Laxatives as a child

I was given a large tablespoon of milk of magnesia, always ended up getting a quart of water, in the enema bag of course. I fought and faught.

When I was young there was syrup called Fletcher's Castoria. The syrup was brown, and it may have come in a brown bottle. I think it tasted like spices or root beer - it was a distintive smell and taste, although I never thought it tasted bad.

@hoseman1 Both oral laxative and enema? wow

I never received any orally-administered laxatives when I was a child. Instead, my mother shoved glycerin suppositories up my protesting bottom at the drop of a hat. Then she would make me retain them until I became hysterical due to my need to use the toilet. I can only imagine how terrible enemas would have been at her hands.

I faintly remember glycerin suppositories being given, but rarely. My mother was more attuned to use the quicker acting remedy of a warm soapy enema to effectively relieve my constipation. Those early enemas light that flame.

I remember a laxative gum called FeenAMint. It was not harsh as I remember but my first experience with it was when an older neighbor girl offered it to me as regular chewing gum. I of course asked for another piece!

I only remember one dose of oral laxative as a child. It's an odd story I've never told before. When I was in first grade my parents were both working. I was taken to and from school by a mom across the street whose daughter was also in first grade. In the afternoon I was dropped off at a house a couple of doors down where a girl would babysit me until my mom got home. Kay was in 6th grade. Every day she would have me sit on the toilet to pee, then wipe my penis with toilet tissue. I was fine with this game and enjoyed the attention. One day she told me poop too. I couldn't, and she told me she would give me something to make me go. She rummaged around in the bathroom, then in the kitchen and finally found what she was looking for - chocolate squares. I don't remember how many she gave me but I do remember it tasted stale. I forgot all about it later. But the next morning I woke to find that I had pooped copiously during the night without waking up. I was mortified! Needless to say, my mom had quite a cleanup job that morning! At the time I didn't put two and two together, but years later I realized Kay had given me ExLax.

A few times when I was young my mother would give me Milk of magnesia. It was a fowl tasting chalky medicine that seldom worked for me. To this day laxatives seldom work. The only ones that work are so harsh, take so long to work that it's not worth the trouble. I know that if I take an enema, it's going to work, and work right now. And once I expelle the last of it, I will feel fine immediately. No lasting cramps or side effects. And as a bonus, I enjoy it and at my age it may provide a happy ending if I'm lucky.

My mother gave me milk of magnesia, I don't recall it working. I realize that she should have had me drink lots of water. The enema did work of course.