Laxatives & constipation - how quickly do they work?

[SilkStalkings]

DD(7) started on laxatives today (5ml lactulose and 2.5ml Sennakot this eve.) Do we expect dramatic results? If she hasn't done anything before school starts, should I keep her home til something happens? She's already missed some school this year due to her anxiety about poo issues and her last proper poo was Wednesday. She's not in pain but the idea of her having the runs suddenly and not being brave enough to use her toilet pass worries me!
Thanks for any experiences of this. I feel rubbish for not realising this was her problem for the last year or so.

Senna is a laxative and lactulose is a stool softner, lactulose usually takes a few days to get things moving but with the senna it may well work a little faster. Let her teacher know what is happening and maybe they could discretely ask her every few hours if she needs to go.

i had issues a few years ago because of the medication i was taking. i didn't poo for 2 weeks despite taking lactulose and sennakot. i had to have a nuclear bomb* put up my bum in the end

I agree with blueberry, make sure the teacher knows what's going on but perhaps ask DD first if its ok to tell teacher? if she's already anxious about pooing, her teacher suddenly asking if she needs to go isn't going to help. not sure how but you're obviously going to need to ask dd in a way that means she can't tell you not to. sorry, this probably isn't making much sense

*I suspect it wasn't actually a nuclear bomb but it felt like it at the time!

Thanks, already wrote him a note this am to explain she's on new meds and is too worried about missing work to use her toilet pass! He seems a kind, sensible chap anyway.
It is the lowest possible dose she's had today so fingers crossed nothing will happen til the evening.

how did she get on?

Still no poo but she was a bit more relaxed on way to school today (don't think she realises what might happen.)