Constipation is experienced not only by small children, but also by adults. The causes of this condition are many. According to reviews, Dufalac will eliminate constipation and stimulate intestinal motility. How to take the drug correctly, and its features will be discussed later in the article.
The composition and form of the drug
The drug is a laxative prebiotic with an osmotic principle of action. It contributes to the retention of water in the intestine, as a result of which the stool softens. This leads to the occurrence of natural bowel movements, which passes gently and without unpleasant sensations.
In the composition of "Dufalac" there are only 2 ingredients:
- lactulose;
- purified water.
No other components are part of the drug.
Laxative is available as a syrup. The volume of the bottles is 200, 500 and 1000 ml. Dufalac is also available in bags that are designed for a one-time serving.
Indication for use
According to reviews, the instructions for Dufalac should be carefully studied before use. Central to the list of indications is chronic constipation. The drug is also used to soften stool with hemorrhoids or before surgery on the colon. In addition, the tool is used in such cases:
- Cracks in the anus as a result of surgery.
- Putrefactive dyspepsia syndrome, which occurs with acute food poisoning in a child.
- Preventive therapy, which is prescribed for hepatic encephalopathy.
- Intestinal dysbiosis. The active substance (lactulose) is a favorable environment for the propagation of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. This helps to populate it with beneficial microflora and reduce the amount of pathogenic.
- Colitis and polyps of the colon.
- Before a cesarean section.
Most often, "Dufalac" is used for constipation, regardless of its origin, in order to soften the stool and improve intestinal motility. Thanks to the drug, the body is freed from toxins, pathogenic microflora (salmonella, E. coli).
Drug action
The main effect that, according to reviews, "Dufalac" has - the accelerated movement of feces in the large intestine. This effect is manifested due to the dissolution of the active substance under the influence of the bacterial environment of the intestine. These transformations lead to liquefaction of the stool.
The drug has the properties of a prebiotic. As a result of chemical processes in the intestine, various substances (hydrogen, water, etc.) are released that stabilize the microflora balance and contribute to the creation of antiviral protection of the gastrointestinal tract in the body.
All derivatives secreted into the body are a source of energy for it.
The main pharmacological actions of the drug include:
- laxative;
- detoxification;
- stimulating.
According to reviews, Dufalac is not a fast-acting drug. Due to its mild effect, the beneficial effect slows down.
Usually the interval between taking the drug and the result is from 4 to 8 hours. In medical practice, there is evidence that Dufalac had a therapeutic effect 2-3 days after the initial dose.
Instructions for use "Dufalac"
Before taking the drug, you need to find out in what dosages it is prescribed. Syrup is taken with water. It is drunk undiluted, the product is sweet, but has a specific taste.
The drug must be taken once a day at the same time. If the drug was initially taken in the morning, then it should be taken at that time.
According to reviews, the instructions for Dufalac include the following dosages:
- Adults and children from 16 years of age, if necessary, quick action should take 45 ml.
- To maintain good condition, you can use 15-30 ml of the drug for several days.
If there is no improvement, then the doses of the drug are increased:
- with liver failure - three times a day, 45 ml each with a gradual transition to maintenance therapy as recommended by a doctor;
- the maximum dose for dysbiosis is 10 ml;
- with salmonellosis - 15 ml three times a day.
In case of acute constipation, Dufalac may be introduced into the rectal lumen in the form of an enema by dissolving the powder (300 ml) with pure water (700 ml).
Dosage of the drug depending on the age of the child:
- Children under 3 years - 5 ml.
- 3-6 years - 5-10 ml.
- 7-14 years - 15 ml with a transition to 10 ml.
The smallest dosages are used for newborns. Sometimes 1 ml is enough for them, but this amount can be raised to 5 ml under the supervision of a specialist.
Use in childhood
Reviews of "Dufalac" for children say that the therapeutic effect occurs after an initial dose in 2-3 days. The drug is normally tolerated by babies, even in infancy.
It does not contribute to addiction and does not interfere with the absorption of vitamins and nutrients into the gastrointestinal tract.
The dose of the drug is selected individually, taking into account weight and height in children under 3 years. With constipation, it is possible to take the medicine once in the morning or twice a day.
Duphalac powder should be washed down with a sufficient amount of liquid. Initially, the dose for infants should be no more than 1 ml.
Sometimes the drug is used to cleanse the intestines for constipation by setting an enema.
If children are prescribed Dufalac syrup, which is positive, it is not necessary to drink it with water. With the advent of positive dynamics in treatment, the initial dose can be reduced.
The syrup begins to act actively after 2-3 days, so experts sometimes prescribe sachets as a supportive treatment, but only from the age of 6.
For the use of Dufalac in infants, it is recommended to additionally massage the tummy to achieve the effect. After all, babies need to be given a laxative in special cases. If after 2 days there is no positive effect, then you should consult a specialist. Otherwise, the wrong dosage can lead to flatulence and diarrhea.
How long to take
The occurrence of a therapeutic effect directly depends on the dose and the specific disease against which treatment is carried out. "Dufalac" has a mild effect, so it can not be called fast. Usually, the effect appears 4-12 hours after administration.
In children, metabolic processes proceed faster, which contributes to the result after 2 hours.
According to reviews, the use of Dufalac is not limited by time, due to the lack of addiction. The annotation states that for problems with bowel movements, the course of admission should not be less than a month. Specialists can prescribe the drug for more than 30 days, because addiction does not develop from it.
