User Reviews for Amitiza oral

Having been chronically constipated since a far back (at least this is what I am told) as toilet training, this drug was initially an answer to my prayers. Now, the side effects are really interfering wtih my life. HORRIBLE NAUSEA. Bowel movements that are not bowel movements at all, but water and waste that seems unnaturally formed. It also works differently with on-going use and in inconsistent as to when it is effective. My worst experience: when it is effective, it has kept me in bed feeling as though I was sick with the flu. On other occasions, it has not worked at all. I've had to change the dose several times (twice daily at 24mcg is too strong, 8mcg's twice daily does nothing). I thought this would be relief from the sluggishness and cramping of constipation (fiber supplements, colace, miralax, etc.do not help at all). Perhaps the makes of this drug can make it a "cleaner" drug, meaning have it hone in on symtoms more effectively without the spill over effects on the body that cause side-effects that really affect quality of life. They are definitely onto something cutting-edge here, it just needs some fine-tuning. Also, there pharmaceutical reps are pushing this big time to doctors and sadly doctors have little training in how to dose it correctly to suit patient's individual concerns. Doctors prescribing this should try it once!! Read More Read Less

I originally was given doctor's samples of the 8mcg Amitiza dosage and got good results almost right away,but shortness of breath. My doctor was concerned about the shortness of breath and wanted me to try Aloe Vera juice, which didn't work. So he agreed to prescribe the Amitiza. However, my ins. wouldn't pay for it. Fast forward to last night: I am visiting a friend in a foreign country where I can buy it over the counter for the equiv of $3.50 per ten capsules(!) Yay! But they only had the 24mcg dosage of the Amitiza instead of the 8mcg. I took one - noticed a little shortness of breath, but not too bad. In the evening right before going to bed, took the second capsule. I wake up a little later with; profound horrendous nausea unlike anything I've ever experienced before, sweating, searing headache, pretty bad shortness of breath. I was afraid I was going to defecate,vomit and pass out all at once on the way to the bathroom! I managed to get myself back into bed, very frightened and I wondered if I needed to go to hospital. I'm not a religious person, but I prayed to God for the horrible four-fold side effects to cease, and I'd imagined that this was what eternal torment in hell would feel like. I was never so relieved in my life when I started feeling some relief from the excruciating side-effects, about 10 minutes later. Horrible headache and weakness the next day, but had decent bowel movement - worth it? NO! I'm going back to OTC stool softener/laxatives, and am grateful I survived this horrific Amitiza medication side-effects experience. Read More Read Less

I have IBS with constipation, which i found out about 3 years ago and the doctor put me on the 24 mcg at first it worked well then about 1 month after taking this got cramps and bad stomach pain so he switched me to the 8mcg and it have been working well for about 10 years i have always had constipation and now for the past 3 years i have been taking 8 mcg and go at least once a day most of the 2. now depends some foods i eat give me belly pain and sometimes get bloated but overall works for me and i am only 34 years old. Read More Read Less

I'm so sad this drug isn't working for me. I have had chronic constipation my entire life (I'm 33). I was so hopeful and excited to begin taking Amitiza. I have taken it twice a day religiously for 6 days. It produced a BMx2 the first day (accompanied by nausea) and 1 BM the second day and nothing since. I'm pretty anxious about this so I'll be calling my doc first thing Monday am. I'm scared of what this could indicate. I have my first colonoscopy in 3 weeks (oh joy) and I'm actually looking forward to it because I want answers.Read More Read Less

I AM VERY SATISFIED AND EASE OF TAKING THIS MEDICATION.

After being sick for 3mths. my bowels took the plunge for the worst. I couldn't go to the bathroom for the life of me and in instance I didn't go for almost a month. The Doctors were ready to send me to a University or last resort placing a bag on my side. I told them no under no conditions that I was too young to have this done to me. So the Doctor gave me the chance to live a normal life and prescibed this medication. Do I love it yes and for me the side effects were minimal compared to what it would have been.Read More Read Less

The side effects of this med are not worth it. My Doctor did not talk to me about the severity of the side effects and I have been miserable on this med. Only took it for two weeks. Cannot tolerate it any longer.

I started with the 8mcg. a week of that and was not able to go.Dr upped the dose to the 24mcg 2x's a day. Well I'm on day 4 and still no bowel movement. I don't know which is worse, the all day nausea or heavy breathing, fast heart beat? I'm going to try and give it 2weeks but this all day nausea is hard! I do feel sometimes it is gonna come out both ends but hasn't happend yet. How long does it take to start haveing a bowel movement once a day? Female 32yrs.

I HAVE BEEN CONSIPATED SINCE I WAS A CHILD. I WOULD GO 3 WEEKS LONG WITH OUT A BOWEL MOVEMENT & WOULD HAVE TO SPEND MY DAY OFF TAKING OTC LAXATIVES & BEING MISERAABLE. I DO FIND THAT YOU MUST DRINK PLENTY OF WATER & EAT A LITTLE BITE PRIOR TO TAKING AMITZA OTHER WISE IT CAUSES A BAD HEADACHE, PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE I SUFFER FROM MIGRANES ANYWAY. WHO KNOWS. I DO WISH IT WAS CHEAPER THO. OVERALL I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS PILL I GET TO ENJOY MY DAY OFF NOW & I HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT AT LEAST EVERYOTHER DAY. I HOPE THAT THEY DO NOT TAKE OFF MARKET LIKE THEY HAVE VIOXX & OTHERS. ALL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK FOR SOME OR PEAOPLE ARE SUE HAPPY THESE DAYS.Read More Read Less

