IBS-C'er SEEKING SUPPORT..please don't let this get bumped down!
#115638 - 10/25/04 10:37 AM
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I have been so bloated, C, and am having a lot of pain. I started taking Extra Strength Acidophilus, brand Rexall, for two weeks. The first week it was helping me; I was actually having regular BMs, but for the past week I have been back in C mode. The pain is unbearable most days. I finally gave in this morning and took dulcolax which brought some relief, but I hate laxatives. Does anyone here know how long to take Acidophilus? Has anyone had a problem with it no longer working after some time? I also made a dr appointment for this Wednsday, but every time before the doctors at this clinic have not been able (or wanting) to help me, just give me fiber and food suggestions. I am at my wits end, have tried everything over the counter to no avail! My diet is perfect and I'm active and otherwise healthy. I just don't get it. I would love any advise/empathy from other C'ers out there.
Steph 
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Hi Steph!!
I feel for ya, really I do. It's seems never-ending sometimes with C. One minute something will be fine, the next minute it isn't.
What do you mean, when you say your diet is "perfect"? Are you consuming any dairy?? That for me is the BIGGEST trigger. Even something that has casein in it will cause me problems.
Are you stressed out? Stress is another big trigger.
Also, are you taking an SFS?? If so, which one? Are you drinking enough water, especially with your SFS. Are you exercising?? There are lots of things to consider.
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~ Rachel (IBS-C)
If life hands you lemons, make lemonade!!
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I'm sorry your having so much pain right now, I've been there, it sucks! Have you considered talking to your dr about an anti-depressant, they usually help with some of the pain after a while. Ask the dr about anti-spasm meds as well. If everything else has failed, have you talked to the dr about miralax? In the meantime, use the heating pad, it helps with the pain. I hope you feel better soon!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I hope you feel better soon....you need to take a very close look at your diet...as far as probiotics/acidophilus goes, I take it twice a day and will take it forever!!! it never stopped my ibs, i just feel like it will strengthen my guts ability to take care of itself.
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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By "perfect" I mean that I eat very healthy. I don't eat any meat at all, no greasy/salty foods, no "junk" foods at all except for the occasional small peice of chocolate. I do drink small amounts of milk throughout the day: in my morning cereal and in some of my teas and hot cocoa, though dairy in miniscule amounts never bothered me before (there was a time I took all dairy out of my diet but nothing had changed). I am moderately active, walk forty minutes a day with my one year old son in the stroller. As far as SFS go, I have tried Benefiber powder, Fiberchoice chewables, Metamucil wafers and Metamucil powder. None of them, even when I had worked up to max doses over long periods of time, worked for me. I am now taking Fibercon, two pills 2-3 times per day, which were helping but recently stopped. You made a good point about stress, though, for I have been having a ton of this lately. I didn't even think of that. Also, I went over everything that I have been eating in the past week and had remembered that I had started eating All Bran Cereal Bars every day this whole week, something that is new and I had never tried before. I figured they would be fine with me since the cereal itself is. I'm glad I thought of this. I'll stop eating these and see what happens. Thank you for helping me go over key IBS triggers.
Steph 
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Thank you so much for your input on this. I have read many of your posts about Miralax and am planning on asking my dr about this Wednsday. I'm afraid of ADs, though, because I've heard about losing your real feelings and about weight gain. I really don't want to feel numb. I also don't know about these, like what kinds are good. Would you mind sharing your experience with me? I've recently tried a new granola bar, All Bran, and think this may have some to do with my agony. I can't stand being like this. Everything is patience, trial and error. Thank you again. I really need the empathy now.
Steph
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How long have you been taking the probiotics? Did it take a certain amount of time for it to take full effect? How many do you take? I started with two with breakfast but when it stopped working I added another two with a snack before bed.
Thank you for your support, as I need lots of it now.
