Brand name
| Active Ingredients | Instructions | Comments |
 | Docusate Sodium 100 mg | 1 to 2 pills once a day with water | Stool softener. Available in liquid form |
 | Bisacodyl 5 mg | 1 to 2 pills once a day with water | Stimulant |
 | Senna 8.6 mg | 2 tablets once a day with water | Stimulant. Available in liquid syrup |
 | Senna 8.6 mg Docusate Sodium 100 mg | 2 tablets once a day with water | Stool softener and stimulant |
 | Glycerin | Insert 1 suppository a day | Effect can be quick |
 | Bisacodyl 10 mg | Insert 1 suppository a day | Effect can be quick |
 | Milk of magnesia | 1 to 4 tablespoons at bedtime | Can take magnesium oxide 500 mg tablets 2 to 4 per day |
 | Magnesium Citrate 5 gm | 1 sachet dissolved in water 1-3 times a day | Avoid if kidney conditions |
 | Magnesium Citrate 296 ml | 1 bottle once | For periodic severe constipation. Not for daily use. Avoid in kidney conditions. Lemon flavor |
 | Sterculia (bulk forming)/ Frangula (mild stimulant laxative) | 1-2 sachets 1-2 times a day after meals | Effective but can be difficult to ingest as granules. Drink plenty of water |
 | Polyethylene glycol | 1 sachet 1-3 times a day | Works only in a subset of patient |
 | Polyethylene glycol | 1 cap full (17 gm) dissolved in 1 cup of water once daily | Take at night time |
 | Lactulose | 1-2 tablespoons 1-2 times per day | Effective but can cause bloating |
Before you resort to laxatives and stimulants, increase dietary fiber intake [see High Fiber Foods] and try a fiber supplement [see Fiber Supplements]
For stool softeners and stimulants that you take once a day, try to take in the evening before bedtime
For laxatives, best to use during daytime
If you have kidney disease or heart conditions, consult with your doctor as you cannot take some of the laxatives such as those containing magnesium
- Above recommended doses are for age 15 years and older
Above recommendations are generic recommendations for constipation but do not constitute an alternative to a proper medical evaluation by a physician to assess your condition. It is important to note that some patients with constipation may have more serious conditions that require different treatment.