Magnesium Citrate - Oral

Has anyone used magnesium citrate in their clean-out solution ??

Not in an enema, but I had to drink it as part of a Colonoscopy prep. The results were pretty explosive, and I was sore for a couple of days afterwards.

Oh I have when doing a laxative based cleanout. Drank it that is. Let's just say stay very close to the toilet, because once it kicks in, it REALLY kicks in, and it's the gift that keeps on giving for a while.

Elaine

I take a magnesium citrate supplement every day. I would say in oral form or pill form it is not a super laxative at least not for me. But I do have 2 daily BMs and I would consider my system a relatively fast-moving system and I never have any constipation. In some ways I think it helps my system to quickly bounce back from my enemas. So for now I will keep taking it.

Only for colonoscopy preparation, usually with enemas added later by my own design,

Eric

I've taken it a few times and not had any really strong urge to poo or strong result. Yes, it usually makes me poo after a few hours, but not strongly or urgently.

Numerous times!

At one time, before colonoscopy, there was a test called a Barium enema.

Like a colonoscopy it required a clear digestive tract.

Some of the preps involved Magnesium Citrate, and also oral bisacodyl

Essentially, it works this way:

After at least 12 hours of no solid food, At around mid afternoon, A Fleet enema was taken.

Once that had settled down, usually about an hour, a full bottle of Magnesium citrate was consumed. The flavor was stronger then, and sometimes you could throw it up if you were not careful.

I did try to duplicate that cleanse as a modern system cleanse.

I have found it to be best to hold the magnesium Citrate in one hand and a stadium cup of ice water in the other. I knelt in front of the toilet, with a pillow under my knees. Getting it down without vomiting works this way:

While kneeling in front of the toilet(just in case) Deep breath, sip of magnesium citrate, sip of ice water. Count to 10. Repeat until no more Magnesium citrate. Then over the next several minutes, drink the rest of the ice water.

You will feel the stuff in your gut within 15 minutes or so. You don't want to get too far from the toilet. Starting about 2-3 hours in, you should get the worst diarrhea you have ever had.

After 4 hours take 20 mg oral bisacodyl tablets (4 tablets) DO NOT CHEW.

Over the next hours you WILL pass the contents of your digestive tract.

What can anybody tell me about this stuff. I have to use it for bowel prep. Is it gonna rip my insides out? How long does it take, etc?

Individual response to Magnesium Citrate seems to vary quite a bit.

Firstly, this comment applies only to the ca 10 Oz bottle of the solution. The stuff is not utterly disgusting to take, but is not your favorite soda pop either. The full dose should be drunk down quickly on an empty stomach, well chilled to help hide the taste.

Taken this way, some people start to get an urge to poo in about a half to a few hours. This can be extremely urgent, followed quickly by a flood of liquid poo, but not always.

Last time I took it, nothing happened for about 6 hours and even then the urge was mild… almost like a normal poo. I was quite disappointed.

Because of the variability in the response, I would not take it at bedtime or when you don't have prompt, easy access to a toilet (or are fully diapered with protective panties).

What @Sean says below is mostly what I've experienced also. I've only had the stuff as part of my prep for colonoscopies. I chill it and mix it with Sprite, the taste isn't too bad especially if you drink it relatively quickly. For me, it results in a strong urge to poop usually within an hour. However, that's usually just one of the beginning steps of the prep instructions I've been given. If I remember correctly, PEG (Miralax) solution starts soon after. Ugh, the memories…

I was given this as prep for colonoscopy because mirilax didn't do a good job the last time. Is there something better, quicker, more predictable?

The full dose should be drunk down quickly on an empty stomach, well chilled to help hide the taste.

I did not mind being given it when I was young. Yes, needs to be served well-chilled. I got it before going to bed and it worked in the morning. Thinking back, not sure why I given it since strong soapy bulb enemas were my parents go-to solution when sitting too long without producing.