Steph
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Hi Stephanie,
All I know is if you are taking the Acidopholus for more than a month and you don't take a break from it, that the yeast that you're trying to kill can mutate and a stronger strain develops and then that brand doesn't work for you anymore. The alternative health experts are now saying that we should go on a probiotic for fifteen days on, then five days off. I would go on it for that period of time and then get completely off of it for maybe two weeks or more and then take a different brand again.
Some of us who have IBS have it because of an infection, yeast problem, parasites, and some because of internal inflamation...others, it's hereditary....many, many reasons. I have it in my mother's side of the family...so the genetic code is strong for this type of thing.
I have problems with constipation as well. But I think that at other times I get D as well...because I tend to polarize too much swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other in my soluable/insoluable consumption. Right now I'm swinging far too over onto the soluable fiber side of the fence...and I think that's why I'm so C right now myself. I'm going to soak some organic figs tonight and have a homemade fruit smoothie tomorrow with Barley powder tomorrow (the stuff I ate when I was on a Raw Vegan diet) to get my BMs softer.
It's a balancing act I think between soluable and insoluable fiber for those of us who lean towards C. I've had this condition off and on since I was sixteen...but now being in my late forties...it's gotten more chronic....stress has been the worst offender.
Sheryl
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To every problem, the answer is love.
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well the truth is, I haven't noticed a DRASTIC improvement in my IBS since taking the probiotics, but I started them at the same time as dietary changes etc...so I think it was a combination of factors that helped me get better. I take one first thing in the morning on an empty belly and last thing at night on an emptyish belly...I have no intentions of upping or lowering the dose....I am happy with the way it is right now. I have tried lots of things for my ibs and something tells me the probiotics are helping so I want to carry on, even if there is no obvious change. I feel like it can't hurt to take them!
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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Re: Hi Michele
#115915 - 10/26/04 08:34 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Look for a recent thread titled something like Which antidepressants have you tried and have they helped. I'm not a good computer person or I would post a link for you sorry!
Anyway, I have been on several different brands of Ad's. I have never experienced the numb feeling. Personally, I like Lexapro the best and Wellbutrin the second best. I'm currently on zoloft because I'm trying to get pregnant and its the safest one to use during pregnancy. Most of the SSRI's ( selective seratonine Rebuke inhibiters) don't cause too much weight gain. Its more the amitriptaline ones that cause the sugar and food cravings.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=diet&Number=107637&fpart=&PHPSESSID=
Here is a link that is good. It is all about AD's how they hav worked for people!! Good luck!!
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Heather7476
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I know exactly how you feel. I have been on probiotics forever. You can build up to 6 a day (some directions say on empty stomach). I take 2AM, 2 PM, 2 before bed. For the past 3 weeks I've been on Konsyl Fiber Supplement. The results have been amazing! It's not easy to drink (I mix it in grape juice), but worth it! I took acacia for months and it helped for a while, then went to Citrucel...same thing. You might look into it. Good luck. Amy
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Hi Amy
#115961 - 10/26/04 11:01 AM
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Okay, good. I was a bit worried about getting too much Acidophilus, as I started taking two pills twice a day. I've never heard of Konsyl Fiber, though. Where do you get it and what is it made of? How many grams of fiber per dose?
Thank you for replying.
Steph
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Hi Stephanielee,
I take two Acidophilus every day and have been for at least six months. It gives my body good gut flora and that is what our colons need, I intend to take it for as long as I have IBS-A; and we know what that means!
When you go to the Clinic voice your feelings. If you are not already on an AD ask the Clinician to prescribe one for you. Most docs think that IBS is all in our minds and we are just having emotional problems which causes our stomachs to act up - yeah right!!!!!!!
If you are not on an SFS, please start taking one and eat plenty of SOLUBLE and INSOUBLE fiber. You will feel better.
Good luck.
Lene
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God never promised life would be easy, but he did promise to provide a way out!
