Fleet Enema Coupons & Prices

Use the free Rx.com Fleet Enema tool to compare what a sodium phosphate saline enema costs at pharmacies near you. Fleet Enema is an over-the-counter saline (osmotic) laxative used for relief of occasional constipation, and it usually produces a bowel movement within 1 to 5 minutes. It is sold without a prescription, and the same active ingredients are also sold as store-brand "saline laxative" enemas. Prices vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, so it is worth comparing before you buy. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price at pharmacies in your area.

What is Fleet Enema and how does it work?

Fleet Enema is a rectal enema containing sodium phosphates: monobasic sodium phosphate 19 g and dibasic sodium phosphate 7 g in each 118 mL delivered dose. That 118 mL is the amount actually delivered from the bottle, which is labeled 4.5 fl oz (133 mL). It belongs to the saline (osmotic or hyperosmotic) laxative class. Rather than stimulating the bowel muscle, the salt solution draws water into the lower bowel, which softens stool and increases pressure that triggers a bowel movement. It typically works within 1 to 5 minutes.

It is sold under the Fleet name (Fleet Saline Enema and Fleet Enema Extra) and as the pediatric brand Fleet Pedia-Lax Enema, as well as store-brand "Saline Laxative Enema" products from retailers such as CVS Health, Walgreens, and Walmart's Equate line. The over-the-counter label's only stated use is relief of occasional constipation.

Dosing on the label is strictly by age, and it is written in bottles, not milliliters. Adults and children 12 years and over use one bottle per day. (The standard Fleet Saline Enema delivers 118 mL; Fleet Enema Extra delivers a larger 197 mL dose while carrying the same 19 g and 7 g amounts of the two sodium phosphates. Either way, the label direction is one bottle per day.) Children 2 to 11 years are directed to the smaller Fleet Pedia-Lax Enema (59 mL delivered dose, containing monobasic sodium phosphate 9.5 g and dibasic sodium phosphate 3.5 g), and even within that range the dose is not the same: children 5 to 11 years get one full Pedia-Lax bottle per day, while children 2 to under 5 years get only one-half bottle (unscrew the cap and remove 2 tablespoons of liquid with a measuring spoon, then replace the cap before use). For children under 2 years, both the Fleet Saline Enema and Pedia-Lax labels say DO NOT USE. This product is for rectal use only and must never be swallowed.

How to save on Fleet Enema with Rx.com

Fleet Enema is an over-the-counter product, so there is no manufacturer copay card and no insurance copay to work around. What you pay is the shelf price, and that price is not the same everywhere. Enter your ZIP code above to compare what pharmacies near you are charging today.

One thing to understand before you go: a prescription discount coupon is processed as a prescription claim at the pharmacy counter. That means a pharmacy generally cannot run a discount coupon on an item you simply pick off the shelf. Some over-the-counter products can be run through the pharmacy at a coupon price if your doctor writes them as a prescription, which may also let you pay with a health savings or flexible spending account. Ask your pharmacist what applies at their store before you count on a coupon price.

Two other straightforward ways to spend less: consider the store-brand saline laxative enema, which contains the same sodium phosphates in the same amounts as the brand, and buy only what you need. The label says not to use this product for more than 3 days, and it limits you to one enema in 24 hours, so a large multi-pack usually does not match how the product is meant to be used. Fleet's own manufacturer site (Fleet Laboratories) is the place to check current product information; any promotions there are set by the manufacturer and terms vary.

Fleet Enema vs. other laxatives

Different laxatives work in different ways and on very different timelines. A saline enema like Fleet is the fastest option and acts only in the lower bowel, which is why it is used for immediate relief. Oral laxatives are slower but are generally the better choice for ongoing or recurring constipation. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about which type fits your situation:

• Osmotic powders such as Miralax (polyethylene glycol 3350) are mixed into a drink and usually work over 1 to 3 days. They are commonly used when constipation is not a one-time problem.
• Stimulant laxatives such as Dulcolax (bisacodyl) make the bowel contract. Oral tablets typically work overnight; bisacodyl suppositories act much faster.
• Stool softeners such as docusate sodium add moisture to stool to make it easier to pass. They are gentle and work gradually.
• Prescription osmotic syrup such as lactulose is used when a doctor decides an over-the-counter product is not enough.

Within the enema aisle itself, the choices also differ. A Fleet saline (sodium phosphate) enema pulls water into the bowel with salts. A mineral oil enema lubricates hardened stool so it can slide out. A glycerin suppository or enema draws in a little water and irritates the rectal lining to trigger a movement. The saline version is the one that carries the sodium phosphate precautions described below, and it is the one you must not use more than once in 24 hours.

Safety and side effects to know

Fleet Enema is an over-the-counter monograph product and does not carry an FDA boxed warning. However, in 2014 the FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication warning that taking more than one dose in 24 hours of an over-the-counter sodium phosphate product can cause rare but serious harm to the kidneys and heart, and in some cases death, from severe dehydration and electrolyte shifts (high phosphate, low calcium, high sodium, acidosis, and acute phosphate nephropathy). Do not use more than one enema in 24 hours. That same FDA communication describes higher risk in adults over 55, young children, anyone who is dehydrated or vomiting, and people with kidney disease, bowel obstruction, colitis or inflamed bowel, or heart failure, and in people taking diuretics, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, or NSAIDs. A known or suspected bowel obstruction comes from that FDA communication as a risk factor; it is not one of the label's own Do Not Use items.

The label's Do Not Use list has five entries. Do not use this product: for more than 3 days; if you have kidney disease; if you have heart problems; if you are dehydrated; or when abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting are present, unless a doctor directs you to. That last one matters most if you are treating yourself, because those symptoms can be a sign of a problem that an enema could make worse. The Pedia-Lax label carries the same items for children, framed as not to be used without asking a doctor.

Ask a doctor before use if you are 55 years of age or older, if you are on a sodium-restricted diet, if you have had a sudden change in bowel habits lasting more than 2 weeks, or if you have already used a laxative for more than 1 week. Stop use and ask a doctor if you have rectal bleeding, if you have no bowel movement or no liquid comes out of the rectum after 30 minutes (a retained enema lets more of the salt be absorbed and dehydration can occur), or if you have symptoms of dehydration such as feeling thirsty, dizziness, vomiting, or urinating less often than normal.

This is for rectal use only, so do not swallow it, and get medical help or call a Poison Control Center right away if it is swallowed. Do not use a bottle whose protective wrapper or seal is damaged, and do not use it at the same time as another sodium phosphates product. This page is general information and not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your own health and medications before using any laxative.