After taking oral Dulcolax tablets, most people experience bowel movements within 12 to 72 hours. Dulcolax suppositories generally produce bowel movements in 15 minutes to 1 hour ( the fastest onset times).
According to the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, for suppository forms of the drug, “Following the administration of bisacodyl coated tablets, an average of 51.8% of the dose was recovered in the feces as free BHPM and an average of 10.5% of the dose was recovered in the urine as BHPM glucuronide. Following the administration as a suppository, an average of 3.1% of the dose was recovered as BHPM glucuronide in the urine.” This makes the suppository version of Dulcolax to be the most efficient in terms of onset times and the treatment of your constipation issues.
According to WebMD, Dulcolax onset time can vary by the type of administration and form of the drug (oral or suppository) and can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 6-hours. When calculating the math for how long the drug may last and when the signs of diarrhea may start to wear off.
Key Takeaways
Bisacodyl 10 mg (suppository) is the fastest acting form of Dulcolax with relief often felt anywhere from 15-minutes to 60-minutes after application.
Docusate Sodium (100 mg) is the slowest acting form of Dulcolax, which is considered to be more of a stool softener. This softening agent can take anywhere from 1 to 3 days to soften stool and make it easier to pass.
Dulcolax Onset Times by Drug Form
Dulcolax comes in many forms, for adults and children, in oral tablets, oral liquids, and suppositories. Based on the product form some of the base drug applications may change. Bisacodyl is the suppository version of Dulcolax, being the most common, and having the fastest onset time of only 15-minutes to 1 hour. While Docusate Sodium, which is considered to be more of a “low-dose” stool softener, can take up to 3-days to fully begin working for the patient.
Here is a chart showing all of the forms of Dulcolax and their onset times:
Drug Form | Type | Brand(s) | Onset Times |
Bisacodyl (10 mg) (suppository) | Stimulant laxative | Dulcolax Laxative Suppository | 15 minutes to 1 hour |
Magnesium Hydroxide (1200 mg) | Saline laxative | Dulcolax Soft Chews Dulcolax Kids Soft Chews Dulcolax Liquid Laxative | 30 minutes to 6 hours |
Magnesium Hydroxide (600 mg) | Saline laxative | Dulcolax Fruit Bites | 30 minutes to 6 hours |
Bisacodyl (5 mg) | Stimulant laxative | Dulcolax Laxative Tablets Dulcolax Pink Laxative Tablets | 6 to 12 hours |
Docusate Sodium (100 mg) | Stool softener | Dulcolax Stool Softener Dulcolax Pink Stool Softener | 12 hours to 3 days |
Dulcolax Products
Dulcolax comes in a variety of products and product forms available to consumers as a mostly over-the-counter option. As an example, “Dulcolax Overnight Constipation Relief” is a bisacodyl in a Adult 5 mg Gastro-resistant Tablet (GSL) form. When the label describes the product as “overnight relief,” this would be considered a very slow acting option. And may take up to 8-full hours in order to start feeling signs of relief.
Here are the various types of relief forms and their general onset times:
Fast relief forms
This would be considered Dulcolax (or bisacodyl) supposeties, which can work within 15 to 60 minutes. Suppositories are a dosage form that needs to be inserted into the rectum (anus) to work. Magnesium Hydroxide is the second-fastest option to experience signs of relief. Most people can expect relief within 30 minutes to 6 hours after taking it. It can be taken as a single dose at bedtime or you can divide up the dose over the course of one day.
Overnight relief forms
Bisacodyl tablets, which are considered to be oral tablets (usually Gastro-resistant tablets) which work in about 6 to 12 hours. If you take bisacodyl tablets at bedtime, you can usually expect a bowel movement the following morning.
Gradual relief forms
Docusate sodium is a very slow-acting form. Docusate sodium will only soften stool. Meaning that it will not help to pass any blocked or restricted bowel movements. However, with the stool softening agent, it will make passing any stool far easier. This form of Dulcolax can take anywhere from 12 to 72 hours to work in order to feel signs of relief.
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Sources
WebMD. (n.d.). Dulcolax Magnesium Hydroxide Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing. Retrieved June 29, 2024, from https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-179902/dulcolax-magnesium-hydroxide-oral/details
Medsafe. (n.d.). Dulcolax tablets and suppositories: Data Sheet. Retrieved June 29, 2024, from https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/datasheet/d/dulcolaxtabsupp.pdf
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (2014). How to use rectal suppositories properly.
Corsetti, M., et al. (2021). Bisacodyl: A review of pharmacology and clinical evidence to guide use in clinical practice in patients with constipation. Neurogastroenterology & Motility.
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