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Thank you for the probiotic info; I didn't know to take breaks from it. Today i'm starting over to get stabalized with the "what to eat when you can't eat anything diet". I've had so much pain and the laxatives I took in desperation made my insides feel raw and tender. My GI tract definately needs a vacation. lol
Steph
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Thanks and good luck to you!!
Steph
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I have IBS with gastritis. So I changed my diet. But then I would get constipated and be in terrible pain. I didn't like any fiber that I had tried. But then I found the one thing that has helped me the most so I wanted to share it with others. It is made by Kellogg's its called All~Bran Brown suger cinnamon bars. They are like a granola bar, but they have the bran cereal, rice, and oatmeal in them and they taste GREAT. They also have one that is honey flavored.
They have 20% of the daily value for fiber. I only have to eat one a day for it to make me regular. This works for me but I can't say for sure it will work for you. You can find these in your grocery store in the cereal bar isle.
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Wow. I tried those last thursday and had eaten one/day until yesterday. I think they are what made my C and bloat even worse. Maybe not, though; I didn't eat one today and my condition has not improved. I will wait and see. I do love All Bran cereal, though, eat it almost every morning and have for years! Thanks for the reply.
Steph
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Hey, for you guys who take probiotics, do you find it actually helps you not be C? Or does it just help with the pain?
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IBS-C
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I have IBS-C, too, and am new to this board. It's been such a problem for me (since I was just a little girl-- and now I'm mid-30's). Doctors always told me to add more fiber to my diet, but that never seemed to help.
I'm now taking Zelnorm (just started it this week), but I'd love to be able to control the symptoms with just diet. It sounds like maybe you're doing pretty well -- are you sticking with Heather's diet suggestions?
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Miralax
#116615 - 10/28/04 07:35 AM
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bellshel32
Reged: 10/28/04
Posts: 371
Loc: Kansas, USA
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I took Miralax faithfully for about 3 years. Didn't necessarily have to take it every day. It worked great for me-- I mean I actually felt normal!! I was having a BM pretty much every day. The problem is that it recently lost its effectiveness for me. It would cause me to have D sometimes & it would not even work on my C at other times.
I don't know if my body just changed or what. Now I'm trying Zelnorm.
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Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I get the Konsyl @ Walmart or most drug stores. I have to warn you, it's not real fun to drink. I put mine in grape juice and follow with a big glass of water. A friend of mine actually drinks it with water. BLAH! I have always been REALLY c. It has made a big difference. I'm surprised that I don't read that anyone else uses it. It has something like 4 grams of insoluble per tsp. I'm still taking 3/4tsp 2x's day! Acacia is something like 4grms per tbsp!! It was hard for me to get that much in me. Hope it helps!
Amy
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Quote:
Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I get the Konsyl @ Walmart or most drug stores. I have to warn you, it's not real fun to drink. I put mine in grape juice and follow with a big glass of water. A friend of mine actually drinks it with water. BLAH! I have always been REALLY c. It has made a big difference. I'm surprised that I don't read that anyone else uses it. It has something like 4 grams of insoluble per tsp. I'm still taking 3/4tsp 2x's day! Acacia is something like 4grms per tbsp!! It was hard for me to get that much in me. Hope it helps!
Amy
Hey I saw Konsyl at Walgreens today. Isn't it the same thing as Metamucil?
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IBS-C
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I have been on Heather's diet for some months now, only modified with insoluble fiber for C. I was feeling pretty good for a while, not as bloated or in as much pain, but in the past month I've been feeling terrible! I've been extremely C, bloated, and crampy. I even have a new pain now, a very tender spot to the right of my navel. My dr said that is where the gallbladder is, but thinks I'm too young to be having problems with it (I'm 24). I'm waiting for an appointment to have a barium swallow test.
Anyway, I'm glad you found us; everyone here is very helpful and supportive. You'll get great information on this board. I do recommend Heather's diet (as we all follow it!), daily fiber supplements, tummy ease herbal teas, and of course lots of water and exercise.
I hope you start feeling better soon.
Steph
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