Fennel
#239991 - 01/19/06 05:21 PM
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T~N~T
Reged: 01/19/06
Posts: 34
Loc: Ohio
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Hi, I'm new here.  My insurance company just recently decided that I don't need Lotronex any more. I have been taking it for a year now and it has really given me my life back. But now I am back to square one. I decided to try some herbal remedies. I told my Doc a few things I was trying and one thing I mentioned was Fennel (tincture). She said not to take it that it will give me diarrhea. Since I am IBS-D that freaked me out. I just ordered a wonderful kit from Heather's website and the fennel tea is part of the kit as well as fennel in the peppermint caps. Has fennel worsened anyone else's D? I am taking peppermint caps, digestive enzymes, a probiotic and calcium supplements. Does this sound right to anyone else? I have been reading and asking people at the health food store as well as my Doc. The Doc seems the least worried about me and is only focused on my appeal to get the meds back. At this point I am so frustrated and really am having a hard time dealing. Can anyone offer me some advice? I really appreciate this place to ask questions and see what everyone else has learned about this life altering IBS.
Thanks! 
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T
IBS-D
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if anything, because it's an anti-spasmodic, it can help. But, I think a soluble fiber supplement is going to help you a lot more. I would definitely start taking one, at a low dose that you gradually increase. That has helped other folks who previously relied on Lotronex.
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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Oh, thank you so much! I am waiting for my kit to arrive. I got the big Kahuna. I am excited to get started on it! I am so grateful for this site. Thank you!
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T
IBS-D
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And although I'm A my attacks are often D. So no probs for you!
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Re: Fennel
#240165 - 01/20/06 09:00 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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Just so you know, there are assistance plans to help people pay for meds. So even if your insurance company refuses to pay for your Lotronex, you may be able to get the drug at a reduced price from the pharmaceutical company or through some type of government initiative. Your doctor or pharmacist should be familiar with these programs and if they're not, the maker of Lotronex should be - they may have a program of their own.
Having said that, I would definitely advise you to try Heather's approach before going back on the Lotronex. I'm IBS-D and do great on Heather's diet plus SFS. I use Imodium and Donnatol as needed to help, although the longer I'm on the diet and taking enough SFS the less I need them.
HTH. Welcome to the Boards.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Re: Fennel
#240552 - 01/22/06 09:23 AM
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T~N~T
Reged: 01/19/06
Posts: 34
Loc: Ohio
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Thank you so much! I agree. I just got the kit I ordered from Heather yesterday. Between that and the vitamins supplements I feel pretty good. I think I will actually want to leave the house now. I actually have felt better since I quit the Lotronex. So even if they say I can have it I may not use it. My only worry now is we are driving to Florida for vacation in March. Last time we ate out all the time. That's ok but I was on Lotronex then I could eat pretty much what I wanted. Now eating out kind of turns me off since I can't decide how they cook the food. I guess I will have to bring food with me and do the best I can.
Thanks for the welcome! I love these message boards. I learn so much more than by talking to my Dr. I don't really think she totally understands what I'm going thru.
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T
IBS-D
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There have been a lot of posts about eating out at various places. Here's one that's kind of a summary. If you have a favorite place to eat on the road, you can Search for that restaurant's name and see whats's been posted about. If nothing, just post a question about it - maybe somebody will know.
I've found that Pizza Hut is a good lunch choice - I get a Personal Pan Pizza with mushrooms and onions and no cheese. Every town has a Pizza Hut. If you prefer another chain, here's a wonderful post about pizza.
Most of the chains like Pizza Hut, Applebee's, Chili's, Ouback, and so on have Websites where you can look up locations. Unfortunately, most of them don't have maps (like the ones you can get from Cracker Barrel where there seems to be absolutely nothing safe to eat), so you need to know a town name or zip code, but if you have some rough idea where you'll be every day for lunch, you can look up restaurants in the vicinity. This is what I did for our last trip to Alabama. It was a pain in the neck to get it done, but it sure came in handy.
I do bring those little applesauce cups, pretzels, and herbal tea bags with me - you can almost always find hot water at a gas station mini-mart. You'll probably have to pay for it, but it's worth it when my tummy is burbling. I eat the applesauce first thing in the morning with some acacia to cushion my tummy for whatever is for breakfast - we stay at Hampton Inns mostly and I can always get a bagel for breakfast. (If you take an ice chest with you, put some IBS-safe margarine in it.) The pretzels keep me from getting too hungry in between meals. Oh, and lots of bottled water. And pack your Imodium. And don't forget spoons for the applesauce.
Okay, I'm done. Enjoy your trip.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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That helps so much. Thank you! I guess you never know until you try. 
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T
IBS-D
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Re: Fennel
#240678 - 01/22/06 09:16 PM
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Passanie
Reged: 04/28/04
Posts: 344
Loc: Fresno, CA
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Hey there. Don't get too down. You'll make it through. I'd recommend Immodium (the generic kind) which has worked almost as well as my drugs. Good luck.
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On the chart for IBS treatments by sympton on this website fennel tea is recommended for contispation and not diarrhea.
