still on miralax--that wouldnt be drying my eyes out worse would it?

[valene2009]

if i dont take miralax i cannot go period.. some days arent as bad with eyes but most are. i was curious if miralax is dryng. i tried looking at older posts but there is so much info plus my eyes are bothering me.

i also take magnesium citrate..400mg.. i read on here to try 800mg.. maybe that would be enough??? even with the 400mg i never could go.

[gold55]

I would think the magnesium would really help if it's OK by your doc to go up to 800mg!  the magnesium in my calcium pills I know helps me a lot.

[Winnie]

I experimented with fiber supplements this summer and after a while, I believed it was very drying to me.  Then my constipation got worse and had to use Miralax.  I would find that the days I didn't take Miralax that my dry eyes and mouth symptoms would be much better.  Coincidence?  Who knows.  I take align now and sometimes I naturally increase my fiber with prunes or beans.  I am 85% better.  Can you take magnesium with plaquenil?

Winnie

[jazzlover]

If you switch to magnesium OXIDE, it will work better. It is the least absorbed, so therefore works BETTER as a "laxative." I  have no clue on the Miralax. I use it once in a while. Haven't noticed one way or the other.

[valene2009]

thanks i will try the oxide form.. appreciate it.

[valene2009]

i was taking magnesium citrate to help with my migraines-which it does but doesnt seem to help the constipation. mabye the oxide will help with headaches too... i tried researching it .. too much info.
i read you can take magnesium 4 hours apart from plaquenil so yes..
thanks

[irish]

The first thing I would do is to call your pharmacy and see what they say about taking magnesium citrate with the Miralax. Both of these drugs can contribute to the electrolye balance in your blood stream under the right conditions. Could be that they are not to be taken at the same time.

I would also call and ask your eye doctors office to check with the doc in regards to any eye side effects from these 2 drugs whether taken separately or together. Just a thougyht. We need to be careful about the OTC drugs that we take cause sometimes they are not as harmless as one would think. Irish

[susanep]

What is causing us all to have such terrible constipation? I didn't use to have it, and now daily.

susanep

[valene2009]

i skipped the Miralax completley and just took Magnesium-but i took 800mg instead of 400mg... anytime i ask an eye doc if something like Miralax will dry me out they say it shouldnt.. i really dont think they know.. or they say there is the potential.etc...
i know i woke up less dry today-but it could be a fluke as my sjogrens goes up and down all the time.. i will call my doc later and make sure 800mg of magnesium is ok.

[irish]

Susan, The constipation of sjogrens is generally caused by the decrease in oral and gastric secretions/mucus. Most people don't realize that the colon depends a lot on the mucus secretions for many functions and one of these it to "help grease" the stool so that it moves easier along the intestinal tract.

Stool that doesn't have much mucus in it is also very dry which in turn causes it to become more firm. Also, the neuropathy that can affect the legs and feet and other parts of the body can also affect the gastrointestinal tract and this can slow down the movement of stool from the beginning to the end---so to speak.

When food moves along the GI tract the beginning of digestion starts in the mouth when we chew and add the saliva/mucus, etc. Food goes to the stomach and there are more stages that it goes through. When it reaches the small intestine it is called chyme and is sort of a semi liguid slurry. As it moves through the small intestine there are more bodily functions that take place.

The large intestine is the part of the colon where the water is absorbed from the stool mass making the stool more formed to be passed. When you stop and think of all the areas of the GI tract and their different mucus secretions it is surprising that any of us can poop at all. 

All in all, our mucus is just darned important. Irish

[gurs]

I find that every medication and supplement is somewhat drying..some worse than others. A doctor or pharmacist will prob laugh though, as they dont understand. Im finding an allergy to something-some ingredient can cause the added dryness too. Its so hard to figure out.

I used to think I was constipated, but it was the gastroparesis (in my case) that caused me not going. Hormones and menopause also play a huge part. I take a magnesium supplement by NOW brand that a different magnesiums in it...citrate, oxide aspartate...400mg tabs I believe. I guess you can take as much as your bowel will allow?

Gursie

[mews]

I think it is really important to follow up with your GI doc and if you don't have one you should get one ASAP. I have a great one who I have to see every 3 to 4 weeks because of the slow motility with constant constipation and then diarrhea, the constant flip flopping. We have tried so many different combinations of meds. Currently I'm on Amitiza and now trying to work on the dose to see if that will help.
Needless to say we exhausted every over the counter drug in every combination nothing worked. I wish you luck with this, there's nothing worse than constipation!

Stay Well Mary