A 48-year-old member asked:
how long does it take for stool softeners to work?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Charles Cattano answered
Gastroenterology 39 years experience
12 to 72 hours: Docusate (per pdr) helps moisten & soften hard, dry stools. It is not true laxative, but facilitates natural defecation, usually within 12 to 72 hours. This works best for occasional constipation, & assumes normal GI anatomy without inflammation, stenosis, extrinsic or instrinsic obstruction. Change in bowels is considered a "red flag", like weight loss or blood in stool, that if persists see doc.
5878 viewsAnswered Jan 18, 2020
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Similar questions
A 40-year-old member asked:
Is it safe to use stool softeners regularly?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Edmison answered
Gastroenterology 19 years experience
Yes: It is common to use colace (docusate sodium) or docusate long term, especially when taking narcotics.
6072 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
I need a good home remedy for stool softeners. Oil?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Vivek Huilgol answered
Gastroenterology 35 years experience
Cod liver oil: Seemed to work when i was a kid...
5866 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Is it okay to take stool softeners dayly, long-term?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Edward Goldberg answered
Specializes in Gastroenterology
Yes: See previous answer regarding softeners like docusate (colace) which are safe to use on a daily basis for hard stools. Don't use daily laxatives though.
5868 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
How effective are stool softeners?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Sean O Donovan answered
Colon and Rectal Surgery 34 years experience
Depends...: Stool softeners come in many forms (fiber, chemical and 'natural'), all trying to increase the water content of your stools, as opposed to laxatives that stimulate the bowels to go by various actions, some of which may be quite uncomfortable. Beware of the so-called 'natural' softeners, unregulated by the dea, many of which contain harmful laxatives that can damage your colon cells, worsening it.
5682 viewsAnswered Jul 21, 2019
A 38-year-old member asked:
What are the effects of stool softeners?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Derrick Lonsdale answered
Preventive Medicine 73 years experience
They : Soften stools and make it easier to pass them.
5430 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Jan 18, 2020
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