Reading about Heathers fennel tea it states its useful for diarrhea so I am confused.
I love fennel tea it taste great I could drink it all day every day,peppermint and ginger sometimes give me upper GI problems so is fennel really safe to drink because I want to drink lots of it.
Edited by Daveboyblue (02/19/06 04:38 AM)
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Hi Tonnie,
I hate the stuff. It's horrible! YUK!
I'm a "D" also, and I used to take Heather's fennel tea every morning. ICK! (Sorry Heather.) HOWEVER, as much as I hated it, it never caused my "D" to get any worse.
You're doin' it right, keep it up. If the peppermint caps don't cause you any indigestion, as they did me, they might just work as a better antispasm med than Donnatal!
I suggest checking out "Equalactin." If you're not familiar with it, you can do a search here; we've discussed it a LOT. It's an over-the-counter SFS that works REAL well to calm down the tummy (unless the cramps are really severe); it actually works more like an antispasm med than a SFS. Don't be put off by the fact that it's for "C", because it works for both "C" and "D" (unless you take too many). It's a delicious-tasting chewable tablet that I take whenever I'm on the road and my tummy feels "iffy." It calms it down almost immediately. I also take it whenever I go out to a restaurant, before my meal, or to a friend's house whose meal I might question. You may have to ask your pharmacist to order it for you; none of the drug stores around here carry it, but the druggist always orders it for me. Alternatively, you can order it online. I believe it's about $7 a box (and a box lasts a long time).
Your doc must have a good reason for not wanting you back on the Lotronex. Have you approached him on other meds? I'm sure he wouldn't want you on Donnatal, unfortunately, but what about IB-Stat? It's supposed to work like Donnatal but without the phenobarbital, so I'd be willing to bet the doc would be receptive to it. Give it a try.
Also, do you like Ginger? You might try to find Ginger Altoids. They're really hard to find (Barbie got them for me online), but they're really yummy, and ginger is sooooo calming on the tummy. I also drink lots of Stash brand lemon ginger tea; it's really good! Hubby's hooked on it too.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Don't give up on CB--I eat there about once a month--they are always more than happy to allow me to custom order--just this morning I got the french toast, it is made with sour dough bread, but I asked them if they could use egg beaters instead of the regular egg mixture that they dip it in, and leave off the scoop of butter. In addition to egg beaters and SD bread, they also have fresh bananas. I have really eaten much there lately except breakfast, but I am sure they can work with you, as they do for me! They also have oatmeal, and, while not one of my favorites, there are always grits, which my husband says are among the best he has ever had. And, they serve breakfast all day long....
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Beth
IBS-D, IBD, Pain
Working toward stability
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Don't the crusts of pizza have dairy in them?
I was at the store, pondering buying pizza crust, only to see it contained dairy, doh!
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IBS-C and Bloating
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I just tried to key the chart so that every single product wasn't aimed at every single symptom, even though in a lot of cases that's actually correct. Fennel is probably best for bloating, which seems to go hand in hand with constipation much more than diarrhea. But, fennel is also an anti-spasmodic, so it can help diarrhea as well.
I don't carry anything that would help one IBS symptom while worsening another. Interestingly, most safe natural products are unlikely to do that - it's more with pharmaceutical drugs that you'll get relief from one symptom at the risk of exacerbating another.
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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that's what will really control your D. The fennel will not hurt - it can't exacerbate diarrhea, and can only help. But, it son't do what a soluble fiber supplement can. We've had several people come off of Lotronex and go on Acacia and that kept their diarrhea at bay. I'd definitely try that - keep up the peppermint and dietary changes as well, and the fennel if you like it.
Acacia info is here http://www.helpforibs.com/shop/suplmts/acacia.asp
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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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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For restaurant pizza info, check out the link I give in my earlier post in this thread.
For store bought pizza crust, I use Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust - no dairy or any other trigger or irritants, only 12.5% of calories from fat.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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I was dx with IBS-D eight years ago. I started out taking Lotronex and Immodium, then went to Levbid and Immodium, but having 'hot flash' type symptoms and seriously dry mouth / conjunctiva issues made me quit. I have gone several months wihtout prescription or OTC meds, and it has gotten so that even if I am very careful with the supplements / diet, I can't remember what it is like to NOT have D daily. It's better since my hysto last fall, and luckily, with everything I've learned from heather's books, it is not painful, and very rarely do I have the gas / bloating I was getting while on the scrip meds, but still, that insecurity about where the closest bathroom is can be SO frustrating. I'm thinking maybe I should increase my soluble fiber in the a.m. and p.m.? Also, do you think this would help with my complete inability to exercise (even walking)without setting off a two day attack?
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Beth
IBS - D
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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1 glass of it mixed per directions every morning. metamucil. tried Benefiber, but hated it.
