Senna and Upset Stomach: What Users Say

• 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."

• Bir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2020

Senna for Constipation "I was constipated for 4 going on 5 days. I have never taken a laxative before and figured going herbal was the best way. I took two extra strength Senokot pills before bed, woke up around 6 am with intense cramps. I had terrible cramps for hours until I finally made a BM around 11 am. I realized taking two extra strength might have been too much - I just wanted it to get the job done. It did, but I still had stomach discomfort at 4:30 pm. Somewhat annoyed at the side effects, but it worked."

• 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)."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 19, 2024

Senna for Constipation "Senokot is something I swear by. As a child, I stretched my bowel to double the size it was supposed to be as I have chronic constipation and ended up in the hospital. I am now an adult and have to deal with it on a daily basis, being prescribed to take 4 laxatives a day just to make sure I can pass my stools. Sometimes I deal with very big blockages, and Senokot is the only thing that clears my bowels and prevents me from having to go to the hospital for the doctors to flush them for me. I would highly recommend Senokot to anybody who suffers from the same amount of constipation as me. For reference, sometimes my blockages get so big they create a visible lump in my stomach that can be quite painful. I will say that I do get stomach cramping after taking Senokot, but it is nothing compared to what I have to deal with on a daily basis."

• 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."

• 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."

• Jes...
• February 1, 2018

Senna for Constipation "I found Ex-Lax due to a friend. I sadly have to take these every day or I don’t go. I know they say don’t abuse them, but I seriously have no choice. I drink plenty of water, and I’m fine. My stomachache has gone away, and I don’t feel like a three-hundred-pound cow now. Is this a bad thing that I take it daily?"

• 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."

• 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!"

• Ano...
• January 18, 2017

Senna for Constipation "Oh holy god, I have very mixed feelings about this Senokot. It is effective at getting things moving. Took it four days in a row, and on the fourth day, I now have the most horrific stomach cramps ever, the worst I've ever had by far, and I keep having to go over and over again. I've already gone three times today, and as I write this, I feel the urgency again. I will not be taking these again, that's for sure. They do work, but these cramps (which I see others have reported too) are really, really not worth the bother."

• JWA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2022

Senna for Constipation "Took this at night before to help with constipation. Next morning, small movement. And then slowly, the pains built up to intense stomach cramps that lasted well into the early hours of the following day. Unable to sleep. Three days later, and things are still not quite right. Never again."

• JSB...
• July 1, 2019

For Constipation "After being plugged up for a bit over a week with minimal relief, decided to get a doctor's appointment. Got recommended Senna, went with Senna Plus (stool softener as well). Took it at 8 PM with some food, woke up at about 7 am and made a small to mid-sized normal movement. Around 10:30 am, was hit like a truck with the immediate need to go and had to pull off on the highway to uncork the dormant geyser that had been plugged for the past week. A vicious bout of diarrhea. Had lunch at noon, and around 1:30 was again beckoned to the bowl for the remnants. 48 hours later, things look pretty normal, have had some of the less ideal side effects like the stomach/ab cramps and appetite dampening. Not a terrible experience, but not something I would do if it wasn’t needed."

• Mea...
• August 4, 2018

Senna for Constipation "Took one dose and nothing. Took second dose, and that’s when the headache and cramps, and the stomach gurgles started. It sure cleared the pipes, but wow, liquid fire from within, and lived in my bathroom for a day. I was tempted to just sleep on my bathroom floor to make it easier. Once I thought nothing more could possibly come out, a new wave would hit. Can’t even eat crackers or it goes right through."

• Hon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2022

Senna for Constipation "Works well for me, usually 1 max strength tablet is enough, but I’ve taken 2 in one day before, morning and evening. I did get some stomach cramps from the double dose, but not bad enough to stop me from doing normal daily things. Personally, I prefer Senokot to Dulcolax, that was the one that gave me really painful cramps, so I have stuck with Senokot!"

• 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."

• Shy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2020

Senna for Constipation "Worked very well. I’m on the toilet now. It didn’t work in 6-12 hours, it worked in 5, and now I’m going. My stomach hurt so bad. I chose this one at my local Walgreens. I also drank a little of the MiraLax powder, that made it work faster, in my opinion."

