# Safe stool softener?



## Pyra (Apr 1, 2012)

Hi,

I am nearly 12 weeks pregnant and have been struggling with hard stools for several weeks now, despite taking lactulose daily. Also taking fibre supplements and drinking loads of water - but it hasn't helped a lot. Is there a stool softener I can take which is safe to use? I read that colace (docusate sodium) is commonly prescribed for pregnant women in the US, but believe that dulcoease which seems to have a somewhat similar composition and is available in the UK is not advisable? Is there something else I can take?

Thanks,
Pyra.


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## mazv (Jul 31, 2006)

Manufacturer states use in pregnancy only if benefit outweighs risk. Limited data in pregnancy but has been used widely with no known adverse effects.


How much lactulose are you taking when did you start taking it? How much fluid are you drinking on a daily basis? Have you tried increasing fruit intake or trying prune juice?


If you are passing stools often enough but still hard then suggests you still arent taking in board enough fluid to keep them soft enough. Try measuring and writing down all you drink for a couple of days to make sure it is at least 2 litres a day (this is minimum amount you need for lactulose to work properly).


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## Pyra (Apr 1, 2012)

Thanks, Maz. 

I've been on lactulose since 6 weeks, since progesterone supplements were constipating me. I seem to have a chronic fissure which emerged earlier this year but is quite tenacious, and hence I need to manage diet etc really well.

I was taking about 15-20ml of lactulose every day, which I stepped up to 30ml since last week, with no discernible change. I went to my GP yesterday and he has prescribed bisacodyl 5mg to be taken once or twice daily. He did seem a little vague about whether this was safe for pregnant women or not - I believe it is a stimulant laxative which I should avoid. And contrary to what I read he seemed to think that docusate is a harsher drug (even though I believe it is an emollient, and hence milder). Hence i'm not keen on taking bisacodyl...

I go often enough, and think I drink about 3 litres water every day. It is a great idea to maintain a diary to see exactly how much I am drinking, because stools continue to remain hard. I know I have been struggling to get my 20-25 gms of fibre daily from food alone, although perhaps the daily fibre drink is helping me get closer to that figure.


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

Bisacodyl can be tried when other measures have been tried and failed.

There are no formal studies in pregnancy (as you may suspect) but long experience suggests no adverse effects according to the product data sheet.


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