According to adult reviews, the Dufalac instruction is allowed to be taken for a long time.
Taking the drug during pregnancy and lactation will not adversely affect the body of the child and mother. It has a local effect on the pathogenic microflora, which is colonized in the intestine.
"Dufalac" is allowed to be taken by pregnant women at any time, since it does not adversely affect the development of the fetus and does not penetrate the bloodstream.
The main reasons why the drug is prescribed to expectant mothers:
- elimination of constipation;
- restoration of intestinal microflora.
Due to its natural composition, Dufalac is allowed to be used by nursing mothers and infants. It includes liquid lactulose, similar in composition to the components in breast milk.
The main thing is to follow the dosage prescribed by a specialist in order to prevent the occurrence of a negative effect on the body.
Contraindications
Like many drugs, Dufalac, according to adult patients, has the following restrictions on admission:
- Intestinal obstruction.
- Stomach ulcer.
- Galactosemia.
- Diabetes.
- Excessive sensitivity to lactulose.
If the above points occur, the specialist must adjust the necessary dosage of the drug. It relies on the body's response to a test (initial) dose of the drug.
In rare cases, with an improperly selected dosage, side effects occur in the first days of administration. Basically, they occur in the form of flatulence, headache, weakness, excessive fatigue and disturbance of the water-electrolyte balance. Usually, such symptoms disappear after 2-3 days of administration. All this may indicate an incorrect dosage of the drug.
In this case, Dufalac completely cancel or significantly reduce the amount of medication used.
In the case of elimination of fluid residues from the body, the main thing in this case is to prevent dehydration of the body. If this happens, then measures will be needed to correct the electrolyte balance and replenish the body with liquid using activated carbon and other enterosorbents.
special instructions
According to reviews, the instructions for the use of Dufalac by adults and other categories of patients suggest the following:
- If the clinical effect of taking the drug within 2-3 days is not found, then the dosage adjustment is carried out after consulting a specialist. Otherwise, constipation and increased gas production may resume.
- If diabetes is diagnosed with prolonged use of the drug, then the dosage of insulin and sugar-lowering drugs are adjusted.
- People who have lactose intolerance, when taking "Dufalac" should take into account its composition.
- The drug does not reduce the concentration of psychomotor reactions, but consult with a specialist before using it.
It is recommended to completely refuse during the use of "Dufalac" for constipation, according to experts, from drinking alcohol. It is permissible to use powder and syrup 18–20 hours before drinking alcohol in men and 24–26 hours in women.
The combination of Dufalac with alcohol can contribute to the following symptoms: tinnitus, headache, and stomach bleeding.
With caution, "Duphalac" is taken with other drugs. Sometimes when you receive the following:
- Use with antibiotics can lead to a decrease in the therapeutic effect.
- Simultaneous administration with lactulose can lead to a violation of the release of active substances from the intestinal microflora from the body.
- "Dufalac" is not recommended for use with other laxatives, in order to avoid overdose and violation of the defecation reflex.
All these features of the drug must be taken into account before taking, so as not to harm the body.
Analogs
The following medicines have similar actions with Dufalac, according to experts:
- "Good luck". The drug with lactulose in the composition inhibits the absorption of nitrogen-containing toxins and inhibits the reproduction of salmonella. It is prescribed for constipation, hemorrhoids, hepatic coma.
- "Lactulose." The tool has a mild laxative effect, enhances intestinal motility and softens feces. It can be used in pregnancy, lactation, indigestion and chronic constipation.
- Legendal. It is used for salmonellosis, constipation and pain syndromes after removal of hemorrhoids.
- Lizalak. A laxative drug used to restore normal intestinal microflora. It is prescribed for liver failure, bacterial infection of the intestine.
- "Lactusan." The main purpose of the drug is the treatment of dysbiosis. It does not lead to absorption into the general bloodstream. Most often prescribed for salmonellosis, an allergic reaction, inflammatory processes in the liver.
According to reviews, the Russian analogues of Dufalac include Guttalax, Poslabin, Regulaks and others.
All drugs have similar properties that are identical in action. They have a mild laxative effect and normalize the intestinal microflora.
When choosing a drug, it is important to pay attention to which group it belongs to. So, dietary supplements undergo a simplified quality control, do not have the exact composition, so they can not show the desired effect in the treatment of constipation.
Cheap analogues of Dufalac are not always able to provide effective assistance in the treatment of the disease. Only a specialist is able to choose a drug that can be taken over an extended period of time.
Reviews
Opinions about the drug are more positive. According to adult reviews, Dufalac has the most effective effect on constipation. Parents give it to their newborn children, because he is allowed to receive from the first days of life. For them, the main thing in the drug is that it has a safe composition. The benefits of Dufalac appear within 2 days, which helps to improve the health of the baby.
Adult patients are also pleased with the effect of the drug. Thanks to the soft action of Dufalac, in a short period of time all problems associated with bowel movements are resolved. Many patients during the period of use of the drug did not feel any side effects and were completely satisfied with its effect.
For undiluted patients, the drug did not have the desired effect. On the advice of a specialist, they bred him with water. After that, “Dufalac” had the next day its positive effect.
There were no completely negative reviews about the use of the drug.
"Dufalac" is a medicine that has a natural composition and has a laxative effect. With the help of his reception, problems associated with chronic constipation are solved, intestinal microflora is normalized.