Long term use of Stool Softeners, Lab tests required?
These are basically just lubricants and in 38 years practicing medicine I have yet to see anybody have any bad reaction at all to taking them. Don’t worry. Your routine physical exam blood tests would show it up if you were developing vitamin lacks. When any medication is going through clinical trials for the FDA to prove safety and efficacy the drug companies have to report every bad event that happens to the subjects whether the medication causes it or not. This is why every drug has a list of possible side effects that is frighteningly long and scarey looking. Don’t worry. Talk it over with your doctor, he’ll reassure you too.
