acacia question
#276680 - 08/01/06 10:35 PM
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Dabrybry
Reged: 08/01/06
Posts: 6
Loc: Merritt Island, Florida
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Hey, im pretty new to this site and IBS, pretty sure i started having symptoms like 4-5 months ago, if thats possible...this last week or so though i've been trying to break out of this crappy cycle and it seems the rice/oatmeal/bananas/peppermint tea diet has really helped and i think im almost there..i'd like to know more about this acacia stuff though, I am gonna order some from here, but where can i get some now!?!? and whats the whole deal on it anyways..(dosage? mixing into meals? general info, ect) any help would be appreciated ...been going back and forth to the doctor for a while and nothings helped me more than the information on this site *god bless ya' heather!!*
-dabrybry
(bryan) 
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There is a sticky post at the top of the message board that talks about everything you wanted to know about acacia as well as a lot of information on Heather's website. Also, there has been a lot of talk about it on the boards before. If you do a search for acacia to include all posts you should find a lot of info you are looking for. Also, if you want to find a store near you that may carry acacia there is a list of stores that carry it on the website although I don't have the link for it right now.
Welcome to the boards, hope this helps and good luck! 
Edited by craftymeg (08/02/06 06:28 AM)
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Here's the link: Heather's Tummy Care store finder
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thanks for the help, but i guess i'll be ordering some...is it worth it though? Will adding this to my diet make major improvements?
-dabrybry
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The diet alone helped but the soluble fiber supplement is the one thing that really made a difference to me in feeling 'normal' everyday. But you do have to work up your dosage slowly or get an increase in gas and bloating. It will take a few weeks to work up to a dosage that you need to stay at to stabilize. All you have to do is not give up and take your time and you will see a big difference. I'm now looking forward to receiving my first order of acacia. I have been using Benefiber but it was getting expensive. When I worked it out, Acacia was much cheaper per gram than the Benefiber I was taking, so it was definitely worth it.
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ok awesome, just ordered 1lb of it....ehh, last question about it if you dont mind? What would be the best way to incorporate that stuff into my diet? Can i just pour some onto my rice or something? Sorry, but i suck at having IBS, and i just wanna make sure I'm doing this all right so i dont slip into another crappy episode of sickness. Again, thanks for all the help!
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No problem, that is if I can answer all of your questions. You can mix acacia into any liquid or soft food as long as it is not too hot. It doesn't dissolve well in hot liquids or so I have read so far. The benefiber I have been taking I use in my tea when it's cool enough to drink as well as any soft food. I have it mixed in my oatmeal, cream of rice cereal, rice puddings, yogurt (soy of course), soups etc. I have also used it in baking for extra soluble fiber with no problems. It doesn't affect the texture or taste at all. You can get pretty creative with adding it into the diet. The major thing is to be consistent with dosage and make sure you get it everyday. And make sure you get enough water everyday. It won't work without it!! Good luck!
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The only thing I have to add is to make sure you give the acacia enough time to dissolve. It may seem really clumpy at times (especially once you've increased your dosage and are using a lot of it), but if you let it sit for a few minutes and then stir again, the clumps dissolve easily.
Good luck!
Jeannine
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IBS-D and STABLE!!!!
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I asked this before and received no response.
I have been on Benefiber for a long time, I would not say I am stable, but I am not out of control unstable.
I am doing so so.
My main symptoms are c, trapped gas, and bloating.
Would switching make sense?
When I first began taking Benefiber, I had immediate results.
I had some of the best bowel movements, and I felt much less bloated, but this was only temporary.
After a couple of weeks more or less it was not effective, but it seemed as though my body adjusted.
I'll make an analogy, for those of you who go to the gym or run, the first time you go to the gym in a long time or run, you feel very tired and sore the next day.
However if you keep going to the gym, each time you feel less of a soreness as your body gets used to it.
This is how I have felt with Benefiber, which has me thinking if my body treats SFS like the gym, it needs variation otherwise it gets to used to it and will be less effective.
Has anybody else had this go on, does this have any merit, and should I try a switch?
Thanks.
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IBS-C and Bloating
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Maybe you didn't work up to a high enough dose. Also, SF will *not* fix C: you need to get IF as well. What SF does, though, is cushion the IF so you don't get crampy.
I have 2 heaping tablespoons of acacia a day, which works out to something like 15 grams of soluble fiber.
--AC
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ah yes, the increasing dosage...If i start with 1 teaspoon a day, how long should i wait to increase the dose, and how many times daily would you guys say is best to take the acacia? (feeling much more stable now...*whew*)
-Dabrybry
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did it take you to get up to this dose? What dose did you start at? I want to try Acacia, but it seems like it will take months to get up a a decent dose. Do we really have to only add 1/2 tsp a week?
BTW, I'm C.
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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Okay, I'm IBS - C but then I get the stomach spasms/severe pain and then finally go. I have been taking Citrucel (capsules) for the last 5 days or so. Anyways, I received Heather's Acacia Powder yesterday and started w/1/2 tsp last night and 1/2 tsp this morning. I also started drinking Peppermint Tea 2 - 3 times a day. Here's the problem..........I'm now "going" more but I have a bad stomach ache (not the severe spasms)but just an "unsettled" stomach - kinda crampy and sore........is this due to the Acacia? I'm not eating anything else to speak of........just a little rice, graham crackers, water, pretzels. Any ideas on this? I just want to feel better!!
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if you go too far too fast you'll overwhelm your gut with fiber and get gas and bloating. But, many folks can go up by an extra 1/2 tsp. or so every few days, or even by a full tsp. It varies so much from person to person, it just takes some trial and error.
- 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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I only started with 1/2 tsp last night and this morning - I was taking Citrucel before for a few days (2 capsules in a.m. and 2 in the p.m.)......I shouldn't be having stomach aches with this little of Acacia should I? Now I'm afraid to take it tonight! Not sure if I should go back to Citrucel. I've been really "icky" feeling lately - sweats, clammy, shaky........not sure what it is......I started Wellbutrin XL but that was 3 wks ago........dr. said I would have had a reaction in the first 3 days - if any.
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I had to start at just 1/8 teaspoon twice a day because the 1/2 t. was way too much for me to start with! I've been using it about 3 or 4 weeks now, and have worked up to about 1/2 teaspoon twice a day. I'm going VERY slowly! Like you, I had really bad gas and bloating when I started with the 1/2 teaspoon dose. Be patient; start really small and work up VERY slowly! Also like you, I started to give up. But then Shell and Heather convinced me to give it another shot.
--Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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the unsettled tummy, shaky, clammy sounds like you need more food in your system, i get that way when i don't eat regularly, eat safely by all means, but our body needs nutrients to function and not get hypoglycemic, feed yourself asap, with safe fruits and veggies since bread and pretzles don't give nutrition. Bananas, mangoes, potatoes, rice, mushy carrots, mushy beats etc.
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Thanks........ I will.....I've been eating almost nothing for 6 days now and not alot of improvement! I'm starting to get really depressed - thinking that this is now my new (;( way of life and the end to what I used to know. I'm having a very hard time emotionally.
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Thanks........I'm trying to not give up.....I'm just really upset/crying/depressed about this constant pain/feeling icky. We (hubby & 4 kids) are going to the lake next week for vacation and I'm already thinking of telling them I have to stay at the hotel instead of having fun with them.
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