The brand name is Vibrant. The FDA approved the pills in August, and they just became available as a prescription this week.
This is so simple, it's kind of brilliant: There's a new pill to treat constipation, but it doesn't contain any drugs. Instead, it just VIBRATES. The brand name is Vibrant. The FDA approved the pills in August, and they just became available as a prescription this week. You take one pill each night before bed, and the vibration stimulates nerve cells in your gut that help you go. You have to activate each pill before you swallow it. Then it vibrates for about two hours . . . stops for six hours . . . and starts vibrating again for another two hours. They buzz for three seconds at a time, followed by a three-second pause. Doctors tested it on 200 people who suffer from "persistent constipation," meaning fewer than three bowel movements a week. 40% said it helped them go at least one additional time per week. There was also less straining involved. Some people could feel the pills vibrating inside them, but said it wasn't uncomfortable or painful. They currently cost $69 a month and aren't covered by insurance yet.