Senna and Diarrhea: What Users Say

• Ran...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2020

Senna for Constipation "I was having constipation problems for a week, and my doctor told me to get Senokot-S. I took 2 before bedtime around 11 pm, and then at 8 am, when I woke up, I had diarrhea. He told me it would be normal, but for the next 3 hours, I kept going back to the bathroom with diarrhea. I write this with severe cramping, nausea, and dizziness still. I’ve never taken a laxative in my life, so maybe my stomach can’t handle them. I feel so nauseous and weak, I’m never taking this again. I will say that it worked as the whole week I couldn’t go to the bathroom, and I felt full, but today it felt clear, although I’m not sure how worth it it was with these side effects."

• NoN...
• September 21, 2015

Senna for Constipation "Took only one tablet (directions said to take 2) at 9 pm after being constipated and miserable for a week. Two hours later, I was doubled over with the most agonizingly painful stomach cramps I have ever experienced. Was on the toilet for 3 hours without any bowel movement, literally screaming from the pain. I honestly thought I was going to have to call 911. Finally, I had explosive diarrhea for the next hour. Slept on the bathroom floor and had intermittent diarrhea all night. I would rather be constipated for a month than go through that again. Second worst pain I've ever experienced (first worst was a second-degree sunburn on my feet and legs)."

• Exp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2016

Senna for Constipation "Traveling abroad and had three days of constipation. Normally, I'm a daily guy. Thought my system was holding onto something bad I ate, so I decided it needed a little help expelling big bad toxins. Senokot did just that and more! I took one dose at 9 pm. By 3 am, I was on the pot with explosive diarrhea. It's 6:30 am and I'm back on the pot writing this warning for others to heed. I have to travel at 9 am. I hope this ends soon, as taking Imodium is not ideal either. I probably should have drank prune juice instead."

• Cou...
• August 7, 2016

Senna for Constipation "Well. I took 4 tablets as directed before I went to bed. After around 12 hours, the tablets allowed me to use the bathroom as soon as I awoke in the afternoon. Insane diarrhea though, but I'm glad that it helped my constipation."

• Hwk...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2016

Senna for Constipation "Took two before bed after being advised to by my doctor, woke up feeling the same. After a few hours, needed to go, but nothing came out, went to work and felt my stomach churning and groaning. Got home, had my dinner, and now diarrhea. But not explosive or terrible! A tiny belly ache, but nothing bad. At least everything's moving!"

• Tru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2021

Senna for Constipation "Senokot is a disgusting medication. I don't even understand how it's even legal to sell this. Not only does it not get rid of constipation, it gives you more problems on top of it. Basically: gas, nausea, extreme dizziness (sometimes I feel disconnected from reality), extreme farting, diarrhea (yes, I have constipated diarrhea now, even I don't know how it works, basically, a bit of poo comes out like water around the solid bit of poo that stays inside and creates cramps, making the constipation even more unbearable). Never take this, I beg you."

• CZR...
• October 16, 2019

Senna for Constipation "I took 2 of these as recommended on the pack and got violent bursts of diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The most terrible experience of pain ever. Next time I took 1, and it didn’t work. So it seems 1 is too little and 2 is too much. Be careful!"

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 3, 2015

Senna for Constipation "I had a bit of constipation, and it was getting uncomfortable, so I decided to take 2 Senokot. I probably should not have taken 2, as the next day I couldn't keep off the toilet, and by the second day I had to take Imodium, which is the opposite, because I kept having diarrhea, and it seems to be making me feel really lightheaded. I drank lots of water. It definitely relieves constipation, but way too much! So if you are severely constipated, it's worth a go."

• Fee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2018

Senna for Constipation "This worked really well for me. I was completely constipated for two weeks, and had tried Milk of Magnesia and Dulcolax with no effect at all. My Dr. recommended Senokot, and I took 1 of the Extra Strength at bedtime. It took 12 hours for me, but then everything got moving with ease again. I didn’t have cramps, pain, or diarrhea. I would definitely use this again."

• Do...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2022

Senna for Constipation "That stuff ripped through my intestines and gave me diarrhea and chills for hours. It doesn't just relieve constipation, it gives you a colon cleansing. Would not recommend it unless you have a really strong stomach or really bad constipation. The box saying it's gentle is a lie."

