Laxido

What is Laxido?

Laxido is an effective treatment for constipation. It contains several active ingredients, including macrogol 3350, a type of laxative, and three different electrolytes. Constipation, or chronic constipation, is when you have trouble emptying your bowels, which may cause you to strain or feel bloated. Laxido helps by making your faeces softer and easier to pass while maintaining your body’s water, sodium, and potassium balance.

Laxido comes as a powdered medication in a sachet that you just mix with water and then drink, making it easier to use, especially on the go. It can also be used to clear a condition called faecal impaction, where there’s a buildup of hard poo in your bowel that is caused by long-term constipation.

How does Laxido work?

The laxative ingredient in Laxido is called macrogol. It’s a type of osmotic laxative that works by drawing water from the rest of your body into your gut to make your stool bigger and softer. This triggers your bowels to start working and makes it easier for you to pass stool. ^[1] It also uses the ingredients potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and sodium hydrogen carbonate, which are electrolytes, to make sure there’s a good balance in your body.

What are the ingredients used in Laxido?

The active ingredients in Laxido are:

• 13.126g of macrogol 3350;
• 350.7mg of sodium chloride;
• 178.5mg of sodium hydrogen carbonate; and:
• 46.6mg of potassium chloride.

The other ingredients included are acesulfame potassium (a type of sweetener), maltodextrin, and propylene glycol to give it an orange flavour. It looks like a white powder and comes in individual sachets, with each sachet containing 13.8g of powder.

How to take Laxido

Make sure you still drink plenty of fluids during your course of Laxido. Leave one hour before and after taking Laxido before taking other medications. For constipation, the usual dose is one sachet taken one to three times daily; your clinician will let you know how often to take it. You can take it before or after a meal.

To use Laxido:

• Dissolve the contents of one sachet in a glass of water (125ml or a quarter pint) and stir well until all the powder is no longer visible.
• Drink the mixture.

The treatment duration for constipation is typically a maximum of two weeks.

However, if you have chronic constipation, this can be extended until your symptoms clear, which can take several months. In these cases, your clinician may reduce your dose to one sachet taken once or twice daily.

How long does Laxido take to work?

Typically, Laxido can take one to two days to start working.^[1] You should continue taking Laxido until all your symptoms have cleared, which can take up to two weeks. If you’re still constipated after three days, let your clinician know.

What happens if I make a mistake using Laxido?

If you’ve taken more Laxido than you should, you might experience overdose symptoms, including severe cramps and swelling in your abdomen, vomiting, or diarrhoea. These symptoms can increase the risk of dehydration. Stop taking Laxido and make sure to drink plenty of fluids. If these symptoms continue, seek urgent medical attention.

If you forget to take your Laxido sachet, take it as soon as you remember, and then carry on as normal. Don’t take a double dose to make up for the one you missed. Continue taking Laxido for as long as recommended by your prescriber. If you stop taking Laxido before you’re supposed to, then your symptoms may return.