Medical statistics say that the most purchased drugs in Russian pharmacies are painkillers and... laxatives. Some people go to the pharmacy for laxatives in order to get rid of constipation, others try to relieve the pain of hemorrhoids with their help, while others practice bowel cleansing with these medications.
When choosing a medicine, the main thing is not to get lost in the huge list of names.
Those wishing to carry out a gentle cleansing of the intestines will find it difficult to find a more suitable medical product than Duphalac. Colon cleansing with Duphalac is perhaps the most gentle and safe that can only be done with a drug.
What is Duphalac?
This is a lactulose-based laxative that gently cleanses the intestines. Mainly used in the treatment of constipation from infancy. It is also prescribed for preparation for diagnostic and surgical procedures in the intestines of patients for whom the use of stronger drugs based on macrogol and salts is contraindicated.
Lactulose, entering the intestines, attracts liquid, thereby creating a favorable environment for dissolving hardened feces and enhancing peristalsis. To get a good result in preparation for colonoscopy (FCS), the drug is prescribed in a higher dosage on the eve of the examination.
Attention! Another mild and safe remedy is Forlax for colonoscopy.
Release form and cost of the drug
Duphalac is sold in bottles of 200 ml for 240-310 rubles, 500 ml for 390-550 and 1000 ml for 600-985, as well as in 15 ml bags of 10 pieces in a pack for 280-400. To prepare an adult patient, a 200 ml bottle is sufficient.
Duphalac's analogs
There are other lactulose-based drugs that can be used in the same way:
- Lactulose;
- Portalak;
- Normaze;
- Good luck;
- Prelax;
- Lactusan and others.
Comparison of ease of use of Fortrans and Duphalac
This includes dose selection taking into account various conditions and frequency of doses. At the same time, it is important not to forget about the release form of the drug; it is also important to take it into account when making an assessment.
The ease of use of Fortrans is approximately the same as Duphalac. At the same time, they are quite convenient to use.
The drug ratings were compiled by experienced pharmacists who studied international research. The report is generated automatically.
Last update date: 2020-12-04 13:43:54
How to prepare with Duphalac for a colonoscopy?
A prerequisite is compliance with the diet. For a person with normal stool, 3 days is enough, and for constipation, 5-7 will be needed. Aggressive, fatty, starchy foods, raw fruits and vegetables, as well as anything that causes bloating are excluded from the menu. Light soups, fermented milk products, dietary meat and fish remain in the diet. It is also recommended to drink plenty of water, tea, compotes and clarified juices.
Attention! A diet before a colonoscopy is not only a refusal of certain foods, but also a significant limitation in the number and volume of food intake. Up to 5 times a day, 200-300 ml depending on body size.
Procedure on the day before the morning colonoscopy
If the diagnosis is planned before lunch, then Duphalac is used as follows:
- They have breakfast with porridge on water with butter, any drink and a slice of bread.
- At noon, a light snack with broth, kefir or cottage cheese is allowed.
- At 14-15 hours, bowel cleansing begins.
- Prepare a solution from 200 ml of the drug and 2 liters of water.
- Gradually drink a glass of laxative every 15-20 minutes.
If colonoscopy is after 14:00
In this case, the patient takes his last meal before 18:00 in liquid form (lunch and breakfast are normal). In the evening, before going to bed, only drinks. In the morning at 6:00 take Duphalac solution. In this case, the cleaning will be completed before 10. In the afternoon, you can safely go for a colonoscopy.
Special cases
For some patients, the doctor may prescribe an individual dosage and regimen that differs from what is written in the instructions. You should trust the doctor, as he is familiar with these drugs in practice.
Time to achieve effect
Within 1-2 hours from the start of taking Duphalac, the process of defecation begins and ends 2-3 hours after the last sip.