• Rin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2022

Senna for Constipation "I had been suffering with constipation for about 4 days when my husband suggested taking Senokot, which worked for him. I took two tablets on the night of day 4, and on day 5-nothing happened... I took two tablets on the night of day 6. Nothing happened until about 8 am, and all hell broke loose. I've had the squirts for 24 hours with no sign of it stopping. Jesus, Mary, and the wee donkey, I'm certain my bowels are on fire. Pros: I'm no longer constipated, I've lost 3 lbs on the scales, I've learned how to sprint, haven't had to leave the house for fear of straying too far from a toilet. Cons: I haven't been able to put any faith in a fart in 24 hours, I've run out of Sudocrem for the ring sting, I'm like a shriveled-up prune, I'm afraid to take a pain reliever for the cramps in case they are the only warning shot before the onslaught of liquid fire from the depths of hell."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2021

For Constipation "This drug worked *incredibly* well for my constipation. Within 24 hours of taking it, I had basically cleared out my whole digestive system. The problem is it works *too well*. I had bad diarrhea and severe cramps for hours once it kicked in. 1 pill (half a dose) of Senna had me doubled over in pain and sprinting for the toilet for the better part of an afternoon. I'd much rather wait a bit longer for something like MiraLax to work, since that is always gentle and never causes any issues for me. Do not recommend."

• Tan...
• January 19, 2019

Senna for Constipation "This product works really well. I almost never get constipated, but I have quit smoking, and I was having this side effect. I had tried Dulcolax before, and it was a terrible experience with terrible cramps and urgent diarrhea. This medication was recommended by a friend. I was hesitant to try it, but I was very uncomfortable and desperate. I also had hemorrhoids due to the constipation that were healing, and I was scared they would return. I took 2 pills at 9 p.m., and at 4:30 a.m., I woke up to have a BM. The first one was normal, and I had to go about 4 times afterward, and it was diarrhea. I didn't have any cramping or discomfort. I just needed to be near a washroom for about 2 hours after it started working. I feel so much better now. No more bloating, the BMs didn't hurt my hemorrhoids, and I feel like myself again."

• Eli...
• February 15, 2020

Senna for Constipation "I took 1 tablet before bed for constipation as advised by a pharmacist (I’d had diarrhea on Saturday, then hadn’t been at all for 5 days - usually I’m every 2-3 days). The Senokot made me have a bowel movement the next day, around 14 hours after I had 1 tablet. Then I went again a couple of hours later. I started to feel quite sick at this point, really uneasy stomach, not much of an appetite. I still ate lunch and snacks as normal and didn’t feel like I needed to be sick - just crazy nausea. Then a few hours later, I went again, but it was more like diarrhea - then I felt VERY sick. I had to go to a pharmacy again for nausea relief (I was taking a flight to go on holiday, so I wasn’t going to wait for it to pass naturally!) - she gave me Pepto Bismol in liquid form instead of tablets - it worked like a dream and I’ve felt fine ever since. ADVICE: If you get the nausea (it was really bad) - definitely get Pepto Bismol to counteract it! So worth it."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2016

For Constipation "I hadn't been to the bathroom for almost one week. My stomach was rock hard, and I felt so sick. I took three senna tablets at 7 pm. At around 2 am, I woke up with the most horrible stomach cramps and gas. I lay on my left side with a cushion pressing into my cramping stomach until 5 am. I had the most intense urge to poo. I barely made it to the toilet. I had explosive diarrhea. It was the most painful stomach cramps I have ever had, I sat on the toilet for an hour, bent over my legs, crying from the pain. I still feel sick and crampy at 6 pm. It did get the poo out, but it was horrifically painful."

• Hat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2018

Senna for Constipation "I couldn’t go to the toilet for more than a week (although I do suffer from constipation). I took Senokot at night, and the next day (around 3 pm) I had the urge to go. I went three times, roughly an hour apart, and ended up with diarrhea. I did feel relieved, but still a week later, I’m stuck again."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2018

Senna for Constipation "Ok, so I took two pills at 8 pm to help with some constipation I’d been having for a couple of weeks. Honestly, I didn’t really look into it before buying it. I’d never taken a laxative before and didn’t really think about how they work. So after I took the pills, I Googled it. The reviews scared me to death. They read, “explosive diarrhea, extreme cramping, vomiting... then more explosive diarrhea.” Not the stuff dreams are made of. I was so scared. The next day, I was to have a 7-hour car ride with family, and I thought for sure I’d be stopping and exploding diarrhea all day. I packed toilet paper, Imodium, and Advil. What I got were period-like cramps, I felt a little crappy, but no diarrhea. Thank God. About 11 hours after I took the pills, I had soft stool. Then about 20 hours later, I had a little diarrhea. Not explosive :) I would use it again, though. I felt a little crappy all day, but it didn't really do much for me."

