Can anyone talk to me about sodium pico sulphate please?

[Nogodsnomasters]

Hello,

My son has coeliacs disease, diagnosed 5 months ago. We are still dealing with ongoing constipation, he is taking 3 sachets of pediatric Laxido per day, his stool is soft but he still struggles to pass it, he's going every day but not full movements, small little ploppy amounts and I can tell from experience that he is not having complete evacuation. Spoke to consultant about it who prescribed sodium pico sulphate 5ml, when the chemist filled the script it says 5ml is the adult dose, DS is 10 so I would like to start him on maybe 2.5ml as a precautionary. However - consultant told DS that this medicine will cause tummy cramps, DS is done with tummy aches from his coeliacs disease and is now refusing to try the medication (he also has autism and anxiety).

I also suffer from chronic constipation and have suggested to DS that mummy tries the medicine first before him as a way to convince him to take it 🙈 no experience with stimulant laxatives at all (I use stool softeners usually), will I need to be at home all day when I take this, should I do it when I have no commitments or errands, is it going to be explosive urgent loose? All experiences welcome please!

Hi, my DS took this for quite some time from about age 6 to 7.5. The first time he took it we gave him 2.5ml and his first stool was dark and explodey. I believe he built up a tolerance to it over time and he spends quite a long time (maybe a year) of taking him up to 20ml which we were told he could have.

Towards the end of his time on it he went back down to 10ml. It is however a balance with the stool softener. I kind of wish I hadn't let him be on it for so long but we were just following the medical advice. As I understand, it creates regularity and improve the urge. The stool softeners 'soften', the SP is the urge or 'push'.

It's supposed to take about 10 hours to work so there's no need to wait in all day. He can either take it in the morning for an evening movement or in the evening for a morning movement. We tended to give it to him in the morning so he didn't go to school not having gone. HOWEVER we worked out my son seemed to have a 20 hour turn around between taking and pooping.

It's not something to be worried about especially with Dr advice but it is a case of gradually increasing it and finding the right balance with the stool softeners.

We didn't experience cramping especially combined with the softeners, but after a long time taking it we were advised to wean him off it as he could no longer form proper stools. It should be used along with the behavioural advice e.g. plenty of liquids throughout the day, sits half an hour after a meal, proper sitting with a stool etc

You may want to decrease the Laxido gradually too...it's all a bit trial and error but it's not a super-super powerful laxative rather a stimulant that if increased gradually should not be a 'wait in all day' situation

@Kaleidoscopic101 thank you for your reply! I was just worried it was too to cause diarrhea basically and urgent need to be near a toilet reaction, and almost like a clear out so several movements. The consultant advised that the PS shouldn't be an every day thing like the laxido is, that it should be used as and when needed potentially once a week for a bit of a clear out. Honestly my son has suffered so much the past 12 months already I'm afraid to make the wrong move and cause him any issues. It's such a minefield.

So sorry to hear about your son, it is a minefield and what works for one person may not for another. That is interesting as we were told it was an every day thing but perhaps there's a reason for that or it's a different type or something. Yes just build up to it and perhaps check the dosage as we were definitely going up to 20ml but 10ml was probably doing what it needed to do for a 7yo...again I don't know if it's exactly the same type so worth checking.

Thank you. The one we were given is by the brand dulcolax liquid SPS, it does say "adult" on the box which I found strange but the consultant told us 5ml so I was going to start on 2.5ml just to see. Also not sure why he said use it sporadically either as no real reason was given, just that the laxido is daily but this one is not necessary daily. I'm going to take it myself tonight as I am currently backed up, and then hopefully I can help convince my DS that nothing bad happens with this medicine and encourage him to take it also.