Colon cleansing scheme with Duphalac
The required dosage is determined based on the calculation of 1 g of Duphalac per 1 kg of patient weight, which for an average person weighing 60-80 kg is 60-80 ml. Take the drug after or during meals, dividing the daily dose into several doses. But, as practice shows, people are not particularly fond of such cleaning due to its lack of effectiveness. Therefore, most of them choose a more rigorous one-day cleanse.
A very noticeable and very unpleasant side effect of using Duphalac is flatulence. Increased gas formation is especially acute in the first few days of using the drug. In this case, experts recommend reducing the dose, gradually bringing it to the desired level. Taking a sorbent or a white clay preparation (Atoxil, Smecta, activated carbon) will help correct the situation a little.
One-day cleaning with Duphalac
Forced cleaning with Duphalac is appropriate to carry out before a colonoscopy or other diagnostic procedure. Alternative medicine recommends using this laxative for periodic cleansing of the intestines in case of symptoms of slagging - dizziness, attacks of nausea, frequent colds, unhealthy appearance, constipation, etc.
The colon cleansing scheme with Duphalac is as follows:
- On the eve of the procedure, purchase a 200 ml bottle of the drug.
- The day before cleansing and directly on the day of the procedure, exclude from your diet meat dishes, fish, cereals, pasta, vegetables, fruits, nuts - in a word, all solid foods. Include low-fat clear broth, unsweetened tea, mineral water, and clarified juices in the menu.
- At approximately 13:00, prepare the first portion of the cleanser. To do this, dilute half a bottle of Duphalac (100 ml) in 1.5 liters of water. Drink this solution over the next 4 hours.
- Wait for the urge to defecate. In most cases, painless diarrhea develops within 1-3 hours.
- In the evening, at 19.00, start preparing the second portion of the solution. Dilute the remaining 100 ml of the drug in 1.5 liters of water. Drink the solution before 21.00. Continued moderate but painless diarrhea will indicate that the cleansing is progressing correctly.
- When a clear or yellowish liquid without any impurities begins to come out of the intestines, the cleansing procedure can be considered complete.
Please note that a large dose of the drug used for cleaning will definitely cause increased gas formation. Therefore, in order to avoid unkind glances from the outside, it is better to choose a day off for a health event.
Duphalac as an adjuvant for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy
This is a weak remedy for large adult patients, especially those with constipation. But it can be taken in conjunction with a diet before cleansing the intestines with Fortrans, Lavacol or Moviprep.
During preliminary preparation with the help of a special diet, Duphalac is taken daily in the amount of 30-45 ml in the morning with food. The last time the product is consumed is with breakfast on the eve of the colonoscopy. Then they begin cleansing with osmotic preparations. Such measures will help to obtain excellent results for patients with heavily polluted intestines and weak peristalsis.
Preparation for colonoscopy with Fortrans is not successful for all patients due to the nasty taste of the solution, but in terms of the results this product is the standard. In addition, the cleansing process is quick, you don’t have to wait a long time for the urge and then sit on the toilet all night. You can neutralize the nauseating taste with lemon, and some people find it convenient to drink the laxative cold and through a straw.
Preparation for colonoscopy of children with Duphalac
Children are also required to follow a diet limiting fatty foods, confectionery products, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Cleansing is carried out gradually, giving Duphalac every day. The dosage is increased the day before. The specific amount of syrup is determined only by the doctor based on age, height, weight and condition of the body. Increasing the dosage on your own can cause serious consequences. Immediately before the colonoscopy, the cleansing is completed with an enema.
In children, lactulose often causes severe bloating and abdominal pain, so Espumisan should be prepared to stop the side effect if it occurs. It is important to provide the child with a sufficient amount of drink up to 1.5-2 liters per day, since Duphalac, together with frequent bowel movements, provokes dehydration.
Who should use Duphalac to prepare for intestinal diagnostics?
The doctor prescribes the drug for a reason, as a rule, because the patient has contraindications to Fortrans and its analogues, which give a faster and better effect.
Duphalac is prescribed:
- Children;
- For expectant and nursing mothers;
- In a weakened state due to illness or after surgery;
- Adults with low weight;
- For pathologies of the kidneys, heart, lungs;
- With an increased gag reflex.
