Is It Safe to Take Stool Softeners Every Day?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 09, 2020

According to the National Institute of Health, stool softeners should not be used for more than one week unless a doctor says otherwise. If a person’s stools are still hard after a week, a doctor should be consulted.

Stool softeners, such as Ducolax and Miralax, are intended to help with constipation on a short-term basis. They relieve straining during bowel movements by softening stools so they can be passed more easily.

In most cases, a person using a stool softener has a bowel movement within 1 to 3 days of taking the medication. If there are sudden changes in bowel habits that last more than 2 weeks, or if the stools are still hard after taking a softener for one week, contact a doctor.