Amitiza anyone?

[gopher7895]

Has anyone tried Amitiza for constipation? I see my gastro later this week and am planning to ask about it. I'm taking Miralax now but it's not working as well as it used to. I can eat fiber all day long and it does nothing for me.

[mlzippy7]

I would also like to hear if it works. I hear you about the fiber. I eat over 50 grams a day everyday and lots of water...it does nothing for me:(

[gopher7895]

My doctor gave me samples of Amitiza but I haven't tried it yet. I'm still hoping to hear from someone who tried it. My insurance company needs to approve it before I can pick up the prescription but I have enough samples for 8 days. That makes me wonder if it's really expensive or considered experimental. Zelnorm needed prior approval too.

[stef000]

Yeah i read up on miralax and its actually the stuff you take before a colonscopy so i didn't want to try it....
but i used to be on zelnorm and i found it would put me back on track make me feel kinda icky (side effects...) but definitely put me back on track and now you can't get it....
so yeah would really be interested in it...
hope your all havin a good bladder day....
take great care
hugs n better bladder days
:hi:
:cat::cat:

[mlzippy7]

I actually have had 8 colonoscopies and numerous bowel preps for surguries and I never used Miralax. I have used Golytely, osmoprep, fleets phososoda,and magesium citrate.
My colo-rectal surgeon and GI dr both told me Miralax is very safe to take long term for chronic constipation.

I know everyone is different though and every doctor has different ideas as well.

Good luck finding what works best for you!

Yeah i read up on miralax and its actually the stuff you take before a colonscopy so i didn't want to try it....
but i used to be on zelnorm and i found it would put me back on track make me feel kinda icky (side effects...) but definitely put me back on track and now you can't get it....
so yeah would really be interested in it...
hope your all havin a good bladder day....
take great care
hugs n better bladder days
:hi:
:cat::cat:

[stef000]

you look up miralax in wikipedia and this is what it gives you.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miralax
and it is the stuff that you get for bowel prep just in real small doses...
i hated that stuff so i don't wanna try it....
I have been dealing with issues of this nature forever it seems...
i just hate it and the drugs they give us to 'help'
and i hate IC
just in a down time right now :bonk::bonk::toilet::toilet::cussing::rant:
ahhh
i am sure the better days are comin....wish they would come faster....
well hope all of you are doing well...
take great care
hugs n better bladder days
:hi:
:cat::cat:

[mlzippy7]

stef000

Thank you for the information!! I really appreciate.

Just so you know the Miralax doesn't have any taste at all. To me it is like drinking plain water.

I can't handle the colonoscopy preps any longer. I have ended up in the ER with the last 3 different preps but I guess that is why they are trying to figure out what is going on with my stomach.

Again thanks for the link!

[stef000]

yeah i hated the bowel prep....
i went through the barium enama then a couple years later i went through the colonscopy
I hated both tests---barium enama being more hated.....
i hate all this mess we gotta deal with....
hey anyone have gerd too???
my stomach also seems to be really slow so i have minor gastroparesis....
everything just screws up.....
:bonk::bonk::rant::cussing::loco:
well hope people are doin ok
take great care
hugs n better bladder days
:hi:
:cat::cat:

[Texas Baby]

hey guys :hi:
I have been taking amitiza for 2 years. Yes it works. I have IBS w/ diahrea and constipation, but on those days I have constipation it helps. I stay pretty regular and have for the past 2 years. I would definatley check into it. It is a totally different kind of medication than Miralax ( I have taken that too), my gut doc told me that the amitiza is better for regulating my system. Anyway I hope that helps!
T Baby

[sphinx]

I just start Amitiza, and so far so good. I used to take Zelnorm, and it worked ok, but had belly pain even though I was having BMs so I stopped. Since then I've been using Citrucel and Magnesium Oxide as a stool softener. Yeah, not great. I've tried Miralax a couple times...not loved it. The Amitiza just.....makes me go. No loose stools, no belly pain, no gassiness, no running for the john in a hurry. I hope this keeps up. I only have samples right now, so hopefully I won't have a problem with insurance.

