A 41-year-old member asked:
Can you use expired mineral oil for an enema ?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Haider Goussousanswered
Addiction Medicine 64 years experience
Yes: Yes you can use it up to a year.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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A 46-year-old member asked:
Which is more effective: mineral oil enema or a saline enema?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Yash Khannaanswered
Family Medicine 58 years experience
Enemas oil based/sal: Saline enemas loosen stool and stimulate bowel movement.If used frequently these can cause hypocalcemia and hyperphosptemia.It is effective in severly constipated with/ without stool retention.Mineral oil enemas are used in patients who are impacted with stools so hard and large causing obstruction, and is used as retention enema, if patient is able to retain overnite follwed by manual disimpaction.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
If I was to administer a mineral oil enema, how much should I use?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Eric Kaplananswered
Colon and Rectal Surgery 43 years experience
I would: use the fleet brand of enema or the drug store version which is generally 6-8 ounces. Be sure to be lying down on your left side with feet elevated above hips and try to hold enema for 30 minutes or as long as you can. You can repeat if no results in 6 hours. IF that doesn't work you need an exam to be sure your problem is constipation and not something else
3.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Is a mineral oil enema safe for kidney patients?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. James Cainanswered
Nephrology and Dialysis 37 years experience
With minimal use: Mineral oil could interfere with vitamin d absorbtion.. Chronic renal failure patients have decreased vitamin d levels, the use of this medication could cause even lower levels of vitamin d with resulting bone disease and low calcium levels.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old member asked:
What is the difference between using a saline vs mineral oil enema?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Haider Goussousanswered
Addiction Medicine 64 years experience
Small difference: If the enema for cleansing the anal canal and the lower rectum both work well. If the purpose is to cure constipation, they work differently, the mineral oil helps the hard stool pass thruough the asus by librication, the saline enema tries to break the stool and liquidate it.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Dec 8, 2013
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