Switched from Benefiber to Citrucel
#13247 - 07/06/03 07:04 PM
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BL
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 3522
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After several weeks of taking the Benefiber, my C was actually getting worse so I switched to Citrucel and boy, what a difference it has made! Within one day, it got things moving. I couldn't imagine there being that much difference between the fiber supplements. Now I wish I had switched sooner.
I'm using the Citrucel Clear-Mix and the only thing I don't like about it is that it often foams in the glass. I think if I put the powder in the water instead of adding water to the powder (I'm I making any sense?), then it doesn't do this. Has anyone else had this problem? Also, several times it has turned into a jello-like consistency in the glass. Yuck! Is that because the water was too warm? Frigid water makes my tummy hurt, so I probably was pouring it a little too warm.
Just a funny story---I was visiting relatives for the Fourth and asked my 8-year-old nephew if he would refill my water glass. You should have seen his face when he returned with my glass full of bubbles! He said, "I promise I didn't put anything but water in it." (It was the Citrucel foaming.) I asked him if his water did that and he said, "No way!" I think he thinks I'm magic! Ha!
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My physican actually hooked me onto Citrucel. I take 2 caplets every day and it has been a God-send. I was amazed at the difference. I was being treated with the different meds for cramping/spasms that did nothing for me. When I started with the Citrucel it made a believer out of me. I'll never be without. Good luck!! 
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So glad you found a change for the better! I really do wish that people had consistent reactions to the different soluble fiber supplements. I hate having to tell folks just try one after the other, but everyone seems so different here. For every person who loves Citrucel and didn't get good results from Benefiber, there's someone else who had the exact opposite experience! Very frustrating...
Citrucel gels in the glass because of its viscosity. Some soluble fibers are high viscosity, others are low. Most of them in their natural form are quite high. They can actually be used as thickeners in cooking (guar gum, xanthan gum). They can be hydrolyzed so that they have a lower viscosity (Benefiber is hydrolyzed guar gum). Personally, I have the best results with supplements that have some viscosity. Most soluble fiber foods are viscous - think of what happens if you put a bit of cooked rice in a glass of water, or a piece of white bread. They dissolve and form a gel or paste. This ability to hold water is actually part of what makes soluble fiber so helpful for IBS - it regulates gut muscle contractions and normalizes both diarrhea and constipation.
So, in a nutshell, don't worry that Citrucel is thickening in the glass. It's supposed to! Do take with plenty of water though - if that gel is too thick you could choke on it.
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks for the explanation, Heather! That explains why the Citrucel works so well. Jello-like or not, I'm drinking it. It has helped me so much that I feel almost "normal." I emailed the company earlier today and asked why it was jelling up on me and they told me it would do that if the water was too warm or if it sat for awhile. They advised me to drink it as soon as I mixed it up.
One other question I have for you---- after using a fiber supplement for an extended period of time, do you find that you need to increase the dosage? I'm already taking the maximum you suggested (maybe even a little more) and I hate to think that I might need even more in the future. Is too much harmful? Can you take too much of it????
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