The funniest thing about "The Bomb" I had a caregiver that I hired and he was taking a CNA class. He wanted to try The Bomb so I mixed up a batch. He tried it. Said it did not taste bad. Unfortunately "The Bomb" did not "go off" until he was sitting in class that evening.
Was she, in previous years, a habitual user of over-the-counter laxatives?
It doesn't really matter if your mother becomes "dependent" on something as relatively harmless as a common laxative, does it? If she's used to opening her bowels every day, and feels uncomfortable if it doesn't happen, and especially if she was the type to take senna three or four times a week throughout her adult life, I should aim to support her own established routine as far as you can.
But if something has *changed* - her bowel habit, or her anxiety about it, or her diet - then you might want to investigate a bit further first. Just in case something else needs attention, and/or there are better solutions for her.
I notice you include incontinence among the issues on your profile. Is your mother able to transfer to toilet or commode for bowel movements?
For my Mom Miralax was very harsh. If she didn't have a BM by the 3rd day I gave her Milk of Magnesia in a tablet. But I would find other ways before using any laxatives. Apple juice, coffee. But like said, if its not going in its not coming out.
It is truly amazing how focused "we" become with bodily functions. Every time we go to the doctors office it is one of the questions that gets asked...are you constipated...do you have diarrhea...? Is there a way you can ask the doctor to tell mom that it is normal to not have a bowel movement every day. Even write a note so you can show her when she asks about it. As a person ages and food intake lessens it is normal that the bowel habits change. Combine that will decreased activity and a day or two between BM's is not uncommon. I/we (Hospice was involved) used Senna daily it is a laxative and the advice of Hospice was to give it daily. So I guess it is not "harmful" the Senna actually helps stimulates the muscles and that is what she may need. This might be something you would want to discuss with her doctor. Even with the 2 times a day my Husband got the Senna there were times I had to resort to other methods. I gave him prunes daily went from whole to pureed. I used a puree of pineapple and papaya (very common in OTC cleansing tablets but I just pureed real fruits. I would also use Miralax but it had to be mixed with food as it thins out foods thickened with a product like Thickit. "The Bomb" a mixture of 1/4 Cup Prune juice, 1/4 Cup Milk of Magnesia, 1/4 Cup Orange juice warmed up. and also last resort Magnesium Citrate. And real final last resort .....a suppository and a glove!
Was she, in previous years, a habitual user of over-the-counter laxatives?
It doesn't really matter if your mother becomes "dependent" on something as relatively harmless as a common laxative, does it? If she's used to opening her bowels every day, and feels uncomfortable if it doesn't happen, and especially if she was the type to take senna three or four times a week throughout her adult life, I should aim to support her own established routine as far as you can.
But if something has *changed* - her bowel habit, or her anxiety about it, or her diet - then you might want to investigate a bit further first. Just in case something else needs attention, and/or there are better solutions for her.
I notice you include incontinence among the issues on your profile. Is your mother able to transfer to toilet or commode for bowel movements?
Every time we go to the doctors office it is one of the questions that gets asked...are you constipated...do you have diarrhea...?
Is there a way you can ask the doctor to tell mom that it is normal to not have a bowel movement every day. Even write a note so you can show her when she asks about it.
As a person ages and food intake lessens it is normal that the bowel habits change. Combine that will decreased activity and a day or two between BM's is not uncommon.
I/we (Hospice was involved) used Senna daily it is a laxative and the advice of Hospice was to give it daily. So I guess it is not "harmful" the Senna actually helps stimulates the muscles and that is what she may need. This might be something you would want to discuss with her doctor. Even with the 2 times a day my Husband got the Senna there were times I had to resort to other methods.
I gave him prunes daily went from whole to pureed.
I used a puree of pineapple and papaya (very common in OTC cleansing tablets but I just pureed real fruits.
I would also use Miralax but it had to be mixed with food as it thins out foods thickened with a product like Thickit.
"The Bomb" a mixture of 1/4 Cup Prune juice, 1/4 Cup Milk of Magnesia, 1/4 Cup Orange juice warmed up.
and also last resort Magnesium Citrate.
And real final last resort .....a suppository and a glove!