Laxative, the well-known medicine that is taken at night makes the morning less straining for those who are suffering from constipation. But over time one might get so much addicted to laxatives that they might not able to pass stool in the morning without having a dose of laxative the night before. In other words, they end up becoming laxative abusers. As we know, too much of certain things leads to consequences, the laxatives are no exception. Certain side-effects may be associated with laxative use, most are not fatal, but there is one side-effect that you should be worried about if you use laxative as a daily ritual.
What is a Laxative?
A laxative is a medicine is used to make stool softer and is used to treat constipation. There are many types of laxatives like- Bulking Agents, Osmotic and Hyperosmolar Laxatives, Stimulant Laxatives, and many others. The basic mechanism about how laxative works lies in the fact that laxatives increase the water content in the stool (some often causing the intestine to secrete fluid to make the stool wet) and thus makes the stool easy to pass without straining.
Laxative Side Effects – The Common Ones
Like many other medicines, laxatives can also lead to certain side effects. The most common side effects of Laxative use that has been reported by many include:
- Excessive Bloating
- Farting frequently
- Cramps in the belly
- Dehydration leading to dizziness
- Diarrhea
The Dreadful Laxative Side Effect
Laxative use over a long period can have dreadful consequences. This side-effect is mainly seen in laxative abusers who have been using a laxative for months to years. As I have already mentioned, laxatives work by increasing water content in the stool, if water consumption is less on those consuming laxatives, to increase the stool water content sometimes it does so at the cost of losing water from the body in the intestine, this leads to hypovolemia, in other words, a decrease in circulating blood volume (90 percent of the plasma in the blood is water). Apart from this laxative abuse can cause hypokalemia (a low level of potassium in the blood due to its loss through the stool).
Hypokalemia and Hypovolemia together result in diminished blood flow to the muscles, which can lead to muscle breakdown, a condition called rhabdomyolysis. All this together can lead to RENAL OR KIDNEY FAILURE IN LAXATIVE ABUSERS, which can be life-threatening and sometimes requires hemodialysis as well. Although rare, many cases have been reported about this side-effect of laxative abuse.
So, if you are finding it difficult to pass stool without the use of laxatives, and have been using the medicine for years, make sure you visit a physician to help get rid of this addiction and hence prevent developing this serious side-effect associated with laxative use.
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