And also in other situations when stronger laxatives are prohibited for the patient.
Attention! Preparations for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy differ significantly from each other not only in price, but also in taste, volume of solution, speed of action, number of side effects and quality of the result.
Comparison of the effectiveness of Fortrans and Duphalac
The effectiveness of Fortrans is quite similar to Duphalac - this means that the ability of the drug substance to provide the maximum possible effect is similar.
For example, if the therapeutic effect of Fortrans is more pronounced, then using Duphalac even in large doses will not achieve this effect.
Also, the speed of therapy - an indicator of the speed of therapeutic action - is approximately the same for Fortrans and Duphalac. And bioavailability, that is, the amount of a drug reaching its site of action in the body, is similar. The higher the bioavailability, the less it will be lost during absorption and use by the body.
Is it necessary to do an enema after Duphalac?
Doctors' opinions on this matter vary, since everything depends on the individual patient. Most likely, those who suffer from chronic constipation will have to resort to additional measures. But also a sign of insufficient cleansing is stool with solid particles during the last bowel movement after taking Duphalac. In this case, it would be useful to do an enema:
- In the morning, conduct 2 sessions with an interval of 1.5 hours;
- For each use 2 liters of warm water;
- Pour in the liquid using an Esmarch mug or using a large syringe in several doses;
- You can go to the toilet in 15 minutes.
Comparison of addiction between Fortrans and Duphalac
Like safety, addiction also involves many factors that must be considered when evaluating a drug.
So, the totality of the values of such parameters as “o syndrome” in Fortrans is quite similar to the similar values in Duphalac. Withdrawal syndrome is a pathological condition that occurs after the cessation of intake of addictive or dependent substances into the body. And resistance is understood as initial immunity to a drug; in this it differs from addiction, when immunity to a drug develops over a certain period of time. The presence of resistance can only be stated if an attempt has been made to increase the dose of the drug to the maximum possible. At the same time, Fortrans has a fairly low “syndrome” value, just like Duphalac.
Reviews of Duphalac before colonoscopy
Doctors consider Duphalac a good remedy for cleansing the intestines for children and patients with a severe history. If all recommendations are followed, the result is not inferior to osmotic agents. However, doctors do not recommend using Duphalac if Fortrans, Lavacol or Moviprep can be used, since these drugs are less likely to fail in terms of the degree of cleansing of the organ.
The majority of patient reviews are positive. The taste of the drug is pleasant, the action is mild, and the overall effect is excellent. But there are negative responses associated with the side effects of Duphalac:
- Pregnant women often experience prolonged bloating, which in an interesting position causes discomfort and pain;
- There are also allergic reactions in the form of rash and itching, which are explained by the fructose and lactose included in the composition;
- In case of overdose, patients experienced vomiting and debilitating diarrhea, which is associated with self-administration of the drug in large quantities;
- In diabetics, Duphalac can cause an increase in blood sugar levels.
Attention! Fortrans analogues have a better taste with the same good results, so there is also a choice among strong laxatives.
Comparison of the safety of Fortrans and Duphalac
The safety of a drug includes many factors.
At the same time, in Fortrans it is quite similar to Duphalac. It is important where the drug is metabolized: drugs are excreted from the body either unchanged or in the form of products of their biochemical transformations. Metabolism occurs spontaneously, but most often involves major organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, brain and others. When assessing metabolism in Fortrans, as well as in Duphalac, we look at which organ is the metabolizing organ and how critical the effect on it is.
The risk-benefit ratio is when the prescription of a drug is undesirable, but justified under certain conditions and circumstances, with the obligatory observance of caution in use. At the same time, Fortrans does not have any risks when used, just like Duphalac.
Also, when calculating safety, it is taken into account whether only allergic reactions occur or possible dysfunction of the main organs. In other matters, as well as the reversibility of the consequences of using Fortrans and Duphalac.
