Stop taking Movicol and consult your doctor if you begin to feel weak, fatigued , breathless , very thirsty with a headache, or get swollen ankles. These symptoms may indicate that your fluid and electrolyte levels are disturbed and your doctor may need to take a blood test to check for this.
You should read the patient information leaflet that is supplied with your medication for more information about side effects associated with Movicol. You can find a copy of this here. If you think you have experienced side effects from Movicol you can report them using the yellow card scheme.
Movicol is not known to affect other medicines. However, large volumes of fluid can flush tablets and capsules through the gut without giving them a chance to be absorbed into the body.
For this reason, if you are taking a large volume of this Movicol in one go, you should avoid taking other tablets or capsules in the hour before and after. Macrogol oral powder is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine. Parenting Mental health Healthy eating Conditions Follow. Type keyword s to search. It is available on prescription or to buy from pharmacies.
What is Movicol? Movicol is available to buy from pharmacies and if also prescribed by doctors. Movicol is available as powder sachets, liquid and ready to drink sachets. What is Movicol used for? Related Story. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Patient Prefer Adherence.
Published online Aug Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract Background and aim Patients suffering from chronic constipation require long-term, regular therapy with laxatives. Methods In this randomized, cross-over double-blind study, volunteers were recruited by advertisement. Results One hundred volunteers with a mean age of 35 years range 20—61 were randomized 76 females.
Keywords: constipation, polyethylene glycol, laxative, macrogol, molaxole, movicol, laxtra, medication adherence. Patients and methods A total of volunteers recruited by advertising through posters were included in a cross-over, double-blind, randomized study. Results One-hundred volunteers were randomized mean age: 35 years [range: 20—61], 76 female. Open in a separate window. Figure 1. Figure 2. Discussion Nonadherence to treatment is a problem of increasing concern.
References 1. Update on the management of constipation in the elderly: new treatment options. Clin Interv Aging. Chatoor D, Emmnauel A. Constipation and evacuation disorders. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. Epidemiology of constipation in Europe and Oceania: a systematic review. BMC Gastroenterol. Camilleri M, Bharucha AE. Behavioural and new pharmacological treatments for constipation: getting the balance right.
A multinational survey of prevalence and patterns of laxative use among adults with self-defined constipation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. The cost-effectiveness of macrogol compared to lactulose in the treatment of adults suffering from chronic constipation in the UK. Lactulose versus Polyethylene Glycol for Chronic Constipation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Systematic review and meta analysis: polyethylene glycol in adults with non-organic constipation.
Int J Clin Pract. World Health Organisation. Adherence to long term therapies: evidence for action. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organisation; Osterberg L, Blaschke T. Adherence to medication. N Engl J Med. Ingersoll KS, Cohen J. The impact of medication regimen factors on adherence to chronic treatment: a review of literature. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to macrogol. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
These are not all the side effects of macrogol. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.
Macrogol is generally safe to take during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Constipation is common at the end of pregnancy and just after having a baby. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, it's always better to try to safely treat constipation without taking a medicine.
A doctor or midwife will first advise you to eat more fibre like potatoes, high-fibre cereals, wholemeal bread, brown rice or wholewheat pasta, fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of fluids. You'll also be encouraged to do gentle exercise. If dietary and lifestyle changes do not work, you may be recommended a laxative such as macrogol.
Tell a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or if you're breastfeeding. Some medicines, such as epilepsy medicines like phenytoin , may not work as effectively if you use macrogol at the same time. There are no known problems mixing macrogol with herbal remedies or supplements. For safety, tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.
Macrogol is known as an "osmotic" laxative. This means it draws water from the rest of the body into your bowel to make your poo slightly bigger and softer. You can take macrogol for as long as the constipation lasts, or for as long as the doctor has recommended. This will usually be for up to 2 weeks. The doctor may recommend that you take it for many months if you or your child has serious constipation or take medicines that cause constipation. Usually for long-term treatment, the dose can be lowered to either 1 or 2 sachets a day.
For faecal impaction, you'll usually only need to take macrogol for up to 3 days, but you may be given a lower dose to take for a little longer. Ideally, you should only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time. Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to prolonged diarrhoea. It can also cause an electrolyte imbalance, where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, an electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as muscle spasms, twitching and fits seizures.
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. If this happens, the doctor will decide how long and how much macrogol you need to take. Usually, it's best to only take macrogol when you have constipation. You can stop taking it for short-term constipation if you are going to the toilet as normal.
There are other types of laxatives. Some work in a different way to macrogol but are equally good at treating constipation. Some work more quickly than macrogol. Occasionally, you may need to take 2 different types of laxatives at the same time. Only take 2 laxatives together if a doctor recommends it as there's more risk of getting side effects.
Macrogol does not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception unless you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours. If you have severe diarrhoea your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do.
Read more about what to do if you're on the pill and you're being sick or have diarrhoea. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking macrogol will reduce fertility in either men or women. It might be a good idea to stop eating pastries, puddings, sweets, cheese and cake for a while as these foods can make constipation worse.
It's often possible to improve constipation without laxatives. Before trying macrogol or to stop constipation coming back it may help to:.
Page last reviewed: 28 October Next review due: 28 October Macrogol On this page About macrogol Key facts Who can and can't take macrogol How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions. About macrogol Macrogol or macrogols is a laxative taken to treat constipation difficulty pooing.
It's available on prescription and to buy from pharmacies. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Macrogol relieves constipation by making your poo slightly bigger and softer. This helps poo travel through your bowels more easily. Macrogol can take 1 to 2 days to work. The most common side effects are stomach pain, diarrhoea, wind and a sore bottom anus.
These are usually mild and shortlived. Most macrogol sachets contain sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium bicarbonate known as electrolytes. To make sure it's safe for you, tell a doctor or pharmacist if you: have ever had an allergic reaction to macrogol or any other medicine in the past have had a hole or breakage perforation in the wall of your intestine have ever had a blockage in your intestines or paralysis of the intestine for example because of intestinal surgery or severe infection have ulcerative colitis , Crohn's disease or a rare condition called toxic megacolon are being treated for heart failure or an irregular heartbeat — if you are, never take more than 2 full-strength sachets or 4 half-strength sachets in any 1-hour period.
Speak to a doctor about how much you can safely take. Important Do not give macrogol to a child under 12 years old unless a doctor has prescribed it. You can take macrogol with or without food. Constipation The amount you take depends on how bad your constipation is.
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