Sorbitol enema

Hi everyone, sorry for my very bad english, I am a new member. I want to ask, has anyone tried a sorbitol and sodium docusate disposable enema? Do you know this kind of enema? Is it sold in your countries? Thanks for the eventual answers.

I called on a surgeon who told his gut surgery patients to drink large amounts of mannitol (another artificial sweetener), instead of drinking a PEG solution for a clean out. I sold oral docusate sodium in a capsule form, under the trade name, Colace. It was strictly a stool softener. We also made Colace syrup to add to children's drinks and a very bitter docusate liquid concentrate to be added to baby formulas.

If you have sorbitol and docusate liquids available for enemas, one acts as a laxative and the other as a softener. I don't know if these combinations are available in the U.S. Perhaps one of our Dr.'s may know?

I made up a sorbitol enema about a year ago from a formula I found on line.----not again after major cramping for several hours afterwards

Thanks for answers. In Italy is sold a disposable enema of 120 ml that contains 30 gr of sorbitol and 0.2 gr of sodium docusate in 100 ml of solution. However it is not common like sodium phosphate enemas and is hard to find some informations about, so I asked myself if is it effective, how long does it take to work...etc. Do you think that is more safe than Fleet? (because of the absence of phosphates)

It is probably safer than Fleet enema's because it is far less likely to cause electrolyte disturbances. The big problem with the Fleet products is that Phosphates are relatively easy to absorb, and the solubility product for Calcium Phosphate is pretty small. The result can be the formation of a calcium phosphate precipitate in the Kidney's, usually with very serious consequences. Both the Fleet Enema and in particular, the Phospho-Soda (now off the market) could result in significant electrolyte disturbances.

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that the body lacks digestive enzymes to break down into simple sugars, so like a Fleet Enema, it can exert considerable osmotic pressure causing water to be drawn into the colon. The Sorbitol molecule is too large to be easily absorbed, so just as Phospho-Soda is a potent saline laxative, sorbitol is a potent hyperosmotic laxative Sorbitol is often sold as a laxative outside the US. Inside the US, most product containing sorbitol contain a warning about the possibility of laxative effects from excess consumption (Although many would dispute what constitutes excess consumption, for some people just a few grams is enough). Since there is essentially nothing in a sorbitol enema that can be absorbed except water, it is unlikely to cause electrolyte shifts.

The bad news is that while your body lacks digestive enzymes to break down sorbitol, the colonic bacteria do have that ability, and they will ferment the sorbitol producing large amounts of gas (Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide) doing so.. You can think of it almost as a variation on an Milk and Molasses enema because the mechanism is the same.

The Docusate acts as a detergent to help the water penetrate the feces and soften them up for easier expulsion.

Mattheww50, thank you for your usual detailed explanation of how laxatives work.

My hat's off for mattheww50, I am very thankful for your detailed answers. I want to aks an other thing. I know that enemas like Fleet draws water from rectum, so, is only this that causes a bowel movement? Or there is something else that stimulates peristalsis? I find strange that only 133 ml of fluid added to water drawn from rectum has the same effects of an enema of a liter or more.

I tried Ducusol Mini Enemas. Is that the same?

I was not impressed. It took more than the advertised "a few minutes" to cause a bowel movement and then left my rectum more sore and irritated than what I get from a Fleet or the like. I try most enema products I see on the drugstore shelf just to see how they work. I would not buy them again. There is still nothing better than the old trusty bulb or bag for an enema.

Not quite the same, because Docusol contains only sodium docusate and not sorbitol, furthermore, the enema that I am talking about has more or less the same amount of liquid of Fleet. As for the disposable enemas, somebody says that work well, others say the contrary...probably is a subjective thing...I haven't been able to form an opinion about this.

Sorbitol can be purchased online in a bottle with instructions on the back giving the proportion of it to water. It is a small enema easily given by a bulb syringe. The effect is similar to a Mayo or m and m enema but not as messy. Soon after introduction it starts producing gas in the rectum and colon . Eventually it forces a thorough evacuation. The longer the retention, the stronger the effect. I like to use a stethoscope to listen to my girlfriend's tummy as the gas fills her colon. She does the same to me. Since it's colorless I never know if she has added it to my enema nor does she when I inject it into her. I enjoy the sensation of this small yet powerful enema. Mother or oldest sister would sometimes give me this enema and insist on my retaining it until I could no longer.

