Osmotic-type laxatives, including Milk of Magnesia . Bulk agents , including Metamucil , Colace , and unprocessed bran. Bulk agents promote bowel movement. However, when these bulk agents are misused, they have the same psychological consequences as regular laxatives. Misusing these agents must be discontinued.
Laxative abuse can be medically dangerous.
The medical complications of laxative abuse depend on several factors, including the type of laxatives used, the amount used, and how long they have been used. Some of the more common complications of laxative abuse follow. Repeated use of laxatives actually causes constipation. This may lead people to increase the dosage of the amount of laxative, which in turn only worsens the constipation problem. Laxatives cause fluid loss through the intestines.