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Beth
IBS - D
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Quote:
One tablespoon of Metamucil smooth texture orange and original texture orange (these are not the sugar-free varieties) contains 2 grams of soluble fiber and 1 gram of insoluble fiber. (From here )
Assuming this is what you're taking, you're only getting 2 grams of SF from your SFS which I don't think is enough. Plus you're getting 1 gram of IF which I think is a bad thing for us IBS-Ders. Not that we don't need IF from our food, but I don't want to get any from my SFS.
My best dose of SFS is 20 grams of SF from my SFS. This is high for a D - I think I'm higher than almost any other D on the Boards - but I do truly believe 2 grams is too low. What I found was that Heather's diet helped with the terrible cramps and the horrible, horrible urgency, but it was getting up to a higher dose on my SFS that took care of the frequency - that go; wait 15 minutes, go again; wait 10 minutes, go again; wait 5 minutes, go again; go again right away, finally done pattern.
I take Acacia. I started very low - 1/4 teaspoon per day - and went up very slowly - stayed at a dose for 3 days, went up by 1/4 teaspoon per day, stayed at that dose for 3 days, and so on. Every so often I'd stop for a week or so at a dose and see how I felt. There are other SFS besides Acacia that are just SF with no IF, but Acacia gives me more SF with less SFS. As a bonus, I like the idea of buying one of Heather's products.
It's not clear to me if you've tried taking just Imodium, without also being on Lotronex or Levbid at the same time, so I'm not sure what was causing the conjunctiva problems (dry mouth is a classic Levbid side-effect if I remember correctly). If you've never tried Imodium alone, I'd say give it a try. I only ever used it as needed (when I was going out and felt nervous, for example), but there are people on the Board who took it every day as a preventive until they stabilized.
I also have a prescription for Donnatol, which I take very rarely, but is great to have as a backup. Big time side effects - sleepy, dry mouth, a little out of it - but fabulous when I absolutely, positively have to be there - and someone else is driving. It's gotten me to a couple of concerts and a trip to deliver my brother for a visit that I wouldn't have made it to otherwise - or at least that I feared I wouldn't be able to, which comes down to the same thing. Before I destabilized myself by falling off the EFI Diet wagon over the holidays, I hadn't used the Donnatol in months. Sigh.
HTH.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
Edited by Sand (02/21/06 09:04 AM)
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Wow!
#247612 - 02/21/06 11:36 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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You take metamucil, yet don't get bloat and gas? It's weird how different bodies react to things. It would be so much easier if one person's method worked for everyone...or at least someone with the same symptoms.
Did you have a problem with gas or bloat before the metamucil? I can't find an SFS that doesn't increase the gas/bloat. 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Bevvy,
I don't really care for the taste of Fennel tea either. It reminds me of the medicine taste. Kind of black licorice. I tried to mix it with the peppermint tea but it didn't work very well for a good tasting tea to me. So I save it for a really bad bloat/gas day.
I feel pretty "stable" now. But I have to take pep caps, calcium, immodium and fiber. I usually take the acacia in the morning but don't have it handy the rest of the day. So I take the fibercon when I don't have the acacia. It's a lot of pills to take which I don't like but it's worth it to make it thru the work day without have to make a bunch of trips to the bathroom for "x" amount of time.
As far as my doc goes, she does want me to take Lotronex. But since the insurance company won't pay for it anymore she had to make an appeal for me to get it. So far I haven't heard anything back about it. I wanted to talk to her about all the supplements and OTC's I have been taking. But she just wants to wait and see if the insurance over turn the appeal. I asked he what I was supposed to do until then but she just kind of blew me off it felt like. So I ordered everything from Heather I could get my hands on and started reading the books and following the information right away. It hase been frustrating but I have felt good the last couple of weeks. I just feel like I will have to take Immodium forever and one day I may become immune. Then what? I guess I can continue to increase my fiber but that scares me a little. I don't want to take too much.
Thanks for your suggestion on the SFS's. That really helps and I will check it out.
Until then just keep on truckin'!
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T
IBS-D
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Re: Wow!
#247767 - 02/22/06 06:15 AM
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BethE
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 56
Loc: Syracuse, NY
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No bloat or gas, but minimal relief, either. I would try Heather's acacia if they had it around here somewhere, but since I (gasp!) don't use credit cards any more, and the closest place is four hours from here....it's hard to buy some things without that handy plastic. Any suggestions for a more available SFS?
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Beth
IBS - D
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Mail Order
#247819 - 02/22/06 10:05 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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If you really want to give Acacia a try, you can do a mail order. Otherwise, there are a number of SFS that should be readily available, most of which do not contain IF - you can find them listed in the FAQ page I referenced in my earlier post.
HTH.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Thanks for all the help. I didn't know about the order form. I was a frequent visitor for a while, then didn't get around to coming through here for quite a while, so have missed some of the newer changes/additions. It's been kind of fun finding them, though! What a difference from three years ago to now. When I first found the web site, Heather had only the two books and a small website. Still, I have to say it has been the saving of me - I was housebound and the meds weren't helping. Life is so much better now!
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Beth
IBS - D
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just a few questions, i am looking to purchase this fibre and wondered how often i should take it and how much? can it be added to other fluids than water i.e fruit juice? Is it tastless?
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