Updated 4 March 2008

Please see the Bowel Management page in the Nutrition > Patient Education section.

Codeine and morphine and its analog regularly cause constipation which should always be anticipated and dealt with appropriately with sennosides and, if necessary, stool softeners (docusate) and enemas, but not with bulk forming laxatives. The use of codeine and morphine analogs may be useful in situations where diarrhea is a problem and not related to obstruction or impaction.