Laxative use

Does anyone know if it's possible to build a tolerance to bisacodyl, the way you can built a tolerance to some drugs such as narcotics and some of the corticosteroids?

I just talked to Dad yesterday and he said he is having to increase the dose of bisacodyl now, at age 61.

He has used it before most of the high volume enemas he has taken since he and Mom first started their enema play more than 45 years ago

A number of times he has used it stand-alone. Though I don't think he did that until about 15 years ago.

Is the lack of movement from his disability causing problems, or has he built a tolerance

I think you can on oral dose in my experience not from rectal ,when using suppositories it may take longer retention and produce copious amounts of "butt snot" ( I used generic bisacody in my bowel program for many years ,2 bisacodyl & 1 glycerin every other day in mornung after 4 or 5 hours I would have a small bowel movement) since it acts as an irritant rectaly the same as stroking your rectum with a finger only faster , orally its systemic and more than a simple irritant my gut says yes.

Another point of chronic laxative use ,is a "lazy" colon requiring a laxative to have any stool production at all , I am assuming your dad is more recreational than medical and has a relative healthy "normal" body .

If not , and chronic constipation is a long standing issue there are easier better oral agents he can use with a prescription in the US ( they are OTC the rest of the world ). Hope that helps.

I have seen a couple of peer reviewed studies of the use of oral bisacodyl for treatment of chronic constipation. If I recall correctly, they concluded that patients did not develop a tolerance. Of course the studies were performed over a period of weeks or months rather than years. I have suffered from chronic constipation since my teens. I have developed a tolerance to most laxative agents. At this point, neither senna nor milk of magnesia work in maximum adults dosages. Bisacodyl is the one thing that has worked consistently over the years. Now that I am older, I need 3 tablets instead of 2. Otherwise. my colon still responds like it did years ago.

I just checked and Bisacodyl is a nerve stimulant for the colon. It has contact laxative properties too so is used in micro enemas & suppositories. The problem with nerve stimulants is over time damage is done which can sometimes be seen during colonoscopy. Check out Dr Gershon's book The Second Brain.

I'm a big fan of exercise with doc's permission. For colon sluggishness I'd recommend your father try an exercise like paddling a canoe or kayak. There's something about the torso twisting motion.

Does anyone know if it's possible to build a tolerance to bisacodyl, the way you can built a tolerance to some drugs such as narcotics and some of the corticosteroids?

I just talked to Dad yesterday and he said he is having to increase the dose of bisacodyl now, at age 61.

He has used it before most of the high volume enemas he has taken since he and Mom first started their enema play more than 45 years ago

A number of times he has used it stand-alone. Though I don't think he did that until about 15 years ago.

Is the lack of movement from his disability causing problems, or has he built a tolerance

Bisacodyl stimulates the colon nerves to perform peristalsis. However, if the nerves and or muscles are relatively unresponsive due to the damaging effects of age, he may need a higher dose for the same effect as when he was younger.

Physical exercise is always good.

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Check out Dr Gershon's book The Second Brain.

I hate that title even though the author teaches at my alma mater. That title is NOTHING more than click bait. Every part of the nervous system has a specific job to do, and that title makes the Enteric nervous system sound like more than it is in comparison to the Central nervous system, Autonomic nervous system (Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous systems) and Peripheral nervous system.

Tolerance to some laxatives, like Senna, increases with prolonged usage. It's a caution for this product.

I'm inclined to think that the same does not apply to Dulcolax, since there is no similar warning, but this is just a guess.

BTW, there are electrolyte warnings for long term use.

BTW, there are electrolyte warnings for long term use.

Interesting that Sean mentions this warning for Bisacodyl / Ducolax. It's commonly known that diarrhea, laxative use & enemas cause significant potassium loss that hopefully gets replenished by diet. Potassium is important for colon muscle contraction. This catch 22 could be self defeating even without help from tolerance buildup, aging muscles & nerves or damage to the enteric nervous system.

This thread reminds me.

I don't use laxatives,

When I was a kid I remember my mom used to keep chocolates in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, I'd eat several of them and never did understand why I got stomach aches and diarrhea afterwards, later on I learned what x-lax was and what it was for..........and that it was made to look and taste like chocolate.

@droidgirl

You write: "I'm a big fan of exercise with doc's permission. For colon sluggishness I'd recommend your father try an exercise like paddling a canoe or kayak. There's something about the torso twisting motion."

This is true. That kind of twisting motion really gets one's colon moving things along. I used to go to a Colon Hydrotherapist who had a Dotolo closed system. She would start the session with a bag full of warm water, taken to the toilet. She always instructed clients to do hula-like motions while seated on the toilet before releasing the water. This was to mostly clean out the client's colon before the colonic session started.

After all the fills and releases, she'd give a last fill to be taken to the toilet and the potty hula was to be repeated to get everything out. Her technique was very good and I don't ever recall leaking any water after the session on the way home.

Too bad that highway improvements forced her to close the business.