Any Ex-Miralax users out there?
#224696 - 11/13/05 08:09 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I have read a lot of posts about how happy people have been with Miralax helping their C. Is there anyone who is a C, tried Miralax, but stopped taking it because they weren't happy with it?
If so, how long did you stay on it before you gave it up? Why did you stop taking it? What didn't you like about it?
Thanks
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I'm not on the boards as much as I used to be, so I don't remember....have you tried Miralax before? I know I've read that people stopped taking it because they got too gassy, but that's pretty rare. Most people, like myself, have found great success. I don't know what I would do without it.
Jessica
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Miralax
#224787 - 11/14/05 09:04 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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No, this is my first real attempt at taking it longer than a day or two. It's been 10 days now, and I'm not too happy with it so far. Not good solid BMs, just painful, loose, skinny, piddly things all day. Annoying! Plus, sometimes it does nothing at all, like today!
I had such hopes for this drug...and I am really disappointed so far. 
Do I keep upping my SFS to try and make the stools more firm and complete? Do I go off the miralax? 
Why or why won't anything work for me? What do I even try next if the Miralax continues not to work? My doc said to take Ducolax twice a week, but I really don't want to go there!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I tried Miralax but it caused me to have attacks, even when I tried a lower dosage. But I think most people tend to resond well to it. I really hope the Miralax ends up working for you...have you tried cutting the dosage in half? Maybe your body needs to get used to it?
Also, I really think you need to get retested for other problems, because it seems like perhaps you may not have IBS. Didn't you say before that you didn't get all the tests done? You should get everything re-done, even if you already did it, and by another doctor, cause you never know. If they're over looking some other disorder/disease, you need to find out about it!! I'm saying this cause it seems like you don't really respond to the IBS treatments, you could just have a really stubborn case of it, but I really think you need to get tested for everything again.
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IBS-C
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How would you define an "attack" with the Miralax?
I did try cutting the dose in half, and then I stopped going altogether.
I do have another doctor now, but he hasn't ordered any new tests yet, besides and anorectal manometry which came back normal. How do you force a doctor to do tests on you? Believe me, I know they aren't fun, but like you said, it could something else. In my heart, I feel it is IBS combined with a permanently screwed up GI system from a 15-20 year battle with eating disorders. I'm afraid it won't matter what I do...I may be permanently damaged, although this doc doesn't think so.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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For the longest time the miralax gave me loose skinny stools...or none at all on some days. Now, it's totally different and I'm pregnant and that makes C worse. However, since I have been pregnant I've had to eat alot of protein, which I didn't have much of in a day before, maybe one meal. Now, since I've gone up in protein, I take the miralax in the morning as usual and then an extra half dose at night and my poop has been solid, not super hard, but solid, for weeks straight now and maybe one day I haven't gone. So, alot of I now believe IS diet, regardless of whether you take SFS or Miralax. Protein is huge....how much protein do you get per day? Also a week or two of taking it is not going to demonstrate the true results. It also tends to work better when you don't take it on a full tummy and make sure to drink alot of liquid with the miralax and following. Try it just a little bit longer with that advice and then if it doesn't work try something else. I just want you to give it a chance see our bodies are so similar as far as the bloating, eating disorder past, etc. Let me know what you think and good luck.
Jessica
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Jessica, can you give me an idea of how much protein to eat? What is your daily diet like as far as protein? I eat turkey deli meat for lunch, chicken or fish for dinner (4 oz). I also eat quiona a lot which is a complete protein grain.
I do take the Miralax on an empty tummy first thing in the a.m. Do you think I should keep taking 12 grams of SFS along with the Miralax? Or would that just require too much liquid?
Oh, I still take Triphala! 
Thanks!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Quote:
How would you define an "attack" with the Miralax?
I did try cutting the dose in half, and then I stopped going altogether.
I do have another doctor now, but he hasn't ordered any new tests yet, besides and anorectal manometry which came back normal. How do you force a doctor to do tests on you? Believe me, I know they aren't fun, but like you said, it could something else. In my heart, I feel it is IBS combined with a permanently screwed up GI system from a 15-20 year battle with eating disorders. I'm afraid it won't matter what I do...I may be permanently damaged, although this doc doesn't think so.
