Medication-Induced Constipation
Understanding how various medications can affect gut motility and cause constipation.
Community experiences, not medical advice
Understanding how various medications can affect gut motility and cause constipation.
Medication-Induced Constipation occurs when certain prescription or over-the-counter medications cause slowed gut motility, reduced intestinal secretions, or altered gut microbiome, resulting in difficult or infrequent bowel movements. Many commonly prescribed medications list constipation as a potential side effect.
Based on experiences shared in our community:
NICE TA345 recommends naloxegol, within its marketing authorisation, as an option for opioid-induced constipation in adults whose constipation has not adequately responded to laxatives.
Rome IV treats opioid-induced constipation as a separate category from functional constipation (Mearin, Lacy and colleagues).
View NICE guidance View Rome IV on PubMedThe NHS ferrous sulfate page lists constipation among the common side effects of this iron salt, with practical advice on fibre, fluids, and activity.
View NHS pageNICE CKS on constipation in palliative care advises prescribing a laxative to prevent constipation when starting any potentially constipating drug, such as an opioid, and increasing the laxative dose if the opioid dose increases.
View NICE CKSDo not stop a prescribed medicine because of this page. Constipation side effects are a conversation with the prescriber.
Overview of medications that can cause constipation and strategies to minimize this side effect.
Visit ResourceClinical guidelines on the management of opioid-induced constipation and other medication-related bowel disorders (Crockett and colleagues, 2019).
Visit Resource View on PubMedGuts UK information on opioid-induced bowel dysfunction.
Visit ResourceReliable information on medications that can cause constipation and approaches for management.
Visit ResourceReal stories shared by our community members about managing constipation caused by medications.
All stories are anonymized to protect privacy while preserving authentic experiences shared by our community.
"I need pain medication for my chronic back condition, but the constipation was almost worse than the pain itself. My doctor prescribed naloxegol specifically for opioid-induced constipation, and it's been life-changing. I also make sure to drink at least 80 ounces of water daily, take a magnesium supplement, and walk for 20 minutes after meals when possible."
"When I started on amitriptyline, the constipation hit me hard within days. Rather than stopping the medication, which was helping my depression, I worked with my doctor on management strategies. Taking psyllium husk capsules twice daily with lots of water, using warm prune juice in the morning, and timing my medication with dinner instead of breakfast has made the side effect manageable."
"I needed iron supplements for anemia but couldn't tolerate the constipation from ferrous sulfate. My doctor switched me to a more gentle form (iron bisglycinate), which caused fewer digestive issues. I also split my dose throughout the day rather than taking it all at once, and I make sure to include plenty of natural stool softeners in my diet like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and roasted sweet potatoes."