Senokot Max Strength
A relief beyond belief. - Senokot Max Strength Oral Health & Digestion

Product Type: Senokot Oral Health & Digestion

Newest Review: ... able to work and continue my education - although, barely - and held down friendships and relationships at the time, too. I think my sheer ... more


A relief beyond belief.
Senokot Max Strength


Member Name: Mama-Q


Senokot Max Strength

Date: 30/03/12


Advantages: last resort, works within 8-10 hours.

Disadvantages: can be expensive, can become dependent on them, addictive.

Senokot is the brand name for the senna based laxatives and works on the lower bowel to relieve constipation. Now, if you're squeamish about toilet habits then it's probably best you don't read this review ;).

Essentially the senna (active ingredient in the laxative) will stimulate the small bowel, making it contract (and feel like cramps down below) and move the 'waste' downwards. You may also feel some pressure on the anus once the laxatives begin to work. I would say it's best to go with how your body feels on this one rather to force your body to push out anything.

I first discovered these laxatives after the smaller dosage tablets began to get ridiculous - I would often times find myself taking up to 20 tablets (a full pack) every time I was constipated. Definitely NOT the stated dosage but if I took anything under this it just didn't work at all and left me in pain for days, eventually resulting in trips to A&E all for them to send me home with a big bottle of Fybogel or some other liquid laxative that didn't work. My problems were three benign growths inside my small gut, but I didn't know about them at the time. They made my life a misery and utter hell. At one point there was a whole 18 months where every week I was at the GP surgery, backed up with constipation, awaiting on another enema to be administered.

I can't complain too much as I was still able to work and continue my education - although, barely - and held down friendships and relationships at the time, too. I think my sheer stubborn-ness to not give in or up kept me going and kept me sane, as well as the knowledge that a packet of Sennokot was never too far from my grasp ;).

So, like I said, I had tried every laxative under the sun and it seemed silly to down a pack of Sennokot every time I got backed up. So when they released these new extra strength laxatives I was pretty happy. One of these tablets equals two 'normal' dose Sennokot tablets. But these are big buggers! And in preparation for going on holiday to Tenerife I learned that lesson the hard way.

I was going on holiday and the night before I left I took some of these tablets. I was either constipated or on the verge of becoming constipated at the time but I remember swallowing one of the tablets - it got stuck in my throat and hurt like hell the next day! :(

They really do look like horse tablets but to avoid them not going down so well I'd suggest lubricating your throat with a good drink of water beforehand. I've always done that since and haven't had a problem with them. They're also, strangely, a light poo colour! Haha. Round in shape, they also have a strange fig-like after taste to them.

I found I only needed to take about 4 of these tablets, which equates to 8 'normal' Sennokot tablets. I can't even remember what the recommended dosage is, but it's always wise to check dosage and read the leaflet from cover to cover when you buy these - just so you know what you're getting yourself into with them.

The company that make these laxatives take the view that they can't become addictive but to me that's rubbish - anything can become addictive! Seeing as addiction is defined as the use of a mood altering substance or behaviour despite bad consequences I would say that yes, laxatives can be addictive. I've also met people whose doctors have weaned them off laxatives gradually and found myself in the same boat, although I didn't go through my GP I did wean myself off laxatives after a long term period of using them.

I was also taking a crazy amount because for some reason the smaller doses wouldn't work. I'm not sure if this is attributed to the growths I had inside my body or my gut becoming dependent on the laxative effect.

Boring bits:

Ingredients list

Calcium phosphate
Maize starch
Magnesium stearate

Best time to take laxatives? At night time for adults, right before bed. That way you're not dealing with cramps all day long. I found that I had severe cramping (that was worse than the cramps I experienced while 10cm dilated in labour) for about an hour. I would be bent double with my mum rubbing my lower back. The relief is instant when it does come so the objective is fulfilled ;). Although I will say that you might experience 'loose' bowels (aka the skits) for the next few days after taking these. Usually take around 8-10 hours to work.

I would definitely never give laxatives to a child. Ever. But if needs must then I would give them laxatives during the day rather than at night, just so I could observe the effect the medicine had on them.

The increase in all these brand new 'types' of laxatives being on the market tells me that people don't eat enough dietary fibre - aka fibre in their diet. A whole lot of processed white flour is used in all manner of food, with people eating increased amounts of people eating take away foods. Now I'm not going to deny anyone the odd Chinese meal but I'd say if you're having problems with constipation and don't have any other symptoms of a bowel problem then you should have a good, hard look at your diet rather than reach for the laxatives.

When I started having these bowel problems I immediately stopped eating any kind of white flour foods - they just aren't good for you! And it didn't make any kind of difference. The only thing that worked was having my growths removed and since then I haven't had any issues whatsoever because I have a 'normal' healthy gut now that is nourished with fibre-rich foods and doesn't need laxatives to help it run.

Overall I would say use this product with caution, try to up your fibre intake first and use laxatives as a last resort.

Summary: 3/5