Frustrated IBS-D(er) needs feedback
#227739 - 11/28/05 09:55 AM
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Digby
Reged: 07/31/04
Posts: 453
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I haven't had a BM that's formed in quite a while. Thankfully, I'm only having one or two BMs a day, but they're the consistency of a cowpie (sorry to be so graphic). I now take 1 Tbls of Acacia in the morning and at dinner, and 1 tsp at lunch. (I was taking 1 Tlbs 3 times a day, but heard that was too much).
Those of you with IBS-D who have formed stools, what are you doing? Do you take a fiber supplement or anything else, and if so, what and how much? Any advice is appreciated!
I've gotta say---you guys are great! Very positive and helpful. I was seeking advice from another website for another matter (people coming off of benzos), and the negativity there is so bad I've stopped visiting the site. I love you guys! 
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Hey there!
I had BM like this when I was taking Superseed by Garden of Life (SFS) and the Acacia. I cannot take the acacia and I'm IBS-D. It just doesn't agree with some people.
I take 1/2 Imodium a day, digestive enzymes with every meal and 3 scoops of Citrucel Clear a day and I have very normal BM, now. I am still in a ton of pain and get stomach cramps, and sometimes I cannot stop the BM's even though they are normal. I am still very unstable.....but, I have to say the Citrucel Clear is what turned my BM around for me. More-so than anything else I'm taking or eating.
If you don't start responding to the Acacia, maybe give Citrucel or Benefiber a try. They are the best for IBS-D people.
Good luck and take care!
(We love you, too!) 
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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i've been lucky lately...my tummy i think halloween time was acting up, but i've stabalized again...
i still stick to non-problematic foods..(though like yesterday i ventured out...).i take a prenatal vit, with iron, so that might be why i'm been doing ok..i drink alot of water and juice..i have like 3 a day...but all not bad...for the most..i try to listent to my body as much as possible too though...and i've been taking it easy on my degestion, and trying to cut it some slack, and i think it's helped alot
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hey digby. first of all, i think that if you're going to the bathroom without pain or too much urgency, you're already doing well. there's still a ways to go towards 'stable,' but just know that your attacks could be much worse. in fact, it sounds like they're not 'attacks' so much as your system still being off-kilter. so that's something.
i personally just take an SFS (fiberchoice - up to 9g SF/day, still working up) and follow the diet. you didn't mention if you follow the diet, how long you've been on it - it can take a while for things to kick in and regulate. (make sure to familiarize yourself with the guidelines on the website, and if you don't feel like you have a grip on the diet, buy heather's book or get it from a library.) i'd suggest making sure you're getting plenty of SF from what you're eating - to me that means beyond safe foods that don't actually have dietary fiber. so make sure that beyond things like white bread and rice, you're getting some SF vegetables or other sources of actual soluble fiber. applesauce and bananas tend to agree with most people, and if it doesn't give you gas, soy is great. in terms of veggies, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and carrots, i've found, are particularly helpful. sweet potatoes especially, and for me, they're very comforting to my stomach.
i'd also make sure, if you've already done the BTC, that you're working to balance your diet, beyond SF. protein and safely-prepared IF are vital. keeping your dietary fat low is really important, too - i'd say less that 20% of calories (per meal) from fat, but surely no more that 25%.
a lot of people here also use immodium as a preventative. especially if your problem is just consistency, and not pain/urgency, i think it could be really, really helpful. try 1 immodium, taken in the morning. if that constipates you (which i know seems like the farthest possibility right now!), go down to 1/2.
beyond that, it's just about giving your body the chance to regulate and heal. that means giving it time - it can take months and months to stabilize, even doing everything right - and being as good to it as you can: eating safely and healthily, exercising, drinking enough water, and managing stress.
hope that helps.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
Edited by jaime g (11/28/05 10:37 AM)
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Hey ... I'm a D, too. My biggest advice is to be proactive, and unfortunately, for me that does mean medication. The good part is that once you stabilize, you should be able to wean yourself off the medication. Think of it as "retraining" your system.
For a D, the two things that will probably help the most is Imodium (loperamide) and a prescription anti-spasmodic. You'll just have to experiment with how much Imodium you need. With the anti-spasmodic, you will also have to figure out what you need. Start out really low and work your way up, and never take more than the recommended dosage without having a talk with your doctor. If you're not on anything now and you're down to the 1-2 mushy BMs, could be a tab or half-tab of Imodium every day could do the trick for you.
Right now I take .125mg hyoscyamine every four hours when I am awake, starting with the minute I get out of bed. Before I started regular use of the hyoscyamine, I tended to take 4-6 Imodium. Some days were worse than others; there were days when I'd have 8 Imodium knocked down and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. I rarely take Imodium anymore; if I do, it's one when I get up or one right before I go to bed, and only if I'm iffy.
