Is Equalactin a Fiber Supplement ???
#57520 - 04/03/04 11:22 AM
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Gr8ful
Reged: 03/15/04
Posts: 290
Loc: Orange County CA
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I have noticed a lot of posts recently where people take Equalactin and seem to refer to it as a fiber supplement.
I was just looking into the product and these are the ingredients:
Ingredients:
Active Ingredients: each chewable tablet: Calcium Polycarbophil (625 mg)
Inactive Ingredients: Citric Acid, Flavor, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Dextrose, Crospovidone
I am a bit confused - I don't see any fiber 
Any insight would be appreciated,
Leigh
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Yes
#57538 - 04/03/04 12:30 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Equalactin is a soluble fiber supplement. Here's what Heather says in the section here on the subject:
(Quote): "What's most confusing to many folks with IBS about soluble fiber supplements is that many of them (Metamucil, Citrucel, Fibercon, Equalactin) are marketed as over-the-counter laxatives. This means that they're bound by the FDA prescribing guidelines for those products. As a result, the supplements must have the dosage limitations on their packaging that apply to OTC anti-diarrheal and laxative drugs, even though they are not drugs but soluble fiber. The FDA packaging guidelines for this category do not discriminate between drugs and soluble fiber. This explains why the dosages for these products that your doctor recommends for IBS may conflict with the package information."
(Unquote)
You should give it a try; it's GREAT stuff! Helped me through many a bad time, believe me!
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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the polycarbophil itself is the fiber
"Supplemental sources of fiber include psyllium, methylcellulose or polycarbophil as well as fiber extracted from fruits, vegetables and grains. Psyllium is a concentrated source of fiber from the husks of the psyllium plant. Methylcellulose and polycarbophil are chemically altered forms of cellulose (the cell wall of many plants). The chemical alterations make them resistant to bacterial breakdown. "
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanks - you all are a fount of information!!!
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Re: Yes
#57941 - 04/04/04 11:52 PM
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fishnets
Reged: 10/09/03
Posts: 515
Loc: MA
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So do you take this instead of Acacia, or in addition to it?
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IBS-C
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Hi! Wanted to know if you think the Equalactin works better or as well as Benefiber? My doctor has me take Benefiber but noticed it isn't dissolving enough no matter how much I stir it. I also wanted to say thanks again for greeting this newcomer. It means a lot to me. I notice when I'm stressed out I get the worse attacks of IBS. My Mom had to go into a nursing home because of Alzheimers and it has taken a lot out of everyone in the family. My Dad still brings her here to visit sometimes as she loves looking at my dolls and bears. I love seeing her and she tells me she loves me as she thinks I treat her so well but am so saddened as she doesn't know I'm her daughter or remember my name. I will be 60 in July and she is 84 but I guess I'm still a Mama's girl. My younger sister wasn't born until I was 16 so my mom and I were always close. If she is not well, which she was in the hospital for dehydration for almost a week and just came out last week, it took a lot out of me worrying. I notice when I get very upset I get terrible cramps in back of my navel which cause me to keel over. I have been on Xanax for years as I always had a stressful office job and just things in life which caused panic attacks. I don't have them as often now but when I'm upset usually get physically ill. I have lost sight in my right eye due to cataracts and have one in the left eye which was last tested at 20/70. It has gotten worse so will be having them checked again. Because I'm no longer working and my husband has no medical insurance at work can't have the cataracts removed so have been upset over this also. That's why I wasn't sure if I had posted ok and was asking for help. I can use the computer but when it gets to blurry, take a rest. I have taught myself how to use the computer as my brother in law hooked one up for me that he had just so I would be able to do something that would make me happy. I always worked on computers but they were on a main frame and it's a little different. Can't make out the keyboard much so am thankful I took typing back in school. Thanks for just being there. That goes for all of you. You have really helped me out while I'm waiting for the IBS cookbook to arrive. Thanks Again,
Pat
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For My Friend Pat
#57968 - 04/05/04 06:28 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Hi Pat,
So sorry about your mom. You know, you and I have a lot in common. My mother-in-law, who I loved dearly, suffered from Altzheimer's too. She was my best friend. We used to love to sew together, and we'd sew for people. She did beautiful hand work; you could never see the stitches. I'd do the machine work, then pass it on to her to do the hand work while I worked on another project. One day I gave the piece to her to do the hand work, and while I was sewing something else, I noticed she was just staring at the work. I said, "come on, pick it up!" She said she didn't know what she was supposed to do with it. It was the beginning of the end, and I didn't realize it. She lived for 15 more years, until her subconscious mind forgot how to digest food -- including the IV at the hospital -- and she starved. That was 13 years ago.
