CosmoCol sachets are a treatment for constipation that can be made up into a delicious drink. It can be used for chronic constipation or faecal impaction, helping to clear your blockage so your digestive system can start to get back to normal.

If you’re looking for an easy way to relieve chronic constipation that’s available in a range of yummy flavours, CosmoCol could be perfect for you.

CosmoCol contains four active ingredients which work together to relieve constipation; macrogol 3350, sodium chloride, sodium hydrogen carbonate, and potassium chloride. The macrogol helps to soften your built-up stools, making it easier and more comfortable for you to pass. At the same time, the other ingredients work as electrolytes, helping to regulate the levels of salts, water, and potassium in your body as it clears your constipation. This is especially important as chronic constipation or faecal impaction can be followed up with diarrhoea, which depletes your body’s stores of water and salts, so CosmoCol helps your body prepare for this.

Each sachet contains:

• Macrogol 3350 - 13.125 g
• Sodium chloride - 0.3507 g
• Sodium hydrogen carbonate - 0.1785 g
• Potassium chloride - 0.0466 g

The other ingredients are colloidal anhydrous silica.

The amount of CosmoCol you should drink will depend on what you’re taking it for:

For chronic constipation: Take one sachet 1 - 3 times a day. Treatment should not last longer than 2 weeks

For faecal impaction: Mix 8 sachets of CosmoCol and drink them all within 6 hours. You should only use this treatment if advised to do so by your doctor and for as long as your doctor recommends

To make up your CosmoCol drink you should first fill a glass with 125ml of water. Add the contents of one sachet to the water and stir well until the powder has dissolved. Drink the solution right away. Stop taking this product after you have passed a large volume of poo, which will usually happen within 3 days of treatment.

Constipation is a common problem during pregnancy but you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking CosmoCol if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. They may wish to recommend another treatment which will be more suitable for you at this time.

If you’re taking any other medication you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking CosmoCol. Some medicines, such as antiepileptics, can interact with this product, making them less effective.

Storage Instructions: Store in a cool, dry place which is below 25 degrees C. Do not use this product if the expiry date printed on the original packaging has passed. Keep out of sight and reach of children.

CosmoCol sachets are not suitable for use in children under the age of 12.

Do not use this product if you are allergic to macrogol 3350, sodium chloride, sodium hydrogen carbonate, potassium chloride, or any of the other listed ingredients.

This product should not be taken by those who have:

• A perforated gut wall
• A blockage in the intestine, e.g. gut obstruction, ileus
• Severe inflammatory bowel disease, e.g. ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, toxic megacolon

Like all medications, CosmoCol can have side effects, although not everyone will experience them. If you experience any of the following side effects you should stop use and seek immediate medical assistance:

Symptoms of allergy, e.g. rash, itching, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

Symptoms of a change in your body’s fluid or electrolyte levels, e.g. swelling (especially in the ankles), feeling weak or increasingly tired, feeling thirsty with a headache

Other side effects you may experience include:

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• Mild diarrhoea, which is usually a sign that you should reduce the number of sachets you take in a day
• Feeling sick
• Being sick (vomiting)
• Bloating
• Stomach rumbling
• Flatulence or wind
• A sore bottom

If you experience these or any other side effects while using this product you should stop use and speak to your doctor or pharmacist.