1 T of Acacia in the morning seems a lot to me! I take 1 t a day of Acacia, 1/2 t first thing in the a.m. and 1/2 t before dinner. Some people just can't take fiber and I kind of wonder if I am one of them, because I have a tough time with the Acacia. When I'm having a bad day, I actually skip it altogether. If you have worked your way up to a high dosage like that, then stick with it! If you started taking a large amount very quickly, I'd back off and start more slowly. If you feel your body is used to the high dosage at this point, keep taking it. 3T Acacia per day is a lot, particularly for a D, but it isn't necessarily "too much". I can always tell when my D is caused by too much fiber, though, because I also get painful gas and bloating. So I guess, ultimately, you need to make sure you are truly comfortable with the amount of fiber you are taking. I don't recommend lowering your dosage or going off it unless you feel it's necessary, though, because I really feel that fiber is going to be the only kind of "miracle drug" that an IBS-er can get.
Above all, be patient! This kind of thing can take awhile. In the meantime, I also recommend buying scented candles for the bathroom. 
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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You're still on a very high Acacia dose (normally D's will only go up to 2T a day). It might be worth trying dropping that down to 2t 3x a day or even less and seeing if that helps. If you drop down you can always slowly increase your dosage once your system is used to it.
And have you tried a low Immodium dose taken daily?
Obviously, following the diet 100% is key until you are stable. And remember that this can take time (it took me 6 months)...you're doing great so just keep on doing!
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I recommend taking 1/2 - 1 Imodium caplet in the mornng, which will help you get stools that are more formed. Once in a great while, I'll get a mushy stool, so I'll take an Imodium and that prevents any further attacks.
Can you take that 1 T + 1 tsp of acacia throughout the day? Perhaps split it up so you're taking 1 tsp four times a day with meals and at night?
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Mostly, my stools are liquid--maybe a bit sandy. If I don't mostly food process my food, I'm in pain! If I don't chew every morsel of cereal, I see that rice crispie looking very much like itself later on. It's like having a chunky soup shoot out of my butt if I get "gas." Anything raw will have me liquifying before I'm able to finish the meal. Lately, this even includes herbs.
No, I haven't had a "cowpie" in awhile. It's fishtank city, here. I'm afraid to laugh too hard and that's not a joke.
Kate, IBS-D.
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Just wondering if I should go back on Immodium. I haven't had formed stools in too long too remember and I'm always D--no matter what, especially when I take Nexium.
I know I should do BTC again. I'm trying to eat more starchy SF, but it's not helping that much--yet. I seem to be under seige, lately.
I just seem to get this water rush through my gi tract. I'm lucky if it looks like a hershey squirt. It doesn't even have the consistency of soft serve icecream (yes, I am gross, I know).
I am just wondering if Immodium will help & if I should bother buying it (i.e. putting it on my Cost Co. order).
Kate.
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Hey girl!
I take 1/2 Imodium about every other day and my BM are pretty much normal. My acid reflux and gas is what is killing me right now. Don't get me wrong, I still have my D attacks from out of the blue, but it's not D.....I just can't get my colon to stop moving.
I cannot take Imodium everyday or it will really make me C!!! I haven't taken any this week, yet, but I haven't needed to. I can tell it's getting pretty close, though. Today, consistency wasn't as good as normal......and more of it if you know what I mean........So, I will probably need to take some tomorrow.
Try taking just 1/2 and see how it does. I did notice that when I was really bad IBS-D, even the Imodium didn't help. It would just take longer to come out. It was still D!!!
So, try it. I don't think it will hurt'cha. Especially just a 1/2.
Michelle
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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i vote yes.
--------------------
jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Next time I'm out, I'll acquire some. It's officially on my weekend Cost Co. order. This is NUTS! Lately, it's torrential D around here and I'm losing all notion of bowel tone which is driving me bonkers. My M.D. said it's the best option, too. (I've been doing the renegade approach, with NO LUCK) I bet my electrolytes will be better too.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll stop being an idiot.
Kate.
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--------------------
IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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...but I wanted to agree! Immodium works by slowing down the GI tract so it helps all kinds of D (eg. loose stools, urgency, etc). It's GREAT stuff.
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Hehe...I suspect that a special Immodium delivery will arrive tonight. If not, I will brave the elements (okay, mostly fear) and acquire some tomorrow. Nevertheless, it is on my Cost Co. special delivery list for the weekend.
I went to my M.D.'s office, and she CHASTIZED me for being a mega-goof/renegade re: this never-ending D.
Re: stool formation. Cannot remember one. And lately (more so since Nexium) it is mostly WOOSH! Torrential D--attacks.
Might have to BTC again.
Kate.
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It helps!
