| Bulking agents |
| Methylcellulose powder | 19 g per day | 12 to 72 hours | None compared with placebo17 |
| Polycarbophil (Fibercon) tablets | 1,250 mg, one to four times per day | 12 to 72 hours | None recorded18 |
| Psyllium (Metamucil) powder | 1 tsp or 1 packet one to three times per day | 12 to 24 hours | Bloating, abdominal distension in 4% to 18%16,17 |
| Osmotic laxatives |
| Lactulose solution | 15 to 30 mL per day | 24 to 48 hours | Bloating and cramping; nausea in up to 20%19 |
| Magnesium citrate solution | 150 to 300 mL, single dose or short-term daily dose | 30 minutes to 6 hours | Increase in magnesium, causing lethargy, hypotension, respiratory depression20 |
| Magnesium hydroxide suspension | 30 to 60 mL per day | 30 minutes to 6 hours | Increase in magnesium, causing lethargy, hypotension, respiratory depression20 |
| Polyethylene glycol (Miralax) powder | 17 g per day | 24 to 48 hours | Minimal adverse effects of cramping and gas18 |
| Sorbitol solution | 2 to 3 tbsp, single dose or short-term daily dose | 24 to 48 hours | Bloating, cramping, and nausea19 |
| Stool softeners |
| Docusate sodium (Colace) capsules | 100 mg twice per day | 24 to 48 hours | None reported16 |
| Stimulant laxatives |
| Bisacodyl (Dulcolax) tablets | 5 to 15 mg per day | 6 to 10 hours | Diarrhea and abdominal pain in 56% in week 1 and 5% in week 421 |
| Senna tablets | 15 mg per day | 6 to 12 hours | Abdominal pain in up to 12%16 |
| Chloride channel activators |
| Lubiprostone (Amitiza)† capsules | 24 mcg twice per day | Within 24 hours | Nausea in 18%22 |
| Peripherally acting mu-opioid antagonists |
| Methylnaltrexone (Relistor)‡ solution | Weight-based subcutaneous injection, once or twice per day | 30 to 60 minutes | Diarrhea in 8% Abdominal pain in 13%23
|
| Other |
| Linaclotide (Linzess)† capsules | 145 mcg per day | — | Diarrhea in 16%, which led to treatment cessation in 4%24 |
