I think Miralax is causing my kid's stomach pain

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP. Her stomach cramping/pain has been going on for months.

I just talked to the nurse and she said the X-ray shows mild to moderate constipation. Told us to continue miralax and I said I refused, said we need to find another way. It has never given her relief and has caused more problems than it's solved. She's having dr call.

[Anonymous]

Just to let you know, she could have a partial bowel obstruction. Poop can still get around it. If she is always having diarrhea or formed poop that is much more narrow than normal, she could have a partial.

She could also have a dairy or gluten allergy that is exacerbating the constipation and cramping issues.

If she has a fever, it is either the stomach flu or a possible infection from the blockage.

Either way, I would ask to see a GI and an allergist. Better soon than later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would discontinue the miralax. A few studies came out recently saying it does more harm than good

Link? The only report I saw was there was insufficient data to link Miralax to neuropsychiatric issues in kids.

[Anonymous]

So much misinformation and hysteria on this thread. Unless a medication has been tested in children, the manufacture must include a statement indicating it is not recommended for kids or its suitability hasn't been determined. The vast majority of medications have never been evaluated for use in children because it is so freakin expensive for the drug companies to do so and it is fraught with risk for them. They choose to avoid it. That does not mean it is illegal or improper for doctors to prescribe medications for 'off label' use. Doctors and parents make the best decisions based on the evidence and the needs of their children. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/3/563

I suspect those of you who declaim that Miralax is so unsafe or horrible have never had to deal with long term constipation in a child. Those spouting that diet and exercise are sufficient certainly never had to. I have a DS with special needs and suffered from encopresis. Miralax has been a godsend. He hasn't used it regularly for about 1.5 years but there was a 2 year period when he was on a daily dose. We also had to use enemas on a regular basis for over a year. This was far, far preferable to surgery, it afforded my DS control over his bowels and allowed him to recover his confidence and esteem. We did this under the advisement of a developmental pediatrician, a gastroenterologist and urologist. My DS never experienced negative unintended side effects from Miralax. Believe it or not, taking enough to have liquid/clear stools is what he needed on a number of occasions.

This is an excellent article by Dr. Hodges who wrote a life changing book "It's No Accident" and who assisted us in addressing our DS's challenges.
https://www.bedwettingandaccidents.com/single-post/2017/02/23/Is-Miralax-Poisoning-Children

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much misinformation and hysteria on this thread. Unless a medication has been tested in children, the manufacture must include a statement indicating it is not recommended for kids or its suitability hasn't been determined. The vast majority of medications have never been evaluated for use in children because it is so freakin expensive for the drug companies to do so and it is fraught with risk for them. They choose to avoid it. That does not mean it is illegal or improper for doctors to prescribe medications for 'off label' use. Doctors and parents make the best decisions based on the evidence and the needs of their children. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/3/563

I suspect those of you who declaim that Miralax is so unsafe or horrible have never had to deal with long term constipation in a child. Those spouting that diet and exercise are sufficient certainly never had to. I have a DS with special needs and suffered from encopresis. Miralax has been a godsend. He hasn't used it regularly for about 1.5 years but there was a 2 year period when he was on a daily dose. We also had to use enemas on a regular basis for over a year. This was far, far preferable to surgery, it afforded my DS control over his bowels and allowed him to recover his confidence and esteem. We did this under the advisement of a developmental pediatrician, a gastroenterologist and urologist. My DS never experienced negative unintended side effects from Miralax. Believe it or not, taking enough to have liquid/clear stools is what he needed on a number of occasions.

This is an excellent article by Dr. Hodges who wrote a life changing book "It's No Accident" and who assisted us in addressing our DS's challenges.
https://www.bedwettingandaccidents.com/single-post/2017/02/23/Is-Miralax-Poisoning-Children

+1. My DD isn't special needs but has major constipation issues. If she eats six prunes a day she doesn't need Miralax. Problem is, she's 2, and I can't always make her eat six prunes a day. Sometimes she won't eat any. We have had to do enemas, she's been sent home from daycare because she was in pain and wouldn't stop crying from the constipation; it was terrible. I have had concerns about Miralax because of the recent articles but I've also discussed it extensively with her ped, a second opinion ped, and my family-doctor mom. All have agreed on the safety. People need to stop with the alarmist behavior toward parents who are desperately trying to get their kids better.

[Anonymous]

Let me see if I understand this:
1. Your DD has stomach pain for months but wasn't on Miralax.
2. She was on Miralax for several weeks, it had no impact on her stomach pain. It only increased the frequency of stooling.
3. It appears you discontinued the Miralax for some time because you say 'fast forward' to the point you return to the pediatrician because the pain continued.
4. You reintroduce the Miralax.
5. Five minutes after drinking half a dose, your DD complains of nausea and will not eat dinner.
6. Your DH thinks it's drama. You think it's the Miralax.

If you don't think it's drama, why wouldn't you suspect whatever you mixed the Miralax in?

[Anonymous]

OP my DD deals with chronic constipation. The only thing that has ever really helped was moving to a dairy and gluten free diet. Now that she is in ES it's trickier (I hate the way kids can buy food with a pin code at school but that's another thread).

Sounds like she has a stomach flu and constipation issues that are separate. I think a visit to a GI is in order. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Once you get the X-ray back you'll have more information about how bad the blockage is. Don't expect there to be an overnight cure--it's going to take time to fix this problem.

My son once had a partial bowel obstruction. As the previous poster said, he was so full of poop, that only a very little poop could get out. Miralax was a godsend. I think many people don't realize is that once the bowel is stretched out like that, it can be misshapen for months or years. So you have to stay on a really high fiber AND high water diet and use MiraLAX until the bowel can return to its normal shape. If you go off the Miralax before the bowel is normal, no amount of fiber and water can get the bowel back in shape.
We used MiraLAX for daily for months and there were no negative side effects. I used miralax for years off and on if it seemed that he was getting constipated again. It is easier to fix a little problem in a big problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me see if I understand this:
1. Your DD has stomach pain for months but wasn't on Miralax.
2. She was on Miralax for several weeks, it had no impact on her stomach pain. It only increased the frequency of stooling.
3. It appears you discontinued the Miralax for some time because you say 'fast forward' to the point you return to the pediatrician because the pain continued.
4. You reintroduce the Miralax.
5. Five minutes after drinking half a dose, your DD complains of nausea and will not eat dinner.
6. Your DH thinks it's drama. You think it's the Miralax.

If you don't think it's drama, why wouldn't you suspect whatever you mixed the Miralax in?

+1

And also, there is bad norovirus going around right now. I cannot fathom blaming the Miralax for this except that many people are predisposed to be suspicious of anything that isn't "natural."