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A member asked:
How do you deal with dehydration with laxative abuse?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
Stop the abuse: "irritant" purgatives cause: melanosis coli (reversible pigmenting of colon lining), cathartic colon ("floppy" colon with limited muscle tone), & soap or chemical colitis (acute inflammation within hours of "cleansing" enema). When laxatives are discontinued, edema develops that resolves in 3-6 weeks. Most laxative abusers don't wait 3-6 weeks & return to their purgatives to reduce weight & edema.
Answered 4/29/2012
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