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, is when you have trouble emptying your bowels, which may cause you to strain or feel bloated. Laxido helps soften stools while the added electrolytes help reduce the risk of changes in your body’s salt and water 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 retaining water in your bowel, which helps make your stool softer and easier to pass. This triggers your bowels to start working and makes it easier for you to pass stool.^[1] It also contains electrolytes (potassium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium hydrogen carbonate) to help reduce the risk of changes to your body’s salt and fluid balance.

What are the ingredients used in Laxido?

The active ingredients in Laxido are:

• Macrogol 3350;
• Sodium chloride;
• Sodium hydrogen carbonate; and:
• Potassium chloride.

Macrogol helps to draw in water and retain it in your bowels. This softens and bulks up stool, making it easier to pass.

The electrolytes help reduce the risk of changes to the body’s salt and fluid balance.

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.If you take other medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or the patient information leaflet, as Laxido may affect how some medicines are absorbed. Some medicines may need to be taken at a different time. 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.

For short-term constipation, treatment is usually for up to two weeks. If symptoms persist or you need treatment for longer, speak to a healthcare professional.

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] Continue taking Laxido as directed. Treatment for constipation may be needed for up to two weeks, but if your symptoms do not improve or you remain constipated, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

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.