• 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."

• Jef...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2021

Senna for Constipation "This product is amazing! For years, I have had issues having a bowel motion and have spent lots of money trying different products. I have been taking Senokot for 2 weeks now, and I have gone every day! Take 2 gummies before bedtime, and the next morning I go! No cramps, icky taste, or stomach aches. This product really works. Thanks, Senokot!"

• Sen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2022

Senna for Constipation "I used Senokot last night around 9:30 pm. I had eaten a lot of food that day and still didn’t have a bowel movement, so I took one of the laxatives and went to bed. I woke up the next morning with awful stomach cramps, and I didn’t know if it was from my period or from Senokot, so I went to use the bathroom, and everything came out. After that, the stomach cramps stopped. It’s now 11:15 am, and my stomach is just a tiny bit uncomfortable. I think it’s because I didn’t get everything out yet. But I didn’t have a terrible experience with it. I probably won’t use it again in case I get more of the other terrible side effects that I am terrified of."

• Goo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2019

For Constipation "Had constipation for 3 days with awful stomach cramps. Took 2 senna tabs nighttime. Slept well. Had normal stool in the morning. Bit loose during the day but now entirely back to normal. Would highly recommend."

• Gra...
• November 2, 2021

Senna for Constipation "I've taken Senokot before, and it usually works. This one time, though, I had severe side effects. Bad stomach cramping, grumbling, shooting pains, going to the bathroom every 7-10 minutes, burping like crazy, weak and nauseous, chest pains (what I imagined having a heart attack feels like), and watery stools. I've never experienced anything this bad before. I've never had a baby before, but I imagined this to be worse than labor pains, minus the giving birth part. I had so many things planned for the day, but I spent it curled up in a ball. The second day was better, less frequent bathroom breaks, but when I ate something, it started again. I honestly considered calling 911. Hopefully, the third day is better. I'd give it a five for the side effects. I've only taken two this time, before, I used to take four, and nothing like this happened before. Take with caution, seriously."

• JJ1...
• July 6, 2018

Senna for Constipation "Taken Senokot a couple of times the past few weeks and found it to be effective with little to no side effects. Took only one yesterday at 8 a.m., it kicked in at 3 p.m. and ohhh boyyy. I visited the toilet 7 times in the space of a few hours, I had horrendous stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting and couldn't hold anything down all day. It is now 5 p.m. the following day and I still have cramping, similar to food poisoning. Yes, it will clear out the pipes, but is it worth it to feel like this? Will stick to Ducolax in the future!"

• bex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2018

For Constipation "This worked a charm. I suffer with constipation, also, I have tears in the anus (anal fissures), which are painful. Although senna does give a bit of a bad stomach ache before you actually go to the toilet, when you have taken them, you feel so cleared out. Also, if you do suffer with anal fissures, they bring next to no pain, which makes it a lot easier to go."

• Non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2019

For Constipation "Suffer from chronic constipation for two years, decided to take two of these instead of having to drink Movicol. Took two at 10 pm, by 3 pm the next day, I was greeted with such intense stomach cramps I thought I was going to be sick. I've never experienced that kind of pain before, and I've tried loads of laxatives. Honestly thought I would have to call an ambulance. By 5 pm, I finally went... crazy amount of diarrhea. I will be staying away from taking at least two, possibly altogether."

• Sen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 25, 2018

For Constipation "I tried a senna tea after being backed up for 4 days. I had tried the tea in the past and steeped as recommended with no real results, so at 10 pm I steeped 2 bags at the recommended time (15 mins). At around 5 am I experienced loud stomach bubbling, gas, and some abdominal pain. Around 10 am I passed one solid BM and felt much better! It is now 1:30 pm, and I am in and out of the bathroom every 45 minutes or so with diarrhea. I am still also experiencing stomach gurgling, cramps, and gas. Definitely did the trick and then some. If you want a good clear out, this is the way to go! But make sure you are near a washroom. Oh, and the urge to diarrhea is very intense every time."