Sodium Picosulfate

Sodium Picosulfate is a stimulant laxative medicine available in Bangladesh under many brand names. Below are its uses, dosage, side effects and precautions — and all brands with their current prices.

Sodium Picosulfate is indicated for:

• Short-term constipation — when lifestyle measures and gentler laxatives have not worked, or quick overnight relief is needed
• Constipation with painful anal conditions — to avoid straining with fissures or piles, per doctor's advice
• Bowel preparation — in combination products, to empty the colon before colonoscopy, imaging or surgery under medical supervision

It is a rescue option, not a daily habit. If constipation keeps returning, a registered doctor should look for the underlying cause instead of repeated stimulant laxative use.

Usual dosing of Sodium Picosulfate for constipation:

• Adults and children over 10 years: 5-10 mg (commonly 5-10 drops or one tablet, per product strength) once daily at bedtime
• Children: only on a doctor's prescription, dosed by age and weight
• Effect appears in about 6-12 hours — bedtime dosing gives a morning bowel movement

Start with the lowest dose and use it for the shortest possible time, generally not more than 5-7 consecutive days without medical advice. Drink plenty of fluids during use. Bowel-preparation regimens before colonoscopy follow a separate schedule set by the hospital or doctor. The dose for any individual patient should be confirmed by a registered doctor.

Possible side effects of Sodium Picosulfate:

• Common: abdominal cramps, gurgling, diarrhoea, nausea
• Less common: dizziness or faintness around bowel movements, vomiting
• With overuse or prolonged use: fluid loss and dehydration, low potassium and other electrolyte disturbances, dependence on laxatives with worsening bowel sluggishness

Stop the medicine and see a doctor if you get severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhoea, blood in the stool, muscle weakness or palpitations — the latter two can signal potassium loss, which matters especially for heart patients.

Precautions with Sodium Picosulfate:

• Short-term only: regular use trains the bowel to depend on stimulation; limit to days, not weeks
• Rule out serious causes first if constipation is new, severe, or alternates with diarrhoea
• Maintain fluid intake; elderly patients are more prone to dehydration and electrolyte upset
• Caution in patients on diuretics, corticosteroids or digoxin, where potassium shifts are riskier
• If there is no bowel movement after 2-3 nights of use, do not keep increasing the dose — consult a doctor
• Address fibre, fluids and activity so the laxative can be stopped

Interactions of Sodium Picosulfate to keep in mind:

• Diuretics and corticosteroids: combined potassium loss increases the risk of electrolyte imbalance
• Digoxin: low potassium from laxative overuse heightens digoxin toxicity risk
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics: may kill the colonic bacteria that activate sodium picosulfate, reducing its effect
• Other laxatives: stacking them multiplies cramps, diarrhoea and fluid loss

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all your medicines, especially heart medicines and recent antibiotic courses, before using Sodium Picosulfate.

Sodium Picosulfate must not be used in:

• Known hypersensitivity to sodium picosulfate or any component of the
• Intestinal obstruction or ileus
• Acute abdominal emergencies — appendicitis, acute inflammatory bowel disease, severe undiagnosed abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting
• Severe dehydration or significant electrolyte disturbance

Stimulant laxatives in these situations can cause perforation or dangerous fluid shifts. Children should receive it only on a doctor's prescription. If you are unsure whether it is safe for you, ask a registered doctor first.

Pregnancy: Sodium picosulfate is poorly absorbed and has not been linked to birth defects, but stimulant laxatives are generally reserved for occasional use in pregnancy after fibre, fluids and gentler options such as lactulose have failed — and only on a doctor's advice. Avoid regular use, which can cause fluid and electrolyte loss.

Lactation: Neither sodium picosulfate nor its active metabolite appears in breast milk in meaningful amounts, so occasional doses are generally considered compatible with breastfeeding. Persistent constipation while nursing should still be discussed with a doctor rather than managed with repeated stimulant laxatives.

Store below 30°C in a dry place, protected from light. Keep oral drops tightly capped and use within the period stated on the label after opening; keep tablets in their original blister. Keep out of the reach and sight of children — accidental ingestion can cause severe diarrhoea and dehydration in a child. Do not use after the expiry date.