MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor before taking docusate if pregnant or breastfeeding. Never begin taking, suddenly discontinue, or change the dosage of any medication without your doctor’s recommendation. You may also report side effects or health problems to the FDA at FDA-1088.
Mineral oil may not be the only medicine that can interact with docusate. There are no known interactions between docusate and foods or drinks. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
- It is not known if or how docusate could affect pregnancy or harm a fetus.
- Follow the product instructions, and ask your health care provider if you have any questions.
- Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker
- Follow the storage instructions on your specific product.
- MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. If there are no storage instructions, most medicines should be kept in a cool, dry location that is out of the reach of children and pets and not in direct sunlight. Storage instructions can vary among docusate products.
What should I tell my health care provider before using docusate?
Do not take double or extra doses. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. Do not share this medicine with others.
Label: DOCUSATE SODIUM – STOOL SOFTENER LAXATIVE- docusate sodium capsule, liquid filled
It works by softening the stool. DOCUSATE SODIUM; SENNA (doc CUE sayt SOE dee um; SEN na) prevents and treats occasional constipation. RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Docusate is used to treat occasional constipation.
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Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine.
What are the serious side effects of docusate?
Stop using docusate and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction. While less common, the most serious side effects of docusate are described below, along with what to do if they happen. There may be other side effects of docusate that are not listed here.
- If you are not sure how to store your product, ask your pharmacist.
- Use of docusate may ease bowel movements and reduce pain in people with anorectal fissures and hemorrhoids.
- In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.
- Do not use docusate for more than one week unless your health care provider tells you to do so.
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can.
Keep docusate out of reach of children. Docusate is an over-the-counter (OTC) stool softener used to treat constipation. For more information on drug interactions, visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker.
More Info For This Drug
While it may be prescribed for children as young as 2 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. This medication treats occasional constipation.
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If you are taking docusate by mouth, it usually makes you poop in 12 to 72 hours after taking it. Keep docusate out of the reach of children. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. If you are not sure how to store your product, ask your pharmacist.
Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food Docusate info since interactions may occur. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Ask your pharmacist what measuring device to use. A household spoon is not an accurate measuring device and may cause you to take the wrong dose. Read and follow the instructions for the product you have, and make sure you understand how to use it properly. There are multiple forms of docusate available. Docusate should not be used if you have problems such as a gut blockage, appendicitis, or poop stuck in your digestive tract (fecal impaction). People who are allergic to any of the following should not use docusate.
Docusate sodium (oral route)
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of docusate sodium in geriatric patients. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. Docusate sodium is used to relieve occasional constipation.
Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Do not use this medicine if you are also using mineral oil. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. This is not a complete list of all side effects or adverse reactions that may occur from the use of this drug. Rectal administration has local effects, while oral docusate is systemically absorbed and is metabolized by the liver and excreted in the feces. Docusate may be administered orally or rectally. Docusate softens the stool by reducing the surface tension of the oil-water interface in the stool, which increases the absorption of water and fat into the stool. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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