CommunityBrowse groupsBlogEtiquetteInvite Your friendsSuccess Stories

Lounge
Community 


Use of laxatives

Through out the last few years, I have encountered friends who have used laxatives. One friend used them daily, but the others said they would use them on occassion if they knew they were going to over eat. Not that I am considering using laxatives, but some people swear by them for weight control. Has anybody tried this? What are the side effects? Are there long term side effects? Just curious...because it seems like I keep hearing about laxatives.

Tue. Jun 12, 9:57am

Add comment  
I used laxatives long ago when my eating disorder had a strong hold of me. Don't do it it's a slippery slope.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:04 AM

Add comment
so, you're not considering using laxatives, but you want to know about how and if they work and what side effects they might have? please. take a moment and ask yourself seriously, " do i think using laxatives may be a smart, healthy and sound way to lose weight?" keep saying to yourself," burn more calories than i eat." if you keep hearing about proper eating and exercising, maybe that will help drown out the things you keep hearing about laxatives.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:09 AM

Add comment
My dh has to use laxatives regularly because of chronic constipation but I would never consider it as a weight loss measure.

If you want to have more regular BM try taking fiber cabsules or fiber supplements like Benefiber or Metamucil.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:18 AM

Add comment
or how about eating actual food with high fiber content? why do you need to find a short cut or an alternative to just sticking to eating healthy foods in proper protions and exercising?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:20 AM

Add comment
O.P.
Hey guys, thanks for your comments. I appreciate it. I'm healthy & at my goal weight---I should've mentioned that in my post. I was honestly just curious because it does seem like I keep hearing about laxative use, like it is some normal thing or something. I just wanted to throw it out there & hear some honest accounts. I know that "friends"/aquantainces may not be completely honest about something so personal. Thank you.



Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:37 AM

Add comment
we read and see a lot about using weight-loss drugs and illegal drugs and starving and crazy cabbage diets as well. use your noodle to weed through the obviously poor choices that some people make and try to push onto others, maybe in an attempt to hide their stupidity / guilt for having made silly decisions.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:57 AM

Add comment
I have to admit that i use laxitives after i have eaten a huge meal. The downside is I always feel terrible, physically afterwards, so to me the side effects are not worth the trouble.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 8:00 PM

Add comment
The side effects are cramps & runny... It can hurt alot. If I ever use them, I usually think, why? Why do I intentionally give myself cramps.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 8:03 PM

Add comment
A nice laxative tea can be really helpful, and way more "natural" than over the counter laxatives. Have a cup before bed.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 9:09 PM

Add comment
I use laxatives occassionally. I used to use them frequently like your friend, daily, because the effects are addicting, you feel instantly thin. But then I had a wake up call and learned that it's really dangerous and harmful to your body. I haven't completely quit using them, sometimes when I overeat which is rarely these days, or if I eat something that I know will make me constipated, I use them. Other times are when I have an event or something, I've gotten good at knowing how they will affect me...sometimes, laxatives will make you go and go and go so you have to be careful!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:19 PM

Add comment
dehydration?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:36 PM

Add comment
Dehydration.
Mineral/electrolyte imbalances.
Prevents absorption of medications (think: birth control pill!!).
You feel sick and week the whole day.

I take a dose a few times a year when I go 4 days or more without going. I haven't needed to take any in nearly a year, since I boosted my fruits and vegetables and replaced white bread with wheat (the difference between getting 10g fiber a day and 25-30g a day).

Also, for "weight control" - this is purging and therefore a form of bulimia.
And you build up a resistance to them so you need more and more. I'm talking about a box a day.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 12:22 AM

Add comment
WHOA! a box a day?!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 9:32 AM

Add comment
I was addicted to laxatives, it started in college with a "Natural Tea". I started using them for constipation but then noticed I started to lose weight, I was hooked. It came at a big price though. By the time I was 25 I was so dependent on them and I was a prisoner to the Bathroom. I ended up at the Dr because of internal bleeding. He basically told me that if I continued to take laxatives I would probably be in diapers by the time I turned 30. Now that scared the c**p out of me, literally!
It took me along time to get off of them and some therapy too, I became addicted to the empty feeling.
Take it from me…don’t start, it’s not worth it!



Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 10:01 AM

Add comment
because eating fiber means that you have to eat to lose that weight. Having an eating disorder i know that most anorexics or bulimics want to feel skinny and don't want to eat much, thus they chose laxatives, its a light and easy way to feel skinny! Not that I am encouraging this behavior, but until you are in the shoes of a person with an eating disorder you cannot judge.

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 1:32 AM

Add comment
Don't do it! My sister had to have her colon removed.

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 9:33 PM

Add comment
so for all the assholes that suggest perfect portion control and exercise as a way to lose weight.....yeah....that doesn't work for everyone.
i run cross country.
i play soccer.
i take laxatives.
they hurt.
but what's the point of having food just sit inside of you and turn into useless fat?

Link

Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 6:01 PM

Add comment
Don't take laxatives unless you absolutely need to. The body can start depending on them and then you need higher and higher doses of stronger and stronger laxatives.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7:02 PM

Add comment
Please please please do not start taking laxatives - the more you take them, the less effective they are - therefore you have to take more every time you use them. Laxatives are a quick fix that provide instant relief when you look at the scale, but you aren't really losing weight! You still have the same muscle and fat as you did before. Drinking water/hot drinks (tea & coffee) and eating high fiber foods (FiberOne original cereal, yogurt with fiber, adding Benefiber to foods, taking a fiber supplement, snacking on veggies and fruit) helps your digestive system plus helps you lose the weight. Trust me it works! I have a birth defect involving my intestines and digestive system and this is how I have been able to stay away from the laxatives.

Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:12 AM

Add comment
I am also a little concerned when it comes to weight loss with laxatives or other new trend drugs. The pharma industry is trying to make some money with the fears of the dieting community. These smart drugs for weight loss can be very dangerous, they can harm your body and digestive system and you can get addicted to it - and I know people who believe in these drugs and can't stop taking them.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 4:18 AM

Add comment
Sadly i currently take almost 60 lax pills a day. That is the cutting-back figure. I have a long way to go and ists very hard to stop. I havent ever mentioned it to anyone i know, but it has had some horrific side effects, hair loss, bleeding from both ends, breaking bones easily, bruising easily, i have lost weight but now i have come to wonder, at what cost?

Sunday, October 21, 2012, 11:36 PM

Add comment








Related Content:

How To Lose Weight- The Basics
Weight Watchers Points System
The Fat Smash Diet
The Eat To Live Diet
The Beck Diet Solution
How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight

 

How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer

How To Burn Fat
Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works
Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight?
Tips On Using PEERtrainer
Visit The PEERtrainer Community
Diet and Fitness Resources

Fitness

Weight Watchers Meetings
Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are
Writing Down Your Daily Workouts
Spending Money On A Personal Trainer?
How I Became A Marathon Runner

 

Preventive Health

How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout
Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot?
Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer?
Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy
Reversing Disease Through Nutrition

New Diet and Fitness Articles:

Weight Watchers Points Plus
How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise
New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program
New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive
Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program
 

Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne:

Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough
How To Delay Short Term Gratification
How To Stay Motivated
How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule

Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions

Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight?
Are Protein Drinks Safe?
Nutrition As Medicine?
 

Everyday Weight Loss Tips

How To Eat Healthy At A Party
How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight
The Three Bite Rule
Tips On How To Stop A Binge