• JDB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2022

Senna for Constipation "I am 7 days post-op from a hysterectomy, and the pain meds I’m on have caused constipation. I took 2 of the Senokot-S (stool softener + laxative) at the request of my doctor. 7 hours after taking the pills, I started getting sharp and severe cramps in waves. Gradually, they became more intense, more severe, and more frequent. This lasted for 6 full hours. I had 2 small BMs during this time. Finally, the cramping became so severe and there was no break between waves of pain that it had me comparing it to childbirth and kidney stones, it was damn close to both. At that point, I had an explosion of diarrhea - multiple times in the span of 5-7 minutes. This was approximately 13 hours after taking the pills. I was able to get some relief at that point from the cramping, but the bowels are still having spasms 24 hours later and expelling gas. Is this medication effective? Absolutely - it will 100% empty your bowels, but it is a HORRIBLE way to go. Don’t do it."

• Not...
• December 24, 2017

Senna for Constipation "Took 2 pills around 6:30 pm. At 3:15 am, I woke up to HORRIBLE stomach cramps/pain. I honestly thought I was going to pass out from the pain. I went to the bathroom, still having trouble going. Then I started throwing up. For the next 4 hours, I was rotating between diarrhea and throwing up, along with the chills. It honestly was worse than the stomach flu. I never could go back to sleep that night due to the extreme pain and nausea. I will NEVER EVER take this again. Even though I did eventually “go,” I’d rather be constipated than go through this again."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 25, 2018

Senna for Constipation "I suffer with IBS-C (irritable bowel syndrome with constipation) and rarely will have a bowel movement naturally. I take Senokot-S every 3 days, and it consistently produces a bowel movement, but it varies how my body reacts to the medication. At times, I have to take two or three doses, and other times, it causes extreme cramps, nausea, and diarrhea after one dose. Unfortunately, any stimulant laxatives such as this cause “lazy bowel” and dependency issues. So, although effective, I would recommend starting with something different, such as Lax-A-Day, before turning to this medication."

• Kat...
• March 4, 2016

For Constipation "I followed the instructions and took 2 tablets at about 2 pm, hoping by morning to have a bowel movement. I recently had surgery, and after release from the hospital, I have been stopped up due to the continued pain meds. Unfortunately, this worked too well... I have had waterfall/explosive diarrhea for the past 5 hrs. I am trying to stay hydrated and ate a bowl of rice to try to offset the flow, but here I am still living on the pot... I feel weak and have chills all over my body from the dehydration. I do not recommend taking this medicine if you can move anything through your bowels (hard as it may be), or at least start with a half dose and see how that works first. It took about 3 hrs to start working, not a full overnight."

• Sto...
• June 14, 2016

For Constipation "I was recommended to take Senna-S, but Drug Mart said their brand Senna-Lax was the same thing. I took 2 pills as directed, and for the past 5 days, I have had explosive, constant diarrhea, black liquid, yellow mucus coming out non-stop. Horrible stomach pain and cannot eat, and deathly afraid to eat. Made me feel worse than the flu. Have been in bed for 4 days, and I am a hospice patient, so I would never, ever recommend this. I have had several colonoscopies, and their preparation was no way as bad as this. I won't buy drug generics from any drug store again. Pay the regular price, as the Drug Mart generics are not worth the results."

• Jus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2017

Senna for Constipation "Took one the first night, got cramps and diarrhea, ate half the next night, was okay, half the third and nothing. Took one the next, got cramps and diarrhea. Took three-fourths of a tab for two nights straight, nothing, nothing. Took one the next night, STILL nothing."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2018

For Constipation "I took this three days ago and am still having cramping and diarrhea. I took 1/4 of the recommended dose, but somehow I'm still suffering major side effects. Try every other option to relieve constipation before you take this one."

• Mad...
• June 12, 2016

For Constipation "Took 2 tablets, nothing happened. The next night, I took 4, I had a bowel movement, but it wasn't soft! Took 2 in the morning and 4 before bed, nothing! Gave myself a couple of days' break, and last night I had 4 before bed, and today they all must have caught up on me. I've been sitting on the toilet for what feels like all afternoon with the runs."