#228130 - 11/29/05 09:07 PM
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Digby
Reged: 07/31/04
Posts: 453
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You crack me up. I thought the cowpie graphic was bad, but fish tank? HA! Well, as much as I sympathize with your plight, I'm grateful to hear that someone else has this problem. (Once I walked into a stall at a public restroom and saw this torpedo that someone hadn't flushed, and I was in awe!)
I get the Immodium Advanced in a bottle--it helps with gas and the squirts. Sometimes, unbelievably, it stops me up for a couple of days. But when I go again, it's back to the cowpie. I think I'll try the one-half tablet daily to see how that works until I'm stable again.
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Come to think of it, I think my stools were more formed when I was at 1 or 2 tsp 3 times a day. I'll drop back, and try the 1/2 tab of Immodium daily.
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Yeah, too much acacia does that to me too. Believe it or not, I was taking 3 T of acacia a day and my tummy was really rumbly. I'm going to cut back on the acacia and see how that goes.
Are steamed veggies with rice okay to eat?
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It gives me gas and rumbly tummy. And I can't eat dairy, red meat, or pork, so my protein choices are slim. I eat turkey and tuna. Nuts are okay sometimes, as is peanut butter. At other times they give me gas. Sigh. What to do, what to do. 
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Citrucel
#228140 - 11/29/05 09:30 PM
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Digby
Reged: 07/31/04
Posts: 453
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In the past I tried Metamucil and Citrucel, but they seemed to grind through my system--it hurt! The acacia doesn't do that, but I've been wondering whether it's the answer for my D. You make an interesting point. Doesn't Benefiber have acacia in it?
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Hi. I am new here, so I don't know anyone yet. I can tell you that my D started 10 years ago when my gall bladder was taken out. All these years the Dr's were calling it IBS, so sorry, nothing we can do except try diets more fiber and so forth. We finally got health insurance and I was able to go to a good Dr. I told him my story and he listened. He had me try Cholestyramine powder, one packet a day. I have been taking it 10 months now and it is a miracle for me. The Dr called what I have as gallbladder diarrhea. This medicine slows down the process, and I can EAT!! Before I would not eat all day until I knew I could be home close to the bathroom. Sometimes I still have urgency to go, but I have some time to get to a bathroom, and it is not D anymore. I just wanted to share this here. Living with this for 10 years I know what you are going through.
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--------------------
IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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Okay, I'm back on the Immodium Advanced Band Wagon. I'm passing coffee grinds, too (yes, I'm being treated for an ulcer!), as well as what would be huge D if there wasn't bulk/starch to help absorb/bind major fluid excess. Yes, you can laugh, but as soon as I walked in the store I knew within 4 minutes I'd have an attack--and what do you know, I did. "Cowpie" city! I'm not sure if a super big gulp cup would have held it.
Kate.
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What's in it and where do you get it? Interesting.
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I have a Rx for 240 imodium a month, and if I didn't take 'em I'd be in some serious pain (and "going" every time I farted, LOL!). Whatever works!!!
~nelly~
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Okay, I'm convinced. It's not funny, but I totally completely get it/understand because that's where I am "at" lately. Sprinting everytime I fart.
Kate.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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it's usually for people who have had their gallbladders removed, and who suffer from chronic diarrhea as a result of the bile malabsoprtion that results.
- H
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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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Heather is right on! It's mainly for people with high Cholestorol, and they take anywhere from one packet to several a day. I take one packet mixed with water every morning. For those of you who go back and forth between D and normal to hard stools, I would not suggest it as you might get constipated. But for anyone who has D all the time, it might be worth while to ask your Dr about it. Like I said it has been a miracle for me!
My daughter has IBS (that's what they are calling it now), but she has D quite a bit and it is hard for her to get to work or go anywhere. She lives on Immodium, but sometimes that doesn't even help! Recently she had to fly to Colorado to help her Grandparents move, and she was scared to death that she wouldn't make it to a bathroom! She took a packet of Cholestyramine, and made the trip fine. She didn't take anymore until the flight back. I think its worth talking to your Dr )).
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I'm still very new to this fiber supplement deal. I hate swallowing pills, so some form of liquid would be nice. However, how does it taste? Does it really taste like water or is it nasty??
--------------------
Taylor 
IBS-D
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--------------------
IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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LOL! Everytime I sneeze I feel the same thing!!
~nelly~
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Nelly, only you, really understands, this! It's funny (but not funny) because if I sneeze too hard--(well, I'll let you fill in the blank).
I'm re-stocked.
Kate, IBS-D.
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LOL!!
#228821 - 12/02/05 01:10 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Oh,god... sometimes you just have to laugh... If you're me, that is. Or else I'll just start crying!   
It's one of those things that would be FUNNY if it happened to someone else. (!!!) Ugh. Sometimes I just shake my head and think, "is this my life??" But it reeeally makes me appreciate the good days, you know?
~nelly~ LOL, but only a little...!
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I agree with you completely, Nelly.
Kate.
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