Senna and Nausea: What Users Say

• Blo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2020

Senna for Constipation "Due to other medical issues, I have been dealing with long-term constipation and can sometimes go a week without a bowel movement. I have tried several medications and have found Senokot to be the most gentle. My experience is fairly carefree. I take the maximum dose and have not experienced any nausea. I have had some random pains but they never last long, and find myself passing gas after taking a dosage. The end product is successful. Make sure to drink lots of fluids with and after your dose. It makes a huge difference! Also, for comparison, a while ago I tried Dulcolax and it was a nightmare. I felt so nauseated and actually vomited. Groaned and convulsed in pain for hours. Senokot did not give me any problems! This just proves everyone’s body reacts differently to products."

• Ber...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2021

Senna for Constipation "I had a terrible experience with this drug. The worst stomach cramps I’ve ever had. Chills and nausea too. 15 hours later I feel wiped out and doubled over in pain still. My legs and calves cramped also all night and are still cramping. I would never take this again and I urge caution before taking this."

• Gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2021

Senna for Constipation "Well, Senokot certainly works, but I wouldn’t take it again. The only advice in hindsight is that if you are small, I’m female and 8.5 stone/120 lbs, take half a tablet, as my husband is 12.5 stone/175 lbs and it’s still one tablet for him on the directions. I hadn’t been for a couple of days, they were in the medicine cupboard, so I took one tablet before bed on a Friday night having never taken a laxative before. At the witching hour of 3 am, I only just made it to the loo in time. I thought I was hooked up to a hose. I don’t know about emptying your bowels... I thought my bowels would be following on out, closely followed by my intestines and any other vital organ that got in the way. And there I sat for 4 hours. When it felt safe to leave the bowl, I lay on the bed like a shriveled prune for another 4 hours, feeling dreadful and nauseous. Be warned! 100% effective but with side effects."

• Anonymous
• April 25, 2020

Senna for Constipation "I have IBS and sometimes take usually only half a tablet before going to sleep. I have mixed results generally, but last night I had a similar experience to some others I’ve seen on here, in that I woke up a couple of hours after taking the tablet, feeling unwell with cramps. Then I got the cold sweats and dizziness, and I crawled to the bathroom and retched and vomited. No bowel movement, just cramps. I went back to bed and still felt pretty sick and was shivering. I even dozed off fitfully a few times, but when I woke up properly, the nausea and cramps had passed, and I had a very voluminous bowel movement an hour after getting up. The medicine generally works for me, but you have to be prepared for very unpleasant side effects in getting there."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2021

Senna for Constipation "I took this once a while ago, and it was great, no pain and relief. Because I had a good experience, the next time I was constipated, I was relieved to know I could take one... VERY different experience second time around. The extreme pain and cramping started about 16 hours after taking. I've had 4 children, and the cramps felt like labor pains. I had nausea and weakness. Almost 24 hours later, my stomach is bloated, I'm exhausted, and while I've gone to the bathroom, I have not had a good bowel movement yet. I will never take it again."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 4, 2017

Senna for Constipation "Please do not take this medicine. Oh my goodness, I can't express enough what this put me through the past 2 days. I took it yesterday at 7 a.m. and was fine all day until after dinner at 6:30. Then I felt major gas-like pains that took me to my knees. The pain had me sounding like a dying moose. Then came the nausea and vomiting, it felt like the worst food poisoning ever. I was so hot and sweating like crazy, then literally freezing. The urgency to vomit and poop made me lose total control of my bladder. I was so weak from the torturing pain that I could hardly speak or move. I wanted to lay down in a fetal position, not moving to prevent the pain from coming back. During all this, I felt delirious, and my heart was pounding the whole time throughout the night. DON'T USE!"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2021

Senna for Constipation "I used this one time in February following a bout of awful constipation that came out of nowhere. I took the recommended dosage and waited. However, overnight I started to feel nauseous, this feeling intensified as the night went on until I was actually being sick. Everything and anything I ate or drank (including water) came back up. I had to go to the hospital, and I was given morphine and cyclizine (anti-sickness) to help with the projectile vomiting and nausea. I had to stay in the hospital for a month after using this. Horrible experience, and it didn’t relieve my constipation at all. The minute I was discharged, I threw the whole packet in the bin! If I could give 0 stars, I would."

• tba...
• April 11, 2021

Senna for Constipation "I’m going to be as honest as possible here. Yesterday, I was extremely constipated, and I couldn’t go to the washroom for the past few days. My brother has IBS and recommended Senokot to me, he loves it. I took it at bedtime as recommended, took 2, and this morning I am suffering from extreme abdominal cramping. I’m nauseous, and I have chills. I didn’t even get it all out! I literally feel like I have the flu after taking this. I cannot even get through my day. It worked for my brother, he likes it, but I will never take this again. I’ll stick to Durolax or Metamucil for now."