I have been on Amitiza for about five yrs now. So needless to say I have gotten use to the side effects. I still have to drink Kleri tea about once a week to have a bowel movement. But it relieves my bloating and the pain that I have with IBS. Without taking it I feel like I have a huge basketball sitting inside my stomach. I am realizing the side effets that I may have are the tightness in my chest. It goes away immeditly if I drink a full 16 oz of water right when I feel the tightness. I also feel the anxiety and the weird feeling of life. But to feel better there I have to run daily and that corrects my mood. So Its worth taking because it gets rid of the bloating and uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. You just have to figure out how to correct the side effects. :) Good luck!Read More Read Less

The product worked but I was very dizzy and tired while taking it and nauseated at times

I have been taking Amitiza for 2 months. I was ecstatic initially a) that my insurance FINALLY partly covered it, and b) that my bowels began doing SOMETHING daily, though the movements were mostly liquid, incomplete and gassy. But the side effects (not intolerable at first) have increased - flulike symptoms, dry skin (painfully dry face), bloating, and gas rumbling noisily around my insides - and now I have been diagnosed with rosacea on my face for the first time in my life. I feel exactly as if I have mild food poisoning, and I have a suspicion. I believe Amt probably irritates the colon lining so it produces a lot of fluid (there's no other reason the colon would do this), which also fires up the immune system to fight a possible invasion/stomach flu. To have this going on every day in your system has to be really deleterious to some of us. My whole body is irritated now. My face is a red sore mess and my lungs feel inflamed as well. I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't autoimmune consequences for susceptible patients from this overpriced drug. The Amitiza website is evasive about the mechanism of this drug - "Activation of ClC-2 chloride channels increases fluid in the bowel" (btw they're present in the lungs as well)...has been associated with cancer in humans in medical abstracts, and even laymen-patients know that chronic irritation to mucous membranes can lead to "changes" in susceptible people. Who's susceptible? I have stopped trusting prescription drugs, and when a prescribed pill makes me feel really awful, I do a little investigating. No more Amitiza for me.Read More Read Less

I have been taking Amitiza for 2 months. I was happy a) that my insurance FINALLY partly covered it, and b) that my bowels began doing something daily, though the movements were mostly liquid, incomplete and gassy. But the side effects increased - flulike symptoms, dry skin, and now I have been diagnosed with rosacea on my face for the first time in my life. I feel exactly as if I have mild food poisoning, and I have a suspicion. I believe Amt probably irritates the colon lining so it produces a lot of fluid (there's no other reason the colon would do this), which also fires up the immune system to fight a possible invasion/stomach flu. To have this going on every day in your system has to be really deleterious. My whole body is irritated now. My face is a red sore mess and my lungs feel inflamed as well. I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't autoimmune consequences from this overpriced drug. No more Amitiza for me.Read More Read Less

been diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis and was not able to have a bowel movement for a couple weeks. My Dr. gave me this and after ONE day I have to stop. I now have severe diarrhea and stomache pain. X-Lax was doing just fine, I'm not sure why he gave this to me considering the cost.

This med has worked fine for me. I have had constpation for decades with fissures and prolapsed rectum. With this med I do find on occassion I get upper GI cramping shortly after I take it however, I believe that may be my fault for not drinking enough fluid or eating with it. I have found my abdominal bloating to disappear when I use it, to the point people have asked if I have lost weight! My only issues are that I sometimes need to be careful passing gas, (air may not be all that sneaks out) and I forget to take it twice a day. Once I get relief from the bloating I have found I can cut it to once daily and get the same effects. I don't need to use it constantly, only when the constipation interferes with life. I have never noticed any side effects.Read More Read Less

my chronic constipation is caused by other medications that i take. amitiza has been a huge help and i'm very happy its on the market.

I have been taking this for 3-4 years highest dose 2Xday. It takes it a little while to kick in. As for side effects, my entire body is sore all the time my knees are the worst. I get tightness in my chest but all of it was worth it to be able to go to the bathroom or that is what I thought until recently. In the last year my body has started swelling and feeling bloated from hands to feet. I have also gained weight which makes no since because I do cardio an hour a day then weight training (both) 6 days a week. As of today I have decided I am going to quit taking it and see what happens. Wish me luck.Read More Read Less

I have severe IBS for many years. I have had rectal surgery for fissures and fistulas caused by it. I have constant rectal bleeding. I started this medicine about a week ago. I have samples for 8mcg's. Came with no literature. I immediately started with nausea and vomiting. Then I could not sleep, and when I did started having weird, unpleasant dreams. Then this morning finally fell asleep and was awakened at 4am with a severe muscle cramp in my leg that brought me to tears. Got up two hours later and decided it had to be these meds. Got on the computer and varified it. So far the side effects are outweighing the benefits. If these side effects don't dissapate in the next couple of days I am calling the doctor and taking myself off this. By the way, my bowel movements are minaminally inproved. I feel for the people taking the higher dose. I lost two days of work from the naseau and vomiting. I did find that they sell an over the counter naseau gum made from ginger that is used for chemo and does help. The pharmacist recommended it. Its all natural and was not costly.Read More Read Less

My doctor started me off on the 24 mcg dose and about two or three weeks later switched me because it cased awful stomach pains and I started having issues being able to feel my hand and feet. Then the doctor put me on the 8mcg and the pain went away but the strange numbness just kept getting worse but I figured it was nothing. A few weeks went by and I wokeup suddenly real early with the numbness, the strange tight almost charlie horse like pains in both shoulders and I felt like something was smashing my chest and it was hard to breathe. It was really scary. My doctor said that it couldn't be from the medicine that it wasn't on their list of side effects nevermind I have never had this numbness before. Now that I have been off it for about 2 weeks the numbness is a little better.So it sure sounds like a side effect to me.Read More Read Less