Epsom salts

For those who like to use Epsom salt as an ingredient in your enemas, be careful of what you're grabbing off the shelf. Read the label! I went to both Walgreen's and CVS in the past week and the Epsom salt they had on the shelf had some kind of fragrance mixed in--lavender (I think) in one case and rosemary in another. Makes sense, I guess, to have a little bit of aromatherapy in your foot bath, but I'm not sure this is something we want to be putting up our butts.

Local supermarket had plain Epsom salt on the shelf.

I've had Dr. Bronner's lavender soap before in enemas, no problems. In fact, if I remember correctly, quite relaxing. I doubt that an additive such as rosemary would be detrimental, but I honestly don't know. When in doubt, look it up. I know that I had looked up lavender before using it. I'd be sure that any additives are 100% natural and not chemical based fragrances. Dr. Bronner's is certified as all natural ingredients.

I always figure, better safe than sorry. The fewer "extraneous" ingredients the better. Lavender and rosemary are both common ingredients in cooking and baking but of course not everything that's safe to eat is also safe to take rectally--there's a lot of work that's done by digestive enzymes on things that are consumed orally.

Also be very careful of the amount you use. It’s easy for some to overdose on magnesium. Though I tried to be wise, twice I ended up sick in bed with a high fever shortly after taking an epsom salt enema. Took me those two times to connect the dots and I’ve never used Epsom Salts since.

While I know the original post was more about avoiding potentially irritating additives, Epsom salts on their own deserve more careful handling if they’re going in your butt as opposed to your bath.

Not to be a buzzkill, but just adding a similar note of caution to that raised by @FSP on the possibility of magnesium overdose. It’s a good idea to closely watch your amounts (or not partake at all if your kidney or bowel function isn’t great). It must be quite rare, but case studies are out there to show that some have died of cardiac arrest from hypermagnesemia due to Epsom salts by the oral or rectal route.

Please play carefully and live to play another day!

Plain warm water, thank you very much.

The only enemas I've had with Epsom Salts in them were 1:2:3 enemas (1 oz. (or 2 Tbsp.) of Epsom Salts, 2 oz. (or 4 Tbsp.) of glycerin dissolved in 3 oz. of hot water) injected with a bulb syringe and retained for 5 minutes. My best friend's mother used them on him when she didn't have the time to mix up a soapsuds enema and told my mother about them telling her they're very effective. My mother used them on me occasionally when she was in a hurry when I was 10-12 years old. I absolutely hated them because they caused a strong burning sensation in my bowels. Much as I hated soapsuds enemas at that age I'd rather have a soapsuds enema than a 1:2:3 enema. Luckily once I was in my teens my mother stopped using 1:2:3 enemas and reverted to just soapsuds enema or sometimes Fleet enemas (which were coming on the market at the time) if she was in a hurry.

The only enemas I've had with Epsom Salts in them were 1:2:3 enemas (1 oz. (or 2 Tbsp.) of Epsom Salts, 2 oz. (or 4 Tbsp.) of glycerin dissolved in 3 oz. of hot water) injected with a bulb syringe and retained for 5 minutes.

Anyone who can retain a 1-2-3 enema for 5 minutes has world-class anal sphincter strength!

We cook with both and eat it , you can put absolute garbage in your ass that would kill you if you swallowed it . Lavender oil is an essential oil and also gives a nice enema by way of Dr.Bronner lavender Castile soap : Rosemary I have never used in rectum . I suppose who and where you source the ingredients could play a part

Not to be a buzzkill, but just adding a similar note of caution to that raised by @FSP on the possibility of magnesium overdose. It’s a good idea to closely watch your amounts (or not partake at all if your kidney or bowel function isn’t great). It must be quite rare, but case studies are out there to show that some have died of cardiac arrest from hypermagnesemia due to Epsom salts by the oral or rectal route.

Please play carefully and live to play another day!

Hypermagnesemia won't happen in healthy people with normal renal (kidney) function, even if the Epsom salt concentration (oral or rectal) is excessive. In all the documented cases I've read of folks dying of hypermagnesemia, there was some underlying health issue, mostly renal in nature.

To use Epsom salts as an oral laxative, you have to take quite a serious dose, usually 2 tablespoons or more mixed in a glass of water (ugh!). I supplement Magnesium by taking 1/2 teaspoon Epsom daily, and that has no purgative effect at all. Just put the dry Epsom on my tongue, and then quickly swallow with a glass of water to avoid the bitter taste.

@FSP I could only hold the 1:2:3 enema for 5 minutes because my Mom squeezed my butt cheeks tightly together after squeezing the enema into my bum and then timed it with a kitchen timer just like she did with soapsuds enemas before letting me expel it.

Hypermagnesemia won't happen in healthy people with normal renal (kidney) function, even if the Epsom salt concentration (oral or rectal) is excessive. In all the documented cases I've read of folks dying of hypermagnesemia, there was some underlying health issue, mostly renal in nature.

My kidneys are just fine and it was a repeatable phenomenon. Could be just something weird about my physiology too I suppose. Also, I wasn’t close to death, just unwell and feverish.

Oddly, all the enemas I got as a kid were w epsom salt.. to the point that’s what I thought the stuff was for. As an adult I’ve never used it tho… much prefer mild soap or table salt.