Fairmont, WV
A male asked:
My hubby is scheduled for a colonoscopy. the day before his appt the inst. say to take 3 dulcolax pills. we have colace on hand. can 3 colace be used ?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Donald Colantinoanswered
Internal Medicine 63 years experience
No: Colace is merely a stool softener. A strong laxative is needed to clean out the colon as an inadequate preparation makes for an indeterminate colon visualization. Instruct your husband to carefully follow the instructions given to him. Avoiding roughage in the diet for several days precolonoscopy helps also.
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590 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Clarene Cress commented
Specializes in Pediatrics
OTC medications can be confusing, as the brand name Dulcolax now makes a stool softener (docusate sodium) that has the same ingredient as Colace, as well as the laxative (Biscodyl). When it was first marketed, Dulcolax was the most common brand of of the generic Biscodyl drug, so when doctors refer to Dulcolax, they often are referring to the laxative form, not the softener.
Aug 7, 2017
Last updated Aug 8, 2017
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