Just a few questions from our Pharmacist before you checkout to make sure this medicine is safe for you.
Buy Laxido sachets
Laxido Orange sachets are a macrogol-based laxative used to treat constipation and faecal impaction (a build-up of stool due to long-term constipation). Each sugar-free sachet dissolves into a drink that helps to soften stools and make them easier to pass.
What is Laxido used for?
Laxido contains macrogol 3350 along with electrolytes. It's used to treat constipation, especially if it's been going on for a while, and faecal impaction, where a build-up of hard stool gets stuck in the bowel.
Macrogol works by drawing water into your gut, softening your stools and making them easier to pass. Electrolytes help to maintain your body's normal salt and water balance while you're being treated.
How long does it take for Laxido to work?
Laxido is an osmotic laxative, so it works gradually rather than instantly. Most people notice a difference within 1-2 days of starting it, as it needs time to pass through the gut and absorb enough water to soften stools.
How long does it last?
For everyday constipation, a course usually lasts up to two weeks. If you're being treated for faecal impaction, the higher-dose course is normally only taken for up to three days.
How to use Laxido sachets
Here’s how to use Laxido sachets:
- Dissolve one sachet in a glass of water (125ml, about a quarter of a pint) and stir until fully dissolved.
- For constipation, the usual dose is 1-3 sachets a day.
- For faecal impaction, the usual dose is eight sachets a day, all taken within a six-hour period (no more than two sachets an hour if you have a heart condition).
- If treating faecal impaction, you can dissolve all eight sachets together in one litre of water instead.
- Keep drinking plenty of fluids alongside Laxido; it shouldn't replace your normal fluid intake.
- Avoid taking other oral medicines for an hour before and an hour after your dose.
- If you mix a sachet and can't drink it straight away, you can keep it in the fridge, covered, for up to six hours before discarding it.
Laxido orange side effects
Like all medicines, Laxido may cause side effects in some people, but these won’t affect everybody. Common side effects may include:
- abdominal pain
- bloating
- wind
- indigestion
- soreness around the bottom
- mild diarrhoea
- nausea
- vomiting
- a swollen abdomen
- stomach rumbling
For further information on side effects, including potentially serious side effects, please refer to the patient information leaflet.
Who shouldn't take Laxido?
Don’t take Laxido if you’re allergic to macrogol 3350 or any of the other listed ingredients. Also avoid this product if you have:
- a perforation in your intestinal wall
- a blockage in your intestine
- paralysis of the intestine
- ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or toxic megacolon, if advised by a healthcare professional
Speak to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before taking Laxido if you're on other medicines (especially anti-epileptics), as Laxido can affect how well they work.
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, check with a doctor or pharmacist first, although Laxido can generally be taken at these times.
Alternatives to Laxido orange sachets
If you’re struggling with constipation and Laxido isn’t quite right for you, here are some alternatives to try:
|
Product |
Details |
Formula |
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A macrogol-based alternative to Laxido, Movicol holds water in the gut to soften stools. |
Sachets. |
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Contains the same active ingredient as Laxido and Movicol. |
Sachets. |
|
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Unbranded version of Laxido, Movicol, and CosmoCol. |
Sachets. |
|
|
A synthetic sugar that draws water into the bowel to soften stools. |
Syrup. |
|
|
Draws water into the rectum and mildly irritates the rectal lining, triggering a bowel movement. |
Suppositories. |
|
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Contains bisacodyl, which stimulates the bowel to contract and helps draw in fluid to trigger a bowel movement. |
Tablets, capsules, syrup, or suppositories. |
|
|
Contains senna glycosides (sennosides), a plant-derived stimulant that’s broken down by gut bacteria in the colon to trigger bowel muscle contractions. |
Tablets or syrup. |
|
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Works the same way as Senna, just another branded alternative. |
Tablets or syrup. |
|
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Contains ispaghula husk, a natural soluble fibre that absorbs water in the gut to bulk up stools and stimulate the bowel. |
Sachets and chews. |
Frequently asked questions about Laxido orange
Is Laxido the same as macrogol?
Macrogol is the active ingredient, and Laxido is simply a brand name for it.
When is the best time to take Laxido?
There's no single ‘best’ time to take Laxido. In fact, you should spread your sachets evenly across the day rather than taking them all at once.
How long does Laxido stay in your system?
Macrogol isn't absorbed into your bloodstream. It stays in your gut, holding onto water until it's passed out with your stool, usually within a day or two of a dose.
Can you buy Laxido over-the-counter?
Yes, you can buy Laxido over-the-counter without a prescription.
Sources
- Laxido Orange patient information leaflet. Electronic medicines compendium (emc). [Accessed 3rd November 2026].
- Keep Moving with Laxido Orange. Laxido. [Accessed 3rd November 2026].
