Previously posted:

Polyethylene glycol (Miralax) — 17g daily, can take 3-5 days to see full effect. If you only tried it "for a few days" that may not have been long enough

Oh interesting — I only tried Miralax for 3 days and gave up when nothing happened. Maybe I should give it another shot with a longer trial. And I'll add the magnesium citrate — seems like everyone swears by it.

Quick question: is there any concern about taking magnesium citrate long-term? I'm assuming I'll need this as long as I'm on semaglutide.

Magnesium citrate at 200-400mg daily is generally safe for long-term use. In fact, most Americans are magnesium deficient anyway, so supplementation is often beneficial beyond just the laxative effect. It helps with sleep, muscle cramps, and has cardiovascular benefits.

The only cautions: patients with kidney disease should consult their doctor before supplementing (kidneys clear magnesium), and very high doses can cause diarrhea and electrolyte imbalances. But 400mg/day is well within the safe range for people with normal kidney function.

I just want to validate OP because this is a REAL quality of life issue and I think people minimize it. I was so constipated on sema that I ended up in the ER with an impaction after going 11 days without a bowel movement. It was genuinely one of the worst experiences of my life.

Please take constipation seriously and start preventive measures BEFORE it becomes a crisis. If you haven't gone in 5+ days, call your doctor. Don't just wait it out like I did.

Update for anyone following: started the magnesium citrate (400mg at bedtime) + Miralax daily + increased water to 100oz. THREE DAYS and I'm already going daily again. The magnesium citrate is doing most of the heavy lifting I think.

Also started the chia seed pudding recipe — it's actually delicious and easy to eat when food sounds meh. Win-win.

Thank you all. Genuinely life-improving advice here 🙌