Miralax for constipation long term

amother

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 4:47 pm

Did anyone here have to use miralax long term? I see lots of info online about it causing behavior changes, anyone use it? How long did you have to use it for? did you have issues with behavior? Was your child able to come off of it?

amother

Beige

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 4:49 pm

I'd sooner use bottom-up approaches to treat constipation. Do a few enemas to clean them out, and then use a suppository if necessary even daily until the child is regular.

It's also a good idea to introduce more fiber into their diet (apples with the peels are great for this).

amother

Skyblue

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 4:55 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes when dd was about a year old. She had crazy constipation that we couldn’t get rid of with diet adjustments or in the usual ways. It was the saddest thing ever. Bh it worked amazing, we gave it every day for about 6 months and then were able to taper it off. No behavior issues.

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 5:44 pm

I used miralax daily from age 15-20. No side effects bh.
I still take something today for constipation, but I went off miralax when I was pregnant and couldn’t drink the cup of juice with powder.
My constipation comes from an ED combined with IBS so I don’t think it will ever go away.

amother

Opal

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 6:15 pm

Miralax contains many harmful chemicals. It’s not even FDA approved. Please don’t give it to your child. Try a magnesium supplement. Chapter one has apple flavored magnesium gummies

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 6:24 pm

There are sooo many other options for constipation that don't simultaneously involve risking your child's health. Miralax is basically antifreeze. Best would be to get to the root but even magnesium, senna, smooth move, prune juice are much better choices

amother

Lightgreen

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 6:24 pm

Ds5 has been on it for 2 years for chronic constipation and a few rounds of Encopresis. My dr said it’s fine and eventually will wean him off.

tweety1

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 6:25 pm

2 of my nieces - sisters of the same family were on it daily for about 2-2.5 years.

amother

DarkRed

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 6:27 pm

Two of my kids are on it, two different pediatricians said it’s totally fine

mandr

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 7:51 pm

My child is on it daily for a year. What a difference it made in his life! We already tried lactulose, milk of magnesia, prune juice but nothing ever worked as well as miralax.

exhausted

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 9:52 pm

My child is on it for a few years by recommendation of her gastroenterologist. Bh no side effects.

amother

Raspberry

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 9:53 pm

amother Opal wrote:

Miralax contains many harmful chemicals. It’s not even FDA approved. Please don’t give it to your child. Try a magnesium supplement. Chapter one has apple flavored magnesium gummies

And those are full of sugar, also not FDA approved. Why are those so much better?

exhausted

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 10:26 pm

The doctor told me that senna causes the body to become reliant on it where miralax doesn't.

amother

Raspberry

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 10:51 pm

exhausted wrote:

The doctor told me that senna causes the body to become reliant on it where miralax doesn't.

My doctor told me that senna doesn’t actually cause that, they haven’t had research for it. I’m not against miralax, just saying my doc says it’s not really true

amother

Raspberry

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 10:52 pm

amother Raspberry wrote:

And those are full of sugar, also not FDA approved. Why are those so much better?

Another Opal please answer this. Everyone loves to say go natural. Who says natural is better

amother

Coral

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 10:58 pm

I just saw a pediatric specialist in this area for my daughter.
He told me that Miralax has been tested on hundreds of thousands of people, over many countries, for many years. He said that there were little to no side effects. No behavioral side effects at all. He said that any of these claims are false and fear mongering.
He recommended Miralax for my child. She has been on it for the past year on and off.

amother

Lime

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 11:07 pm

My kids pediatrician said it was totally safe also. She was on it for over a year and occasionally I give it to her when she needs it. She’s super well behaved and I noticed no difference.

amother

Mon, Jan 22 2024, 11:25 pm

we tried magnesium (calm powder) for a long time. My child has IBD so we are working with a GI. naturally they recommend miralax which I was resistant to but the magnesium isn't doing enough, we absolutely need to resolve this. I've given miralax for bowel cleanouts before colonoscopy but never long term, I tried avoiding it but I really need this resolved and wanted to hear how people did on miralax after reading the scares online TMI

amother

Grape

Tue, Jan 23 2024, 12:02 am

Same as many others my child has been in it for years with the blessing of multiple pediatricians and specialists, 0 issues. Stop reading fear mongering garbage online, the most harm comes from the long term constipation.