Magnesium, a common mineral, has many functions in your body. It helps your nervous system and muscle system to work properly, and it helps regulate the levels and usage of the most common bodily mineral, calcium. Magnesium citrate is one of several forms of the mineral available as a supplement. Peri-Colace is a brand name of a combination of docusate and senna, a stool softener and laxative, respectively. Talk with your doctor before you take magnesium citrate and Peri-Colace together.
Magnesium Citrate Benefits
Although you may derive the benefits of a magnesium supplement from magnesium citrate, its main function is as a mild laxative. It helps add water inside your digestive tract, which helps decrease the dryness and hardness of stools. This action can make it easier for you to pass stools, especially if you are constipated.
Magnesium Citrate Side Effects
Apart from allergic reactions to magnesium citrate, which can be serious, most side effects of the supplement classify as minor and temporary. Drugs.com recommends talking to your physician about these side effects. For example, you may break out in sweats when you take magnesium citrate. You may feel dizzy, as if you are in motion even when you are not moving. You may feel queasy in your stomach.
Peri-Colace Benefits
Senna helps to stimulate the muscles of your intestines, which helps move stools through them, Drugs.com notes. Docusate works to soften your stools, making it less difficult to move them through your intestines. Together as Peri-Colace, these medicines can help relieve constipation on an occasional basis.
Peri-Colace Side Effects
Serious side effects, such as vomiting and nausea, along with stomach pain that feels severe, can occur when you take Peri-Colace. You also may bleed from your rectum. In some cases, Peri-Colace may not induce a bowel movement. If any of these problems occur, seek your doctor’s advice immediately, Drugs.com recommends. The combination of docusate and senna also may produce some minor side effects that generally end without a doctor’s aid. These include a feeling of fullness called bloating, flatulence or minor nausea. If these continue, ask your physician about them.
Interactions
Drugs.com recommends against taking a second laxative or stool softener purchased over the counter with Peri-Colace. You should not take magnesium citrate at the same time you take Peri-Colace unless your doctor recommends it. The combination of magnesium citrate and Peri-Colace may have consequences as yet undocumented, so any abnormal reactions should be reported to your doctor. You also should drink water after taking stool softeners and laxatives to prevent dehydration from occurring.
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