# How long does lactulose usually take to work? *another question p3*



## AppleBlossom

I posted last week that Grace hadn't pooed in days. She has not pooed since I posted making it over a week. I took her to the docs today as I think she's been holding it in due to potty training but now she can't go as it's too sore. He gave her some lactulose and she had some earlier this afternoon and some about half an hour ago. She's very niggly tonight and keeps waking up and crying but she's still refusing to poo. How long does it usually take for her to have to give in? She's really upset and obviously in pain but I can't do anything to help her because she just refuses to go


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## amie-leigh

awww poor grace 
i took some after having morgan and if i remember right i took it at bed time and next morning was able to go 
hope the pain stops and she can poo or at least get some sleep x


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## AppleBlossom

Thanks Hun. Feel really sorry for her. Hopefully it'll work soon


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## Jchihuahua

Poor little thing, I hope it works for her soon :hugs:.


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## Miss_Bump

I had to use this a few weeks backand i got awful gripping stomach cramps and then i just had to go, there was no holding it in IYKWIM!

I think i must have been a little sensitive to it and altho there are no major severe side effects, it does say that it can cause cramping and diahreah

Hope she is better soon


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## AppleBlossom

I've been told to expect a LOT of poo lol joys of being a mother


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## Miss_Bump

AppleBlossom said:


> I've been told to expect a LOT of poo lol joys of being a mother


Honestly, it was CARNAGE!!

Poor little love, hope she is alright :hugs:


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## amie-leigh

i just came back to say when she needs to go she means it and her tummy might still be a little sore after


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## cherryglitter

I took lactulose when I was pregnant and it didn't work for me :(
You have to drink a lot of fluid as it draws it into your bowel, which makes you go. 
Movicol has worked wonders for me in the past and also for my 3 year old cousin who has really bad constipation problems. 

If nothing works take her to the GP and get some on prescription. Hope little one feels better soon :flower:


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## cherryglitter

Also - some of the things I used to do with the residents at work (different generation, I know!!) I used to rub the bottom of their back whilst they were sat on the loo. This helped sometimes. I am not too sure why!! Also massaging her tummy might make her go. 

Just turn it into a game of some sort :flower:


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## AppleBlossom

It is a prescription one :) got it from the GP today. She drinks like there's no tomorrow so hopefully it won't take too long


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## cherryglitter

Fingers crossed. It's so sickly sweet, it's also like grease!! Have you tried it lol!! It used to make me gag. xx


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## AppleBlossom

Nope lol she seemed to like it though, she licked the spoon!


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## cherryglitter

Hahaa! I am glad there's someone out there who likes it. It really is such a weird consistency.


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## AppleBlossom

I'm intrigued now lol I might have to try it


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## cherryglitter

it just reminds me of cooking oil!! try it...!!xx


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## Miss_Bump

It's very sweet! Makes me gag too


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## Tegans Mama

If she's not been for a week hun, chances are lactulose won't make her go. Tegan had lactulose from birth until about a year old when she moved onto Movicol . When she was on Lactulose she needed a lot of other help to go. Obviously her bowel troubles have a cause though!

If I was you and Grace hasn't pooed by the morning I would take her back to your GP and see a different one for a second opinion. She doesn't really only need a stool softener since she's not been for so long, she needs a softener and a stimulant as well to help move things along. As a last resort your GP will give her a suppository (like a little bullet that goes up the bum) that should help her go. Normally they give glycerin ones which in my experience are absolutely pants. We use Dulcolax suppositories for Tegan.

Whatever they give her (hopefully a stimulant such as Senna or sodium pico-sulphate AND a softener, i.e lactulose or movicol), I would give her bowel meds and then some paracetamol about 30 minutes afterwards, because when she goes it is going to hurt, there's no real way around it. Giving some pain relief will take the edge off. And expect to be in for a long wait. 

Another option your Dr might consider if she has an impaction (basically a hard block of poo in her colon blocking anything from coming out) is a regime of Movicol to get rid of the impaction. Basically you give more and more movicol until their poo is like gravy, and keep giving it until there is no poo left, and then you give less Movicol and when her poo is a normal consistency but she's going a normal amount, you stop, and continue giving that dose. (I realise this probably makes no sense, but I'm really tired and I've not been to sleep and it's 4am.) 

P.S I hope you don't have any plans this week. :lol:


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## AppleBlossom

Thanks hun :) the doctor felt her tummy and said he couldn't feel anything so I assume he meant he couldn't feel any obstruction. Which I thought was odd seeing as she hasn't pooed in a week. I'll see how she goes today


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## Miss_Bump

Hope she is ok xx


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## bluebell

Jay's been taking lactulose for about 2 weeks and it hasn't really helped. He's had a couple of good poos (the conversations us mums have :lol:). But the rest of the time he's straining so hard and very little if any comes out :( GP said to wait 3 weeks for an improvement but I think I'll take him back tomorrow. Going on what Tegan's mum said I think he might have a blockage. 

I hope it works for Grace :hugs:

xx


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## Nibblenic

Lactlose is a softener, but its only going to really soften things taveling through the bowel. If she is having lots of liquids.

I would say after a week she may need a stimulant aswell like Senna.

hopefully shell go soon. Her poor bum


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## Linzi

aw bless her :( hope she is ok.

My little brother has to have lactulose because he has bowel problems... he usually goes like 4 or 5 days without and then my parents given him a dose and usually the following day he goes. I don't know if his body is used to it now though and thats why it works, because he's been on it since birth & he's 10 now.

xxx


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## 08marchbean

lactulose never worked for P, she has been on movicol since about 6 months ols due to bowel problems as no ammount of liquids or change in diet helps her, its the only way shell go. 

I wouldnt give it too long before going back if its not worked already. My GP said lactulose rarely works in babies/toddlers but they give it first as it is totally safe/just sugar basically! 

Hope she goes soon!


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## AppleBlossom

She has only had a tiny poo today. If she hasn't had one by the end of the day, I'll try and get another appointment for her tomorrow


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## Blah11

yeh, lactulose isnt very effective really. She needs movicol to get things moving first IMO then maybe lactulose if she gets constipated again (or just get her to eat lots of fibre).


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## AppleBlossom

Think I'm going to go back tomorrow if I can get an appointment, thursday if not. Think I may ask to see a different doctor, the one we saw is always crap


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## AppleBlossom

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried califig? Heard it was quite good as it is a bit more natural than stuff from the doctors plus it contains a small amount of senna, is ok to give children and I can buy it from the chemist and don't need to go to the docs. I just saw it had senna in it and thought it might be better than lactulose?


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## Marleysgirl

Califig didn't work for Andrew, we tried it before going to the GP. We also tried glycerin suppositories from the pharmacist - can you tell we were trying to avoid the GP? lol

Andrew's on Lactulose now, but I'm not convinced it's working. Every time we increase the dose (he started on 10ml/day, now he's on 20ml/day) it worked in terms of cleaning him out on the day of the increase, but then he was back to rabbit droppings the next few days (hence why we increased it). He is however straining much less now, so I think we probably have reached the effective dose. Wait and see ..


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## AppleBlossom

Oh thank the lord, she finally did a poo. She was screaming and shaking but as soon as I took her nappy off she was fine and hasn't cried since. She seems a little more cheerful now, will keep with the lactulose while she gets back to being a bit more regular so fingers crossed she'll be ok now


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## 08marchbean

glad she is feeling a bit better! :)


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## cherryglitter

oh bless her! glad it's working now. xx


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## AppleBlossom

She's gone from being badly constipated to using her potty all the time. Today she hasn't done anything in her pull ups, she's done 2 poos and about 400 wees on the potty though :)


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