If you've ever been constipated, you may have tried laxatives. They're easy to get without a prescription and often help get things moving. Certainly, a lot of people use laxatives, and some older people are very reliant on them to help with bowel function. But you might have heard it's not a good idea to take them over the long term. Even though serious complications from chronic laxative use are rare, they do happen. That's why, whenever possible, long-term laxative use should be guided and