Is there anything I can take to relieve constipation due to pain medication?
First, make sure you're drinking enough fluids. Most clinicians recommend 6 to 8 cups of fluid daily. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages such as cola don't count. They are actually dehydrating. If fluids aren't an issue and you're drinking enough, I would next look at your diet. Are you eating enough fiber? Prunes can be helpful. Also, other fruits such as apples or pears. High fiber cereals or fiber juices such as prune or cherry juice can also be helpful. Lastly, I'd also look at your activity level. Many people become constipated because they sit around all day. Walks and other exercise can definitely help reduce constipation.
It sounds like you suspect your medications are causing the constipation. Talk to your doctor or a pharmacist about this. Maybe dosages or types of medication can be adjusted. Ask if laxatives are a good idea. Your doctor may have ideas on brands. There are two kinds of products commonly used, stool softeners and laxatives. Stool softeners aren't as strong as laxatives, so many people start with a softener to see if it will help. Laxatives are associated with diarreah and loose bowels. If this happens, talk to your doctor or an advice nurse.
There is a cheap vitamin that will relax muscles and since the bowels are a muscle it does help. Plain old magnisium. It comes in 250mg. or 500 mg. One has to take it and see just how much they need to help with constipation. If your movement is too loose, back off the magnisium. I take this for several reasons, constipation from meds, also cramps in my feet and leg. They will wake me from a sound sleep, the cramping in my feet. I also have muscle spasims in my back, helps this as well. Just be fore warned, you might pee out your butt, if so, take medimusil for fiber along with taking the magnisium. And don't fall for those expensive brands, it all works the same.
I use 500mg Magnesium twice daily and it helps with constipation due to my painkillers and muscle relaxants. My constipation tendencies are also due in part to poor bowel motility caused by a progressed state of Systemic Scleroderma.....a rare, fatal and incurable disease which affects everything in the body that is any part collagen. I take muscle relaxers and painkillers for this plus the very pronounced RA--my fingers and hands are excrutiatingly painful, and the Fibromyalgia. Depending on your painkiller dosage, you'd really need to experiment with the strength and dosage.
