SFS (soluble fiber supplements) such as benefiber, equalactin, citrucel, fiber-con or acacia (I'm sure I missed a couple but those are the main ones) all basically do the same thing, they stabilize the gut. Certain brands do seem to work better for certain people so feel free to try different brands to see what works best. Typically the powders contain more fiber per dose than the pills do.
I've been IBS C for about 19 years now. I got to the point where I was taking over the counter laxative 4-5 times a week. Finally my dr prescribed me miralax. I've been on it for about 4 years and it still works great for me. Your colon still may become dependant on it but its an osmotic laxative and doesn't use harsh stimulants. I mix a spoon of Acacia in with my Miralax every morning!
Stool softners are all pretty much the same, peri-colace. You can take them on a regular basis without problems, unlike regular over the counter laxatives.
-------------------- Taking it one day at a time.....