I'm only experiencing light nausea with the first dose, which seems to subside when I fill my stomach with food. It has been a full week now that I've been taking it and have yet to have a full bowel movement. I have constant gas and pains. I feel like I have to have a movement, but when I go to the bathroom, I find I still have to strain and nothing really comes out."

• Jad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2017

For Opioid-Induced Constipation "My gastroenterologist prescribed Amitiza to help with constipation caused by a medication I am taking. I took one capsule (24 mcg) daily for five days, then began taking two (48 mcg) daily (too big a dose?). The medication worked wonderfully to help relieve the constipation, but the side effects I am experiencing may cause me to stop taking it. I am having headaches, runny nose, fatigue, overall 'bad' feeling, muscle pain, chills, nausea, and a sensation of almost passing out. I consider these side effects pretty drastic. It's possible they will go away or minimize if I continue to take the capsules, but I'm not sure I'm willing to risk it."

• Anonymous
• September 20, 2012

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I started taking Amitiza a month ago. I am on the 24 mg. It works sometimes, but I am experiencing side effects that I didn't think resulted from this medication until I read some of the reviews. I have trouble taking in breaths, coughing, severe headaches, nausea, but most of all, bloating and gas. Before the medication, while being constipated, I could still button up my pants. Now that I've started the medicine, it's a struggle due to bloating."

• Anonymous
• March 14, 2008

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "A person has to decide if it is worth the less serious side effects of nausea and headache, and I have to say that it is. It is brief and, therefore, I feel that the alternative is much worse. It has only been a full week, and I am hoping these less serious side effects will subside eventually when I get used to taking it on a regular basis."

• Nee...
• December 28, 2014

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I took 24 mcg of Amitiza for 6 days, twice a day. I got a pretty bad reaction from this. I had dry mouth, lightheadedness, my face was always warm, stomach aches, loss of appetite, severe anxiety, and nausea. I've come to the conclusion that the 24 mcg twice a day was far too much for my body. I weigh 117 pounds, and I don't think my body could handle that amount. If anyone is experiencing these side effects, don't take it, make another appointment with your doctor to see if the dosage is too much. Also, if you have had a loss of appetite like myself, make sure to get enough sugar in your system, I had a hypoglycemic attack. Drink ginger ale, or eat if you can."

• aer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2012

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been on this for about a week. First few days, was amazed. Before this medicine, I would do enemas every week or so due to pain, etc. The day after I took this medicine, I went three times, once after every meal. Wow! Same for the next few days. Side effects: majorly tired, headaches that develop into migraines by the end of the day, weird feeling in chest and throat, breathing funny (like a bad cold), and VERY nauseated until I have a movement. Also, the last few days, only having a movement every other day. So don't know what is going on. Need to try increasing the water and see how that goes. Don't know if normal bowel movements are worth all this, plus, it seems to not work as well as it did a few days ago."

• tif...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2012

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I take the 24 mg twice a day after having severe constipation post-chemo and multiple abdominal surgeries. It takes a couple of days for it to cause a movement, but when it does, it's unbelievable how much it works! I have felt the nausea and headaches, but didn't realize it was caused by the Amitiza. I'm so thankful to have this medicine!"

• Ano...
• December 2, 2017

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I've recently started taking Amitiza 24 mcg twice daily for chronic constipation. I wasn't having any luck with OTC remedies. It took me 3 days to finally start having things move. I did experience slight nausea after taking each dose. Tolerable, though. Hopefully, as the next few days come and go, things move along much better."

• Sue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2019

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "The first night, I was sick as a dog. Felt like the flu. I even woke up to find I had an accident in bed. Very disturbing. Then couldn’t go for a few days, had a very small bowel movement, then went several days without. Had constant stomach cramps, bloating, total unease, and feeling ill. Had to take Miralax just to produce a small bowel movement to get relief. After almost 2 weeks and almost ending up back in the hospital for hypomotility and gastroparesis, I decided it was time to stop. I really had very little relief but a lot of nausea, cramps, and uncomfortable flu-like sickness."

• Brn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I've had chronic constipation all my life, and I am in my 60s now. I have tried it all! I've practically lived on taking enemas every 4 to 5 days, which worked most of the time. I haven't had a 'normal' BM on my own in over 5 years. It just sits there and won't come out. I was prescribed 24 mg Amitiza a month ago. I took one at 8 a.m. I had a great BM at 10 a.m. It only took 2 hours to work! But it was not formed. It was almost like slight diarrhea. It felt like such a big relief to get all of that toxic poison out! The drawback, I had a lot of nausea all day and bouts of diarrhea 3 or 4 times later. I also felt bloated for a couple of hours, which was a bit uncomfortable. So at this point, I'm a little nervous to take another one."

• Mar...
• October 18, 2016

For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation "I have been taking Amitiza for about a week and having a very limited BM every 3 days. I get terribly nauseated in about 20 minutes after taking it, and last evening after dinner, I became sick and vomited. My stomach is so bloated and hurts from the extreme pressure. I took the Linzess, and at first, it worked, and after a month, it stopped. I am not going to take this med tonight. I was taking 8 mcg 2x a day with meals. I might go back to Linzess and take it with Miralax to see if that would work."

• Ean...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "After Linzess quit working for me, my GI prescribed me Amitiza. The first few weeks of taking it twice daily with food were pretty rough with the unbearable side effects. I was unable to work after taking the medication due to the overwhelming fatigue and nausea. It even got to the point where I would have to vomit after taking the medication to get rid of the side effects. But after experimenting with how often and when I take the medication, the side effects became bearable. I now take the Amitiza once daily on an empty stomach, which helps with the nausea, but the fatigue that subsides within 2 or so hours is still there. In my opinion, I'd rather deal with the fatigue than not having a bowel movement. I do recommend!!"

• Anonymous
• April 21, 2011

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation "I have lived for years and years with an issue that no one would identify as irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. I was always told to eat better and drink plenty of water. When it was figured out what I had, that doctor suggested stool softeners and drink plenty of water. Then a sweet little physician's assistant prescribed Amitiza. This medicine works great even with the minimal side effects it creates. I experienced a little nausea, some lightheaded times, but all in all, it is worth all this to finally be 'regular.' Before it was suggested I take this, I had read about it and several of the comments listed here. Thanks."