Dulcolax
Dulcolax is bisacodyl 5mg tablets, a stimulant laxative taken by mouth for short-term constipation, sold in packs of 60, 90, 120 or 180 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5mg | 60 tablets | $32.40 | $0.54 |
| 5mg | 90 tablets | $43.20 | $0.48 |
| 5mg | 120 tablets | $54.00 | $0.45 |
| 5mg | 180 tablets | $70.20 | $0.39 |
- Category
- Digestive Health
- Active ingredient
- Bisacodyl
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet, Suppository
- Strengths
- 5mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Constipation
- Therapeutic Class
- Stimulant Laxative
- Pharmacological Class
- Laxative
- Minor Side Effects
- Abdominal cramps
- Moderate Side Effects
- Diarrhoea, nausea
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet, Suppository
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Boehringer Ingelheim
- Onset Time
- 6–12 hours
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Antacids, Milk
- Age Restrictions
- Not recommended for children under 6 without medical advice.
What you will receive
Dulcolax is the originator brand name, made by Boehringer Ingelheim. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Dulcolax.
- The same active ingredient (Bisacodyl) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Dulcolax pack sizes can I order?
Dulcolax comes as 5mg tablets in packs of 60, 90, 120 or 180. It is generic bisacodyl, not the original Dulcolax. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How is Dulcolax delivered to Hong Kong?
Dulcolax parcels to Hong Kong travel by tracked courier in 5 to 9 business days with online tracking. Packaging is plain and unbranded, with nothing outside about the contents. Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours if not yet dispatched. Support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese by live chat.
Is Dulcolax the same as bisacodyl?
Same drug, two names. Dulcolax is what the box says; bisacodyl is what is inside it. If a chemist's shelf has a plain bisacodyl 5mg tablet next to a Dulcolax one, you are looking at one medicine.
Dulcolax or fibre for constipation?
Fibre is the daily option and takes a few days to show. Dulcolax is for the stretch when nothing is moving: a tablet at night, usually a result by morning. Plenty of people use both, fibre as the habit and the tablet as the backup.
What strength is Dulcolax sold in?
The oral tablets are 5mg bisacodyl, the standard strength for this form. Bisacodyl is also made as suppositories, which are placed in the back passage and act sooner because they work directly in the lower bowel; the tablets are what is sold here.
How long can I keep taking Dulcolax?
It is meant for short spells — a few days at a time. Constipation that keeps returning is usually managed with more fibre, more fluid and more daily movement rather than with a stimulant laxative taken every day.
Does Dulcolax help with bloating?
It can ease bloating that comes with a backlog, since emptying the bowel relieves the pressure behind it. Bloating with other causes is not what these tablets are for.
About Dulcolax
Bisacodyl tablets for an occasional backlog
Dulcolax is a 5mg bisacodyl tablet, sold in packs of 60, 90, 120 or 180, for constipation that has built up over a few days. Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative: it acts on the colon, prompting the muscle contractions that push stool along and drawing in water so it is softer on the way. People reach for it when a backlog needs clearing now and then, not as part of a daily routine. The medicine itself is bisacodyl; Dulcolax is the name on the box.
When to take a dose
A 5mg tablet goes down whole with a glass of water — not chewed or crushed. The enteric coating carries the medicine past the stomach so it releases further down, and breaking the tablet defeats that. Take it at bedtime and a bowel movement usually follows within 6 to 12 hours, so relief often arrives the next morning. Leave an hour between the tablet and milk or an antacid; both can dissolve the coating too early and leave the stomach irritated.
These are short-course tablets. A few days is the usual stretch, and they are not designed to be swallowed every day for weeks.
Side effects worth knowing
Cramping and wind are the most common complaints, sometimes with bloating or a wave of nausea, and stools may turn loose. A mild cramp as things start moving is normal and settles. Stop and put the pack away if the pain becomes intense, if blood shows in the stool, or if loose stools will not settle. Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, a spreading rash or difficulty breathing needs urgent treatment. Diarrhoea lasting a long time drains potassium, which matters more if you take a diuretic or digoxin.
Other laxatives and storage
Two stimulant laxatives at once — bisacodyl with senna, for instance — can overshoot into heavy diarrhoea and fluid loss, so keep to one. Store the tablets somewhere dry, since damp air damages the coating and a tablet may then dissolve before it reaches the bowel. Buying a larger pack suits a household that uses them now and then; 60 tablets covers several short courses.
Sources
- Constipation - NIDDK — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- Constipation - NHS — NHS