Laxatives Side Effects

You may suffer from the laxatives side effects, whilst you were trying to get relief from something entirely different when you were only trying to get relief from constipation, with the help of laxatives. But, instead, while doing so, you ended, with its side effects, giving you an additional cause for concern. The laxatives side effects felt by you may be minor or severe in nature. Following is a list of minor laxative side effects:

• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Nausea
• Belching
• Rectal areas may become sensitive due to skin irritation.

Severe Side Effects of Laxatives

The side effects depends on the type of the laxatives you are using. It may be that the laxatives you are using, acts by removing water from the surrounding tissues and retaining it in the stool. If it is so, then laxatives side effects may appear primarily, in the following forms:

• Excessive thirst
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness
• You may feel irritation in the eyes, ears or nose area.
• You might experience difficulty in swallowing.
• Irregular heartbeat
• Unusual tiredness

The laxatives that work in this fashion are hypersomatic agents. Saline laxatives are grouped under Hydrating agents. The laxatives that are used in the form of bulk-producing agents act in the similar fashion. These contain a chemical 'psyllium', which is its key element and some people are allergic to it. If you know that you are suffering from a condition called phenylketonuria, you can avoid the dangers of laxatives by avoiding those containing phenylalanine.

You may also suffer from the following severe laxatives side effects, in addition to those listed above.

• You may feel burning on urination.
• Paralysis
• If the laxative you are using contains phenolphthalein, the side effects of using laxatives may appear as pink or red color in urine and stools.
• If the laxative contains any one of the following agents, viz. phenolphthalein, senna, and/or cascara, then the urine color may vary from yellow to brown color. The urine will be acidic in nature.
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchy skin rash
• Gastrointestinal blockage
• You may experience sudden changes in bowel habits, which may persist longer than two weeks.
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Irritability

Everyone, at one time or the other, faces the problem of constipation. You may go without relieving urine for 1 or 2 days and start thinking that you have constipation, you start looking for laxatives. If you want to try mineral oil as a laxative, first make sure it is good to use it. Consult your doctor before intake of any laxative. If you've taken mineral oil to cure your constipation without consulting your doctor, he will inform you that it is the reason why you haven't relieved yourself for three days in a row.

The best way to tackle constipation is by preventing it. By changing your food habits and diet, you can control constipation and thus laxative side effects. If you suffer from the condition, a better option would be to use natural laxatives as a cure for relieving constipation.