Does Medication Cause Constipation?

by Ursula
(Port Elizabeth, South Africa)

My 7 year old son is on Epilum Syrup and Rivitrol as he is diagnosed with epilepsy. Does medication cause constipation?

He has been on this medication from as early as 2 years old. He had constipation then but we (doctors & I) helped him with some laxatives and it all went away.


However he is 7 now and it is starting to reappear. I was wondering if the medication is contributing to this constipation or maybe if it is the Weetbix and 2 Minute Noodles that he so much prefers that is causing this constipation.


Please advise?

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Hi Ursula,

I would answer the general question, "Does medication cause constipation?" with a resounding YES!


However, medication does not cause constipation in everyone, strangely enough. Although our bodies are essentially all alike, there are little quirks and differences that make us unique.


Some of us have allergies that others do not. Some remedies work wonderfully for some people and then are far less effective for others.


Because of this, I can't say for sure if it's the medication that is bringing the constipation on again, but I would guess that if he has been taking it for 5 years and is only now starting to have a problem again, there probably are other contributing factors.


You mentioned the Weet-Bix. That's a great Aussie traditional cereal. :) Usually, Weet-Bix will help eliminate constipation because of the fibre content. But, if your son has an allergy to wheat, it could react just the opposite for him.


Have you ever had him tested for food allergies? Does he seem to be able to eat other grain based foods without any reaction? That's just one possibility.


I would think the 2 minute noodles may be the culprit in this case, or a simple lack of hydration.


How long has he been suffering with the constipation? Have you tried upping his water intake? When our body doesn't get enough water, one of the first signs is constipation.


Apart from increasing his water and checking on food allergies, you can also try to get him to eat more fruit each day. Good fruits to help eliminate constipation are apples, pears, pineapple, papaya, figs, and prunes.


Good Omega Oils (3,6,9) are also very helpful in maintaining bowel regularity, not to mention their many other health benefits. There's a product available in your area called AIMega that contains a combination of the Omega oils in a softgel capsule.


Probiotics is also very important in maintaining good bowel and digestive health. I recommend Florafood. It comes in capsules that you can open and sprinkle on his Weetbix if necessary (if he won't swallow them).


Probiotics are good bacteria that help to boost the immune system and they also are beneficial in keeping the bowel functioning properly.


Another option is an herbal capsule called Composure. Composure is a combination of herbs that help to relax you naturally, both mind and muscles. :) Again, if he can't swallow capsules, you can break it open and mix it with something that he is eating or drinking. This can serve as a natural laxative if needed.


Since you already know that your son has an underlying health issue, it would be a good idea to consider whole food supplement powders to help him get as much good nutrition in his daily diet as possible. It's truly amazing to me how much your body can improve it's quality of health when you give it really solid building materials to work with.


I'd recommend the Garden Trio for a daily habit to help improve his cellular health and counteract any damaging side effects from his long term medication use. The Trio is made up of these three juiced whole food supplements in powder form - BarleyLife, JustCarrots, and Redibeets.


One great thing that I can tell you is that any and all of those recommended supplements are available to you right there in South Africa from our South Africa AIM office.


Not only that, if you call the phone number provided below, you can ask questions and get recommendations for this or any other situation you'd like to know more about.


The prices for these items I've already mentioned are as follows in your currency...

AIMega 163
Florafood 183
Composure 108
BarleyLife 290
JustCarrots 228
Redibeets 185


Those prices are my own wholesale prices which I am happy to share with you if you only want to try one or two items. Just use my sponsor ID when you phone in your order and they'll give you my discount.


If you place a larger order, they will make you a free wholesale member so you can get those wholesale prices yourself whenever you choose. If you decide to do that, please still provide them with my sponsor ID so that they will know I referred you to them. ;)


If you'd rather not phone them, you can use my non-resident order form and I will process the order online for you.


I hope this gives you some ideas of what you can do to help your son feel better. Constipation can lead to various other health issues, not to mention the pain and discomfort involved. I certainly understand your distress in wanting to get this sorted out for him as quickly as possible.


Please let me know if I can be of any further help.

Kind regards,
Angie

AIM South Africa
P.O. Box 3831
Northcliff 2115
Republic of South Africa
Phone 27-11-475-3400 - Customer Care/Orders
Fax 27-11-475-3221 - Customer Care/Orders
Sponsor ID: #674838