I just bought a bottle on Amazon. The instructions said it was to be used as an enema. It is 70 percent. It said to dilute ir one to 2.3, which means about one ounce sorbitol and 2 ounces of water, about that of a fleet enema, so that's what I made up.

I took it at night realizing I could have a, accident. I felt lots of activity down there, but never trust a fart. I would listen with my electronic sthescope, it sound3d like a war zone down there. I woke up during the nite to relieve myself, I was very disappointed in the performance, what did I do wrong? The hoseman

@hoseman1 , you might not have taken enough sorbitol. I have insanely bad constipation but can usually get the sorbitol enema to work. I use an 8 ounce bulb syringe (about 240 ml) to give the enema. I mix 70 ml (2.37 ounces) of sorbitol with 170 ml of warm water and inject that while in the left lateral position. I hold for 15 minutes, even if the urge to evacuate is strong. That will usually produce impressive constipation relief over the next 30 to 45 minutes. It is as effective as a 24 ounce milk and molasses enema for me, but with less painful cramping.

So I have not given up. I didn't do my normal soap suds enema today, so this time I mixed up the sorbitol a bit stronger. The bottle contains 70 percent, I filled half a fleet enema bottle 50 50. It was about 125 ml. It went in real easy, no urge to go at all. I'm wearing a butt plug now just in case. It's been 15 minutes now, so far like it never even happened. It's saturday, I don't plan on going anywhere, but it could happen, just waiting.

It's been 35 minutes so far, I can feel pressure on the butt plug, but not a big deal, yet. I don't think I'd be able to hold it if I didn't have the plug in though, it does want out.

It's been an hour now, some leaked around the plug, just liquid. I didn't make it into the house, fortunately it's been raining lately, the rain will wash the dirty grass sway.

End of experiment

the hoseman

When I was in practice we used sorbitol to emergently reduce serum potassium levels in patients for whom other approaches, like hemodialysis weren't practical. Our preference was to give it orally until we induced a healthy diarrhea. Alternatively we gave it as an enema, but i only ordered that once or twice so don't recall the recipe.

@hoseman1 I hope you give an update when concluded!

When I was in practice we used sorbitol to emergently reduce serum potassium levels in patients for whom other approaches, like hemodialysis weren't practical. Our preference was to give it orally until we induced a healthy diarrhea. Alternatively we gave it as an enema, but i only ordered that once or twice so don't recall the recipe.

I remember Kayexalate enemas being used to reduce dangerously high serum potassium levels back in the day. According to Dr. Google, Kayexalate enemas contain sodium polystyrene sulfonate which treats hyperkalemia by removing potassium through the large intestine.

@hoseman1

Take it orally (prune juice) or get the sorbitol higher in your bowel.

I decided to give it another try, this time I still did 120 ml but I used twice as much sorbitol as before. I wasn't able to hold it for long, so I let it go. A couple times during the day I thought I was going to fart, we know how that goes, only liquid leaked out. I've also noticed that it seems to produce gas, I can hear my intestines gurgling. If I listen with my stethoscope, it sounds like a battle going on, lots of gurgling. I still have quite a bit left. The only thing I haven't tried is orally, wouldn't want to do it in the middle of the day, probably best at bedtime. the hoseman

If you use oral sorbitol before breakfast, you most likely will experience the first movement 45 to 90 minutes later, especially if you use the recommended maximum dosage. I suggest you use a disposable diaper if using a dosage any greater than the minimum recommended amount. Even at low doses, many cannot reach an adjacent toilet before uncontrollable diarrhea occurs.

@hoseman1

If you want a sleepless night take it in the evening. It acts really fast, sometimes the gurgling can be noticed after 45 minutes and you get the first farts after 60 minutes.

Other to @Victoria1951 i wouldn‘t say you can‘t reach the toilet, but you can‘t trust a fart.