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Palliative cancer care - constipation - Management
Combined treatment with a stimulant plus a softener

Age from 16 years onwards
Multi-therapy: Senna tablets + lactulose solution
Senna tablets: two tablets at night
Senna 7.5mg tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of three tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 60 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.57
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Lactulose solution: 15ml twice a day
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution
Take 15ml twice a day for constipation. Increase the dose by 5ml twice a day every 2 to 3 days if needed.
Supply 500 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £2.63
OTC cost: £4.70
Licensed use: yes
Multi-therapy: Senna tablets + docusate capsules
Senna tablets: two tablets at night
Senna 7.5mg tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of three tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 60 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.57
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Docusate sodium capsules: 100mg twice a day
Docusate 100mg capsules
Take one capsule twice a day for constipation. Increase the dose up to two capsules three times a day if needed.
Supply 84 capsules.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £6.72
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Multi-therapy: Senna tablets + macrogol 3350 (Movicol) sachets
Senna tablets: two tablets at night
Senna 7.5mg tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of three tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 60 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.57
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Movicol: one sachet once a day
Movicol 13.8g oral powder sachets
Take the contents of one sachet (dissolved in half a glass of water) once a day for constipation. Increase the dose by one sachet every 2 to 3 days if needed, up to a maximum of three sachets per day.
Supply 30 sachets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £6.95
Licensed use: yes
Multi-therapy: Bisacodyl tablets + lactulose solution
Bisacodyl tablets: 10mg at night
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of four tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 28 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £0.76
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Lactulose solution: 15ml twice a day
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution
Take 15ml twice a day for constipation. Increase the dose by 5ml twice a day every 2 to 3 days if needed.
Supply 500 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £2.63
OTC cost: £4.70
Licensed use: yes
Multi-therapy: Bisacodyl tablets + macrogol 3350 (Movicol) sachets
Bisacodyl tablets: 10mg at night
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of four tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 28 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £0.76
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Movicol: one sachet once a day
Movicol 13.8g oral powder sachets
Take the contents of one sachet (dissolved in half a glass of water) once a day for constipation. Increase the dose by one sachet every 2 to 3 days if needed, up to a maximum of three sachets per day.
Supply 30 sachets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £6.95
Licensed use: yes
Multi-therapy: Bisacodyl tablets + docusate capsules
Bisacodyl tablets: 10mg at night
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets
Take two tablets at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of four tablets three times a day if needed.
Supply 28 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £0.76
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Lactulose solution: 15ml twice a day
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution
Take 15ml twice a day for constipation. Increase the dose by 5ml twice a day every 2 to 3 days if needed. (Aim to produce one or two soft, formed stools every one or two days.)
Supply 500 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £2.63
OTC cost: £4.70
Licensed use: yes
Co-danthramer strong capsules: one to two capsules at night
Co-danthramer 37.5mg/500mg capsules strong
Take one to two capsules at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of three capsules three times a day if needed.
Supply 60 capsules.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £15.55
Licensed use: no - off-label dose
Co-danthrusate capsules: one to two capsules at night
Co-danthrusate 50mg/60mg capsules
Take one to two capsules at night for constipation. Increase the dose up to a maximum of three capsules twice a day if needed.
Supply 63 capsules.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £13.61
Licensed use: yes

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