NO, it won't “Rip your insides out”

The hardest part is the taste, and that seems to have become less intense in recent year

Still there is some chance you could throw kit up while you are trying to drink it. 10 minutes after you drink it, the sickly sweet/bitter aftertaste is gone, or mostly gone.

Here is what I have found to be the best way to get it down:

Leave it in the fridge overnight

Make up a large stadium cup of ice water.

Put a pillow in front of the toilet

Kneel on the pillow.

Take a sip of magnesium citrate

Then immediately a sip of water.

Count to 10

Repeat.

If you feel like you are having trouble wait a 50 count and take some deep breaths.

When you get to the end of the magnesium citrate, take a couple more sips of the water before standing up.

Over the next 20 minutes drink the rest of the stadium cup of water.

Within 20m minutes or so after that, you will hear, and eventually feel some tummy rumblings.

It should not be too uncomfortable. There may be a touch of nausea, but not usually.

Stay within a few steps of the toilet, because once things start to happen, it can go pretty fast.

From the time you take the last sip, it will take at least 20 minutes, but not much more that 2 hours.

Once you feel it coming, get to the toilet and don't hold it back!!!

LET IT COME OUT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO DO SO ANYWAY!

When it's ready not when you are!

It will peak in about 3-4 hours, and be essentially worn off in 6-7 hours

If it's a prep for a colonoscopy or Barium enema. you will be doing it on an empty stomach and you will follow after about 3-4 hours with 20mg bisacodyl (Generic Dulcolax) The standard adult dose is 10-15 mg. On an empty stomach that laxative will take about 4 hours to kick in, and kick in it will

https://www.howtopronounce.com/bisacodyl

Bisacodyl acts ONLY on the large intestine.

The thinking is that the magnesium citrate will by then have pushed the contents of the small intestine down into the large intestine where the bisacodyl will move it out.

The whole process takes about 8-12 hours.

Generally it is not as bad as it is often made up to be!!

It is a strong laxative, works fast maybe 2 to 4 hours . Didn't like the taste lemon citrus.

It is a strong laxative, works fast maybe 2 to 4 hours . Didn't like the taste lemon citrus

Interesting that as I mentioned I got the entire small bottle when young at bedtime and was able to go the entire night without getting up… It worked in the morning, but I can't remember what it was like or if I still got and enema…

Been there, done that. For me, it takes 30 to 45 minutes, before the storm begins. I do keep some water handy to drink in between mouthfuls of the stuff. But folks are correct about the bitter taste, I've tried both the lemon and the cherry stuff, and they are about the same.

Elaine

The few times I have been forced to drink a full bottle of Magnesium Citrate it has made me have a massive liquid poop in about an hour to an hour and a half. The taste is horribly salty with the lemon flavoured kind but the cherry flavoured kind is a bit more palatable. My Mom made me drink a full bottle of it several times during my teens when I got severely constipated and it just cleaned everything out of me.

Several years ago my husband used some magnesium citrate. He didn't think it was too bad and tasted a bit like a too sweet store brand version of 7-up. About two hours later his description of the results was that it was like a rocket booster being ignited. I vaguely remember how much time he spent in the potty and the many successive flushings, but to say that it cleaned him out would be an understatement.

I'm pretty sure I had to drink this about 10 years ago for a colonoscopy. It was a little sweet, but I got it down and it only took about 30 minutes to work. I actually didn't think it was too bad and did it the night before then early the next morning and had quick results both times.

I had it for a colonoscopy, and the results are pretty explosive. I was so sore I wanted to cry.

I’m probably a weirdo but it’s one of my favorite laxatives and by far the most effective and least revolting of the liquid ones (hell is liquid dulcolax, and if you have never tried it, take my word for it, it’s like toothpaste mixed with the worst mint choc chip ice cream, and some chalk, for that extra yuck texture). If you drink Mg citrate on an empty stomach it can hit you pretty hard and fast but I have had to wait for a few hours sometimes. The consensus is that you should hydrate a lot with it. In my case (but please understand it’s just my GI tract, and it’s very moody, and I would not consider it to be the norm), all the Gatorade zero I can drink without feeling nauseous makes everything work better and, if I am lucky, faster. It’s never a given and sometimes I have to take a second bottle but please, if you are doing any kind of medical prep, follow your physician‘s instructions and not mine. I have to get scoped very often because of my Lynch, and I have tried all of the prep stuff out there and combinations thereof and sometimes I have to call my doctor and make sure that it’s okay to tweak them and add something because I feel that the standard doses are not working on my bowels that particular time.