• BAT...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2021

Senna for Constipation "Horrifying. Like another said, I'm a mom as well, and the pain from this drug was worse than labor pain - couldn't agree more. I also had the nausea, sweating, then chills, and am suffering from PTSD from it. For 2 hours, I was screaming, the pain was so bad, the thought of riding in an ambulance with a morphine drip was what kept me alive. I'm considering a lawsuit. I did survive (obviously), but the next day, I had pains all over my stomach area like I did 1000 crunches, and it's mostly my stomach more than my intestines."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2020

Senna for Constipation "I tried Senokot for the first time (2 tablets), without knowing what the possible side effects were. I started experiencing some serious stomach pains, nausea, and dizziness about 8 hours after taking it. I thought something was seriously wrong with me, but after finally going to the bathroom, the pain went away completely about an hour later. Although the side effects were really awful for me, it did work."

• Hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2019

For Constipation "Took one senna tablet before going to bed. Then had the worst stomach and bowel cramps I have ever experienced. The abdominal pain was absolutely unbearable to the point where I thought I’d have to call an ambulance out of fear something was seriously wrong. Sweating, severe nausea, headache, shaking. I did have a bowel movement eventually, but the pain simply wasn’t worth it. Took about 18-20 hours to have an effect. Two days later and I still don’t have any sort of appetite and have a stomach ache. Would 100% not use ever again or recommend to anyone else."

• Jor...
• January 10, 2017

Senna for Constipation "Constipated since Christmas Day 2016, now January 10th, 2017. Went a little every couple of days, nothing to write home about. Took one Senokot last night at 9 pm. 7:30 am next morning had some rumblings, a little cramp, then went as normal. Felt a little nausea and a bit of tummy ache for 30 minutes, then okay. Thank goodness."

• 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."

• Rya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2019

Senna for Constipation "I have had 2 back surgeries and take pain meds that have constipated me over the years. I have been so constipated I've had partial blockages. I've tried everything from laxatives to enemas, citromag, and milk of magnesia, and everything in between. I can honestly say Senokot has by far worked the best for me. Yes, I have cramped and felt nauseous, but only when I have been extremely impacted and haven't had movement for 2 weeks or more. But right as you release, all the nauseous feeling and cramping is gone, and it doesn't come back, and that's only been for 10 mins until my stomach brewed enough for a movement. But now I've learned if I haven't released in a week to just take 2, and I don't have cramping or feel nauseous...it's a much more pleasant experience."

• 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!"

• Nee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2019

Senna for Constipation "The effects of this laxative are very unpredictable. Sometimes I can take 2 tabs and not go for 24 hours, or it works fine the next day. Currently, not having a great experience. I took 1 tab last night. Woke up this morning to awful cramps, bloating, and nausea. On the plus side, I've been to the loo 3 times in an hour and feel a lot less bunged up. Because of its unpredictability, I think I will try a high-fiber diet or lactulose. It does work, but when the side effects are bad, they're extremely unpleasant."

• 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."

• Car...
• October 3, 2017

Senna for Constipation "I have constipation regularly. Milk of magnesia gives me terrible cramps and makes me have nausea. Usually no BM. Miralax takes 3 days to work on me. Bisacodyl tablets react the same as milk of magnesia, except with horrible gas. Senna, I have normal cramping before a BM, it usually takes 8 hours to work. Very pleased."

• Kli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2022

For Constipation "I just took a package of Senna laxative back to the drugstore and told them I felt like it almost killed me, and there should be a big warning on the package. After taking as prescribed at night with lots of water, I woke with extreme cramping and nausea. I crawled to the bathroom, where I lay on the floor because I was passing out. It was coming out of both ends, and I had no control. I was sweating profusely, and my heart was pounding in my chest. It was several hours before the feeling passed. It was terrifying, and I get the same reaction from any senna-based laxative. I don’t know why there isn’t a warning about this on senna medication."

• Nev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 16, 2016

For Constipation "I'd rather stay constipated than use this again! Used Coloxyl with Senna to treat 4-day constipation due to a viral stomach bug. Supposed to work in 8 hours, but 4 hours after taking 1 tablet, I got bad stomach pains, nausea, and a general unwell feeling. Lasted all night and into the next morning."

• 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."

• Zma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2021

For Constipation "I've been struggling with constipation on and off for the last few weeks and wanted to try some senna tea to help. I drank one cup about 1 a.m. last night, and this morning at about 7:30 I felt a healthy need to use the bathroom, so I very happily made my way there, thinking this tea thing is great! As soon as I sat down on the toilet, I was extremely nauseous and had abdominal cramping at the same time, which is horrible when you have no idea which end it's gonna come out from. I then started sweating cold sweat, then my legs and arms went numb, my ears started ringing, and my vision went blurry. I knew something was no bueno and tried to get out of the bathroom and lie back down in bed. Next thing I know, my husband is picking me off the floor of the bathroom where I'd just fully passed out stone cold. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever be trying this again. Really scary experience. Thank goodness I fell backward into a wall and not forward and broke my face on the bathtub."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2021

Senna for Bowel Preparation "Worked very well. Took 2 of the tablets at about 10 pm. When I woke up, bowel movement started around 10 am. I had no chills, no side effects like a few of the other reviews, no nausea. Just completely cleared me out!"

• 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."