Is it safe to take Senacot once a fortnight?

Maybe ask your doctor.

` I think I may have`

you need to see a doctor

Definitely go and discuss your symptoms with your doctor. There could be any number of causes for those symptoms, and trying to treat it yourself could do more harm than good.

Self medication is not a good route to go down. See a doctor, please.

My BIL self medicated, nearly lost his life, when his bowel strangulated. Surgeon said he was minutes from death.

Dazy
Did you bother to read the instructions?
You can take up to 4 a day.

At one point in my life I had to take large doses of Senakot regulalry, but I had a bowel condition and had been seen by doctors who what I was doing and why.

This shows that you can take large doeses quite regulalry without harm, but you are self medicating for an unknown medical condition - and that could quite literally be fatal.

Go and see your doctor.

Get. Medical. Advice.

Definitely get medical advice but I’ve seen recent research showing that regular use isn’t harmful.

Thank you. I am still trying to get an appointment. It's near impossible with my local GP practice

Tell them it's urgent.
Have you tried taking something less strong, such as fybogel (not sure how it's spelt)

It's a softener, rather than a laxative, so more gentle.

Either way, you still need medical advice, so insist, if you have to. 1

Please, if you are really worried about your condition and can't get an appointment with your GP, ring 111. They can instigate an urgent appointment with a doctor, if they consider it necessary. Hope you get help with your condition as quickly as possible.

If you do have diverticular disease, for example, then taking laxatives can lead to a perforation, so you definitely need to seek medical advice first.

Thank you everyone. MissInterpreted thanks for alerting me to that

There are other gentler options- Fybogel, as someone mentioned, Metamucil which is like Fybogel or Fruits and Fibres cubes from H and B.

You can take it much more often than that, unless you have certain medical conditions. I have bad IBS and constipation and my doctor told me I could take senna every night, it's perfectly safe for me. And I do. It helps. But do speak to a doctor first, about your abdominal pain etc.

Talk to your doctor as so many people have said but in case it is helpful to anyone, I find that eating a kiwi fruit (or two very occasionally) helps keep the system working well.

If you are finding it difficult to get a GP appt, you can always use the NHS app to write a question for the doctor. I have done that a couple of times and got replies straight away, if I have needed some advice. If they feel they need to speak to you in more detail, they will ask you to book an appt for a consultation, but sometimes a quick answer can do the trick.

INSIST on seeing a doctor. We have no such online communication with our (even though it's a large practice), but we do have a nightly/weekend out-of-hours clinic 3 miles away which is a godsend. Otherwise it's 111 and I've found it varies as to where they send you if needed, but even here they can insist on a local GP urgent appointment.

My MIL took Senokot intermittently for some years and ended up incontinent, which was very unpleasant. Mind you she didn't eat much fruit/veg and never drank water. My DH is similar, especially with water, so he might face the same issues in the future.

My DM took a senacot daily for years. So much better than constipation.
She lived until she was 93 but her diet lacked fibre.
Senna is a natural remedy.

In your case I would definitely get a medical check.

Senna is a good laxative to get your bowel moving, but should not be made a habit of if you can avoid it. See your doc about the symptoms!

Fibogel (?spelling)) is a bulker not a softener. Ask the doctor to diagnose your symptoms. I was recommended a softener (Macrogol) years and years ago and have taken it daily for years. It works well together with plenty fluid and apples with peel and so on.

I second Caleo's treatment. It makes such a difference to my life. I have IBS and Diverticulitis which aren't cured by it but certainly assist.

My GP recommended Lactulose, a reflux medication I take causes constipation.

I have diverticulosis and have had it for years. Definitely ring 111 if you cannot get an appointment, they are very good and will help you get to see someone. Doctor needs to have a prod around your old tum. Diverticulitis when it strikes is usually more prevalent down the left hand side of the bowel and not the right. It may just be a case of an infection and they can and I have had a course of very strong antibiotics, so strong that you are banned for 14 days from having any alcoholic drink. Not even a drop is allowed otherwise you would end up in hospital and very ill. Best to get this sorted. Worrying about it is far worse as I found out. I even failed my colonoscopy but all was not lost I then was sent for a colonography , which is like a huge polo mint they put you through and believe me is a doddle. My wish for you in 2025 is to get better. You can live with diverticulosis it isnt easy at times , in fact it is a b nuisance but we cope.

All my love.