I find that a little vodka makes everything go down almost okay (and it’s not something that I would advise, but I have indeed brought it up with my doctor and he doesn’t quite approve of i, but he tells me that he would rather I kept up with the whole prep and with the check ups and if a spoonful of Absolut is what makes it bearable, and it is really just that much, he is fine with it. It is really just a spoonful and washed down with so much Gatorade zero that it is really more of a placebo than anything else but it helps me. Again, check with your doctor and please no bashing. I’m only sharing my experience and I have written enough disclaimers 🤣).

I prefer my Mg citrate at room temperature unless it’s during the summertime. Most people would puke at the sole thought of it but remember that it is also an option and that for some people cold=spasms and that you can have a better experience with room temperature prep gunk.

The cramps can get rough, especially if combined with dulcolax an/or senna (go me!) tablets. I am always paranoid that the regular prep dose is not going to do its job and I will have to repeat the test that I will be generous with the dosages, but it’s cleared with my doctor and I have never had anything but squeaky clean insides. I’m awake for my colonoscopies and it’s actually almost fun to watch how pristinely clean I can be. Mg citrate does work very well. Hydrate throughout the whole process and hydrate more and keep hydrating, unless told otherwise by your doctor. They are also the person who you should call if you can’t keep it down, feel unwell and your body is responding to a chemical that can get pretty harsh in some odd way.

Good luck!

It works well and fast and does the job for a colonoscopy. As I recall there is a bit of not eating solids and clean out before ever going to the Magnesium Citrate. Just plan on not venturing too far from home and the nearest bathroom in prep for a colonoscopy!

But it’s all good and a colonoscopy is worth making sure there are not more dangerous issues going on. I have a bottle of the stuff in my medicine cabinet waiting for next time since I ended up buying a multi dose bottle which I did not fully use for last colonoscopy. I should check if there is an expiration date on it since last result showed I am good for several years!

I had to use it for preparation for a colonoscopy. They had me first take a double dose of ducolax pills then a few hours later drink two bottles of it. All on a liquid diet only that day. All I can say it cleaned me out real quickly and at the end I was basically peeing out of my ass.

@TheBriannaYouCrave I’m probably a weirdo but it’s one of my favorite laxatives and by far the most effective and least revolting of the liquid ones…

You are much appreciated and thanks so much for sharing! Thinking about what I posted down thread about my being given Mag. Cit. when young - I wondering if I really was able to go to bed after it and sleep through the night without it working till I got up in the morning. Maybe I wasn't given the entire bottle. Oh well, a mystery to me…

Using the lemon/lime Mag. Cit., I like it good and cold with a shot of vodka and a wedge of lemon. It makes it easier to get down and also relaxes you a bit from the vodka.

Dan

I have used it many times.

It has been around since before either of my parents knew what it was.

I am pretty sure it was not the very first, but one of the early enema sessions my parents had together involved something called an Evac-Q-Kit, which was essentially a bottle of Magnesium Citrate, 4 bisacodyl tablets wrapped together, not in individual “bubble pack” like it is sold now, and a rather large, white suppository. Obviously NOT the translucent glycerin suppository you would think.

The kit was sold to prepare people for a Barium Enema, which was much more widely used then because colonoscopy was just coming into use.

Because there was no widespread use of colonoscopy then, no thought was given to color.

The Magnesium Citrate was bright red, and so sickly sweet, it could too easily trigger the gag reflex. The bisacodyl tablets were apparently colored red as well. Only the 2 large suppositories were white.