Hello, In some cases, laxatives may not be helpful because problem may be in motility of colon muscles. Also, constipation may be caused by several other issues, and you should try first with changing lifestyle and dietary habits. You need to increase fiber intake. Good fiber sources include bran and other whole grains found in cereals, breads and brown rice, vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots, and asparagus, fresh fruits, or dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, prunes, and beans. Also, you should exercise regularly. Moving your body will keep your bowels moving, too. Second, you may at times need to try a laxative such as Fleet Phospho-Soda, Milk of Magnesia, or glycerin suppositories. If there won’t be improvement on these measures, you should consider doing diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy, anal sphincter, manometry, and food allergy testing. In some cases it may be also a sign of tumors so it should be ruled out if symptoms persist. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Ivan R. Rommstein