Docusate is available to take by mouth as a capsule, liquid, or tablet or for rectal use as an enema.
Docusate may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider. You should not use docusate for more than one week unless your health care provider tells you to do so. This makes it easier to have a bowel movement. Together, they can produce a bowel movement in six to twelve hours. One is a stool softener, and one is a bowel stimulant. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist.
What may interact with this medication?
Do not use for more than 1 week unless otherwise directed by your care team. Do not take your medication more often than directed. Follow the directions on the product label. Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water. It also helps the muscles in your intestines move stool.
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If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.
What are the serious side effects of docusate?
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. Take this medicine with 6 to 8 ounces of milk, juice, or infant formula to mask the bitter taste. Measure the oral liquid medicine with the cup it comes in, a teaspoon, or an oral syringe.
Docusate is commonly used to help you poop if you have occasional constipation. We anticipate reposting the images once we are able identify and filter out images that do not match the information provided in the drug labels. To view updated drug label links, paste the RSS feed address (URL) shown below into a RSS reader, or use a browser which supports RSS feeds, such as Safari for Mac OS X. Mix the dose in 6 to 8 ounces of milk, fruit juice, or infant formula before taking. Ask your pharmacist if you do not have one.
What will I get with the DailyMed RSS feed?
Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker Does interact with other drugs you are taking? It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect docusate.
Tell your doctor right away if you have rectal bleeding or fail to have a bowel movement after using this medicine. Check with your doctor or health care provider if you have any questions about the medication. It is important to always tell your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider of all prescription and over-the-counter medications you use, as well as the dosage for each, and keep a list of the information. Excessive use of stool softeners including docusate, can cause dependence on them for bowel movements.
What Is Docusate and How Does It Work?
Use it according to the product label or as your health care provider recommends. In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are taking mineral oil, which is a medicine used for constipation, while using docusate. Your health care provider will let you know if you should use docusate while breastfeeding.
Get the in-person or virtual care you need. Need a primary care doctor or a specialist? Throw away any unused medication after the expiration date.
More Info on this Drug
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
- Storage instructions can vary among docusate products.
- Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
- This makes it easier to have a bowel movement.
- It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect docusate.
The most common side effects of docusate are listed below. Follow the storage instructions on your specific product. This helps soften your poop and makes it easier to pass through your digestive tract. It works by lowering the surface tension of poop, which allows water and fat to mix in. Docusate is a surfactant laxative, also known as a stool softener.
Other Interactions
Most docusate overdoses are accidental in children, however, overdose may result from overuse by some people in an effort to lose weight. Common side effects of docusate include excessive bowel activity, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, intestinal obstruction, throat irritation and bitter taste (with syrup/liquid), rash (rare), and rectal bleeding (very rare). Inform your doctor of all medications you are currently taking, who can advise you on any possible drug interactions.
- Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water.
- While it may be prescribed for children as young as 2 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
- Read and follow the instructions for the product you have, and make sure you understand how to use it properly.
- If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose.
- DOCUSATE SODIUM; SENNA (doc CUE sayt SOE dee um; SEN na) prevents and treats occasional constipation.
Docusate has no known severe, serious, or moderate interactions with other drugs. Docusate is often used when straining to have a bowel movement should be avoided (e.g., after a heart attack or surgery). Stool softeners such as docusate are often the first method used for preventing and treating this type of constipation. If your constipation returns, check with your care team.
What is this medication?
Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. It belongs Docusate info to a group of medications called laxatives. DOCUSATE (doc CUE sayt) prevents and treats occasional constipation.
This medicine is available as an over-the-counter (OTC) product. It usually helps produce a bowel movement in 12 to 72 hours. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Some items may interact with your medicine. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. This list may not describe all possible interactions.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Colace® is a brand of docusate, which is a laxative that comes in a capsule form. You may report side effects to the FDA at FDA-1088. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.