Taking bisacodyl with other medicines and herbal supplements - Brand name: Dulcolax

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines, and some foods, affect the way bisacodyl works.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking any other medicines, including:

• medicines that make you pee more (diuretics), steroids like prednisolone or digoxin (a heart medicine) – these can upset the balance of salts and minerals in your body if you have too much bisacodyl. If you are taking digoxin, this imbalance makes it more likely you will get the serious side effects of digoxin
• indigestion remedies (antacids) – these stop bisacodyl tablets working properly. They can take the protective coating off the tablet causing bisacodyl to irritate your stomach and give you indigestion. Do not take bisacodyl at the same time. Leave a gap of 1 hour before or after taking bisacodyl if you are having indigestion remedies.

These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take them with bisacodyl. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Taking bisacodyl with other laxatives

For most people, using 1 laxative will be enough to make your constipation better.

Occasionally, you may need to use 2 different types of laxatives at the same time to get your bowels moving again. Only use 2 laxatives together if your doctor or pharmacist tells you to, as this increases the risk of side effects.

Mixing bisacodyl with herbal remedies or supplements

There's not enough information to say that complementary medicines and herbal remedies are safe to take with bisacodyl. They're not tested in the same way as other medicines. They’re generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.