What is the best laxative to clean you out
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How long do laxatives last
Laxative side effects!
Overview - Laxatives
Laxatives are a type of medicine that can treatconstipation.
They're often used if lifestyle changes, such as increasing the amount of fibre in your diet, drinking plenty of fluid and taking regular exercise, have not helped.
Laxatives are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets.
They're also available on prescription from a doctor.
Types of laxatives
There are 4 main types of laxatives.
Bulk-forming laxatives
Bulk-forming laxatives work by increasing the "bulk" or weight of poo, which in turn stimulates your bowel.
They take 2 or 3 days to work.
Bulk-forming laxatives include:
Osmotic laxatives
Osmotic laxatives draw water from the rest of the body into your bowel to soften poo and make it easier to pass.
They take 2 or 3 days to work.
They include:
- lactulose (also called by the brand names Duphalac and Lactugal)
- macrogol (also called by the brand names Movicol, Laxido, CosmoCol, Molaxole and Molative)
- polyethylene glycol
Stimulant laxatives
These stimulate the muscles that line your gut, helping them to move
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