Laxative Use Overdose Abuse Causes Laxatives Abdominal Pain Symptom Effect

A laxative medication is used to help facilitate bowel movements. Ofttimes, laxatives taken at bedtime will produce desired results by morning. However, some may take up to 24 hours for the desired effect.

Taking your laxative with a glass of water while your stomach is empty causes a quicker result then if you use it with food.  And castor oil is the quickest acting, so bedtime may not be the right time.

Laxatives come in these various forms:

In some cases, laxative use may cause minor abdominal pain.

It is recommended that you don’t use your preferred laxative type longer than a week nor use more than the package indicated dosage. Unless your health care professional instructs otherwise or it’s consists of natural fiber, as with some bulk laxatives.

Some folks abuse laxatives by overdosing in an effort to lose weight. A laxative overdose may cause some discomfort or serious side effect symptoms, such as:

The combination of side effect overdose will likely depend on your chosen laxative’s active ingredients, so check the label for specific symptom information prior to use.

A couple of laxative related points worth a note:

  • castor oil may cause gastrointestinal irritation symptoms
  • castor oil should not be used routinely to treat constipation
  • avoid the bad taste of castor oil by chilling it, then mix with orange juice
  • cascara sagrada & senna commonly cause yellow brown urine, not a concern
  • mineral oil can cause aspiration pneumonia ~ vomited stomach contents are inhaled
  • some laxatives may cause choking or intestinal blockage if not taken with ample fluids

Laxatives are brought to you as a relief  of abdominal pain constipation, and are not meant to be a weight reduction program.

Also, bulimics tend to abuse laxatives, diuretics and enemas in an effort to stave off weight gain.  These may be noticed health defeating tactics shouting out for intervention.

Related Health Blurbs:

« »