In general, a laxative is any medication that will cause a person to have a bowel movement. 1  Laxatives vary widely both in their form and in their effectiveness. Laxatives that are used before a colonoscopy, for example, are going to work quicker and with more vigor than ones that are used for a case of occasional constipation.
- Family and Medical Leave Act Advisor. Serious Health Condition. For purposes of FMLA, serious health condition means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider.
Cirrhosis is serious because of the importance of the organ it affects. The liver, weighing about three pounds and roughly the size of a football, is the largest of the body's internal organs.