Basiclly after taking it, I got really bad pains/bloating/gas, I felt sooo sick. I think I even cut it down to 1/4 a dose, and still felt those symptoms, I wanted to give it awhile to work but honestly the symptoms were too bad for me to want to continue 
When I went to my GI doctor, I literally brought in a list from Heather's site that said all the tests people should have done, and said "I want all these tests done on me". Sounds bossy, but seriously that's how you get stuff done!! A few of them he said he wasn't going to do because those would have caused D not C, but he basiclly did the rest. The only thing I didn't have was a second colonoscopy(I'd had one a couple years before). But I don't feel like I needed too cause I responded well to the diet(and also because when I took the prep laxatives, they didn't work till waaaay too late!). Anyway, long story short, you should do what I did and just bring in a list and hand it to him. BE ASSERTIVE, cause doctors are LAZY and don't give a [censored]!!
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IBS-C
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I'm probably getting between 45-65 grams of protein per day. I've been adding some chopped almonds to my oatmeal or cereal, at lunch a protein bar, chicken or fish for dinner and then another protein bar later or else an ensure protein drink. It dpended on the day as far as me having more or less and where I'm at or what I'm doing. Either way, I still go good. I've also added some more fat to my diet...mostly good fats, like guacamole, peanut butter...I believe the oils in that help as well. Sounds like you are getting a good amount of protein...maybe sneak in a protein bar if you can? Stay with the SFS and plenty of liquid, but try adding an extra half dose of miralax before bed. Don't worry about continuing to drink more liquid afterwards, just make sure you drink enough with the nightime dose. Also, don't be concerned if your tummy is completely empty or not at night...just make sure that one of the doses it is. This is what I have been doing...I know everyone's different and we all hate that...but I'm telling you try it! I've been on Miralax for just over a year,take no SFS, and just now have gotten my poop solid from it after these diet changes. Call it coincidence, I don't know. Try it out for a week..if no go..then stop. Good luck...and may the "force" be with you! Keep with the Triphala too.
Love Jessica
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Jessica
#225397 - 11/16/05 09:17 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Thanks for your well thought out response. I appreciate all the help and hints I get. I'm willing to try anything that has helped anyone!
Can I ask what the brand name of your protein bar is? Is it safe for us as far as type of fiber and amount of fat per bar? Do you add this bar to your lunch with other protein, or is the bar your lunch?
It sounds like you aren't doing the SF before IF rule.
Why aren't you taking an SFS anymore? Do you take any other supplements besides the Miralax...like are you taking Magnesium or probiotics or digestive enzymes?
Are you eating your fruits with the peel and doing "the diet"?
Thanks for your input. A whole year on Miralax before seeing solid BMs, huh? Do you take 1 1/2 doses too?
Thanks and email me anytime! How far along are you now? Do you know the sex?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hi, Augie! It took two weeks before Miralax did anything for me, and two more weeks after that before I got "stable." You have to play around with your dosage a bit, according to my doctor, to figure out what works for you. For examle, 17 grams is WAY too much for me...nothing but diarrhea all day. I take about 3/4 of a capful now, and that works to keep me normal. But I do sometimes get the all day, skinny stuff...mostly if I haven't kept up my fiber intake.
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Luna bars, the south beach diet bars (high protein and hardly any sugars, and the zone bars. I don't know if the last two are deemed "IBS" safe, but they have been safe for me. I either have them alone, or sometimes with an orange or peeled apple. I stopped the SFS because the tastes of all of them made me "gag" with my pregnancy...many things just gross me out still...so that's why I upped my miralax to twice per day...so, I'm taking two full doses per day now to kinda make up for not taking any SFS right now or anything. Probiotics and digestive enzymes aren't known to be totally safe or not with pregnancy, so I'm trying to avoid all that for right now, which sucks, but oh well. I've never really done the "diet"...I've experimented in the past but it didn't really make a difference. I just base my diet on what has been good for me in the past and avoided things that have upset me. NO, I haven't taken 2 doses of miralax for the last year, only recently I started that. I'm 5 1/2 months along now and it's a boy!! Thanks for asking!
Jessica
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