Advice to patients (30) Senna tablets
- Senna is used to treat constipation and works by increasing movement in the gut. It generally acts in about eight to 12 hours.
- For adults, the tablets are usually taken as a single dose at bedtime. For children, the dose is usually taken in the morning.
- Senna sometimes causes mild abdominal pain but this generally goes away quite quickly.
- Senna will help relieve constipation, but other things are important as well. If possible you need to eat plenty of fibre (fresh fruit, vegetables, bran), drink plenty of fluid and take some exercise.
- Some medicines can cause constipation. Are you taking any other prescribed medicines or medicines you have bought?
This series of "advice tips" on commonly used drugs is written by
pharmacists from the Sussex Pharmacy Academic Practice Unit. It is intended
as a reminder of points to be made by pharmacists as they hand out dispensed
medicines. The list is not intended to be comprehensive but to cover some important
points.
By Carina and Duncan Livingstone
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