You're going through a real tough time right now, I KNOW! By the way, you're only 4 months older than I! I'll be 60 in November.
You need to find an outlet for the stress. I hope you're exercising; it's a fabulous stress-reliever, really the only one I know. I worked 42 years with intense stress -- I'm retired now -- so I understand what that's like. You also need to check out the hypnotherapy program; it truly did wonders for me.
By the way, I used to be a word processor and am (unfortunately) very aware of all typos. You did an excellent job for someone with eye problems, Girlfriend! I couldn't find even one typo!
While I still have my eyesight, I'm a total computer idiot. If it wasn't for Shell and Mags, I'd be lost on this damn thing! I'm beginning to think I'm too old to learn, you know?
If I were you, I'd give some thought to switching from Benefiber to Heather's acacia. I really love that stuff, MUCH better than Fibercon or Citrucel -- but everyone's different, and there are others here who really like Citrucel. The acacia dissolves well for me if I use it like Heather recommends, e.g., dissolving it first in cold water, THEN heating it up. Dissolving it in boiling water is much more difficult, for some reason. I haven't tried sprinkling it on my food, but that's another option. Check it out, Pat.
When Marie no longer knew me or my husband, it was VERY difficult on us. I couldn't visit her in the home; it was more than I could handle. I'm ashamed to say, hubby had to go on his own. Pat, I am SOOOO ashamed of myself -- it upsets me more than I can say -- how I could not have been there for my husband, to help him through this with his mom, my best friend. It wasn't she who was in pain, it was he. He handled it like a champ, but he totally lost his religion over it. He couldn't understand how his God could put such a loving woman through such a slow death; he thought his God was a loving, forgiving God, how could he do this to her. He never got his religion back and never talks about it to this day. I just hope he can forgive me.
Don't forget that outlet thing, Pat. Find a place where you can go by yourself, for quiet and meditation, some place of your own. If you can take Michael with you, all the better. He helped me immensely; he can help you too.
God bless,
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Fishnets
#57970 - 04/05/04 06:30 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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In addition. I don't take the Equalactin all the time, just when I need it. I take the acacia 3 times a day.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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I really feel badly about you mother-in-law. I know what you're going through. The funny part is that my mother was also a great sewer and at one time worked for a bridal shop. She did alterations and would spend hours sewing sequins and beads on the wedding gown. She bought my daughter's wedding gown and spent hours adding more sequins and beads on it so it was just the way she wanted it. My sister is only 4 years older than my daughter and she did the same thing with her wedding dress. She could knit, crochet etc. She was the best cook and just so talented. That's the hard part about seeing them go downhill.
Please forgive yourself for not being with your husband when he went to vist her. I know in his heart he understands. When I went to the nursing home with my husband and father she was so upset with me and I had not idea why. It was because she thought I was my father's girlfriend even though my husband was with me. At first I didn't think I could go back to the nursing home to see her myself. My father is able to take her out for a few hours each day and brought her back to my sister's house (where my father lives in his own apartment.) She was so much better that day that I have still been able to see her. It does upset me a lot. Two of my mother's sisters have Alzheimers and are in nursing homes. They got it after her but went into nursing homes before she did. My father took care of her until it was just too much for him even with help from my sister and I. He has a bad heart and I'm afraid we'll lose him even sooner than her. My mother's parents both had Alzheimers as did her brother who has already died. There are two other brothers but since they live in Florida and nobody hears from them I don't know if they also have it. The doctors have told me I will get it and have done an MRI on the brain to see if there were any signs. At the time they were also checking for a tumor. As of two years ago there is no sign. My mother's doctor told my father last week that my sister who is only 43 and me should both have our doctors put us on Aricept now which helps with memory as my mother has the slow progressing type of Alzheimers. I looked it up but since it causes diarrhea was wondering whether I should or wait until I get this IBS under control.
As I said before please forgive yourself. Your mother-in-law knew you were a loving person and I know she wouldn't have wanted you to see her go downhill. I also know your husband understands in his heart. Look to the future as we can't change the past. Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.
Your Friend,
Pat
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I was just reading your letter again for the second time that you sent to me. Your birthday is the same month as my husbands. His is November 4th. You also like doing one of the things he does for a living. Furniture refinishing. He ia a furniture finisher and refinisher. The place he works for only has three employees plus two bosses. That's why they don't offer any insurance. Where he worked before he had the best Blue Cross plan and I always worked for insurance companies so I also carried insurance on both of us. Now neither of us has insurance as I don't work anymore. That's why I can't have the cataracts removed now. The hospital wants the money up front since I don't have insurance. I could manage the doctor's fee but never the hospital bill too. I just wanted to let you know that we had more in common than just the IBS and Alzheimers.
Take Care,
Pat 
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