[gopher7895]

Thanks for the replies. I took Amitiza for 2 weeks and decided it's not for me. I took it in the middle of a meal like my dr said but still felt dizzy about half an hour later. I was able to have a bm but when I felt the need to go I had to run to the bathroom. I felt like I might go in my pants the urge was so incredibly strong. That's weird for me and made me nervous about being too far from a bathroom. I had a $40 copay on my insurance too so that was another part of not wanting to continue it.

[mlzippy7]

I took amitiza about a week and it did not help me one bit. All it did was cause me chest pain and my pulse was racing. It cost me alot and didn't help me a bit. I'll stick to Miralax.

[Lishypaz]

I was given amitiza after they took zelnorm off the market. I, too, ahve to take miralax 4 times per day, citracel 3 times per day, and senokot 3 times per day along with the amitiza (before zelnorm which worked GREAT for me and I had no side affects). I went off of the amitiza because it did me no good and it was a $40 co-pay like someone else mentioned, and since we pay $350 for the IC meds that cause this IBS-C, we figured it is not worth it. Instead, I have a liquid diet for breakfeast with a soy based protein that I add the miralax to, and I just rely on the other things to control the IBS-C. I also follow those special diets which probably aggravate the IBS-C to some degree, but what do you do? I stiill only go once or twice per week, but its better than it was before the miralax. And, I still get the prescription miralax, not the OTC. For one, it costs less with my generic co-pay and second, it is stronger. So, perhaps amitiza does work for others, but my gastro is trying to make the case that zelnorm is safe for me, because that is what truly worked and I miss it a lot!

[lauraads]

I'm pretty angry; I was hoping Amitiza would really help but it caused me to have a bladder flare.

Very disappointed.

[ICmadness88]

you look up miralax in wikipedia and this is what it gives you.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miralax
and it is the stuff that you get for bowel prep just in real small doses...
i hated that stuff so i don't wanna try it....
I have been dealing with issues of this nature forever it seems...
i just hate it and the drugs they give us to 'help'
and i hate IC
just in a down time right now :bonk::bonk::toilet::toilet::cussing::rant:
ahhh
i am sure the better days are comin....wish they would come faster....
well hope all of you are doing well...
take great care
hugs n better bladder days
:hi:
:cat::cat:


wikipedia can be edited by anyone. I learned this on some show the other day. They caught city workers on the site editing or adding to definitions. It's really NOT a reliable site. Just so you know that when you go to get information. Miralax is NOT a bowel prep for colonoscopy. I know this for a fact as I have had several and now take Miralax for constipation. It doesn't work like those prep meds do, it works slowly like a fiber without the bloating.

As for Amitiza, I took it for a few days and had the worst flu like symptoms you can possibly imagine. I took one, then a few hours later in the night I woke up with this horrible flu like pain. I could barely walk to the bathroom. I know this doesn't happen to everyone, but it is listed in the possible adverse reactions and it did happen to me.

[stef000]

As you will see in the miralax site it tells you what is in miralax and if you look up that chemical you will find that it is also used for bowel prep...
http://www.miralax.com/howmiralaxisdifferent.html
'MiraLAX (Polyethylene Glycol 3350) '

[SandyRN]

As you will see in the miralax site it tells you what is in miralax and if you look up that chemical you will find that it is also used for bowel prep...
http://www.miralax.com/howmiralaxisdifferent.html
'MiraLAX (Polyethylene Glycol 3350) '

Actually, they rarely, if ever use Miralax in colonoscopy preps anymore. But, if you were to use it for the prep you would take it in dosages that are MUCH higher than the dosages used for constipation. It's taken in small doses that do not cause instant diarrhea, sometimes it literally takes days for it to work.

I wouldn't be afraid of it. You can start out with half of a dosage, or even half of a half if you are sensitive to the meds...I'd ask your doctor about it and give it a try. It's really, REALLY helped me in the past when NOTHING else would work.

Sandy