I'm going to anyway. About a month ago, I decided I couldn't stand the horrible bloating I was experiencing. My stomach would get so big it looked like I was 7-8 months pregnant. I was miserable! I had tried every soluble fiber available and my constipation was getting worse.
Out of desperation, I stopped the soluble fiber altogether. Just quit it cold turkey. And within several days, the bloating was gone---and my BM's returned to normal. I have even had BM's during the day which I haven't had in years!!!!
I haven't felt this good in years! In fact, this morning I cancelled the appointment I had with the IBS Center at the UNC Chapel Hill. I felt silly going to see the specialist there since my problems are minimal now.
I'm not suggesting that everyone throw away their soluble fiber. However, it certainly worked for me!
Ya know I think this happens to people a lot. What kind of SFS where you on? How much were you taking? I know that Bev got pretty sick when she was taking TOO much acacia. Now she is on benafiber (I think) and is doing much better.
I was on acacia for awhile and increased to much to fast and BOY oh BOY was I in a mess. It was horrible. I have stopped SFS too. But I am trying to start up again. This time with citrucel. I was on that a few time and it helped. I switched to acacia because you were getting more fiber than in citrucel.
Anyhow, I think it's very individual. Some people cant live with out SFS and some of us cant live with it!!! Bodies are so WEIRD!!!
I haven't found a SFS that agrees with me either. I guess I am one of those that can't tolerate them. I know they have helped a lot of people on the boards, though.
I seem to do OK if I watch my triggers, read all labels, and take my Librax for stress. Sometimes, though, I mess up like when that creme cheese blueberry dessert or brownie was forced on me at work ! ha ha.
Reged: 08/09/04
Posts: 2996
Loc: South East Michigan
I am glad you said it. I thought I was crazy. I know I've read some people that can't take it but I thouht it just bloated them. It made me feel so much worse no matter how little I took. I still have some tummy pain kinda feels like i am all brusied on the inside. But no where near the pain i felt with the fiber. Thanks for letting me kow I am not crazy. God Bless Heather7476
I tried them all---Citrucel, Benefiber, Acadia, Fibercon, Fibersomething else. .....you name it, I tried it. They all made my C worse. (and yes, I tried adjusting the dose, from a very small amount to a very high amount. Didn't matter!)
I'm wondering if the soluble fibers are not better for people with D---and not C. If you're constipated and you're eating soluble fiber and you take the supplements, it seems to me like it's just stopping your system up. At least for me, that's what happened. It's like my colon wouldn't move at all!
Now that I'm off of them totally, my body is working again. Hallelluhiah!!!!!!!!!
Of course, another no-no (caffeine) helps me. I have my Rice Chex with rice milk for breakfast, then drink a Diet Coke and within a few minutes, voila, I have a BM.
I think I need to do a commercial, "Have a Coke and a BM!"
Sorry, but we have to have a sense of humor when dealing with this subject!
Congrats! I am so happy for you. Perhaps I should give it a try.
I take 4 capsules of Citrucel per day - two in the a.m. and two in the p.m. I was not as bloated nor as gassy before I started taking the fiber and like you, I would drink a cup of "decaf" coffe and voila I would have a bm too.
You have given me something to think about that's for sure.
When did you stop taking the SFS and how long was it before you had a bm?
Please share with us, share with us! I cannot fit into skirts, dresses nor pants because of my bloating. I just purchase pants with elastic around the waist; but when I am severly bloated, the rubber constricts on them.
Good for you - keep us posted please.
Lene
-------------------- God never promised life would be easy, but he did promise to provide a way out!
Yep for one week I was in such pain....I thought I was going crazy and it was because of the acacia and increasing it to much. I did stop it and took a break. Then a few months laster I tried it again and the same thing happened on a small dose. So I have a jar full of acacia that I will probably never use! It wasn't worth the gas, bloating and everything else it caused!!!
I think the only SFS that has worked for me was the powder citrucell 3 times a day full amount. I worked my way up to the max dose. But then I was getting sick of drinking that 3 times a day. I was mixing it in orange juice. Then I didn't like all the sugar and caloried I was drinking....and citrucel is NASTY in just plane water!!!!
So as of now I'm not on anything. Makes me wonder WHAT I should do. Maybe I'll give that a try again.....OH if I had one wish I would wish for IBS to go away for everyone!
I'll keep dreaming!!!! Maybe someday!!! Thank goodness for this site though. If it weren't for this site I know I would still be eating things that were bad for me. (sometimes I still do, I have no will power lately)
Anyhow, I'm glad that you figured out your problem. Its nice when a light comes on and you say....OH thats the problem!!!!
BL, I'm glad you're feeling better for whatever reason. I'm just the opposite. My body took to SFS like a duck to water. It has helped me enormously. I don't even bloat up like I'm pregnant anymore. I'm not sure I understand why it helps some people and not others. I am a D, but there's been a number of C'ers that say it helped them too.
I'm IBS-C, and there's no way you could convince me to stop my SFS! I've used both acacia and Citrucel, and they have really helped me.
I must admit, though, that the symptom they helped the most with was not the C so much as my guts churning and chirping at me day and night. I remember walking to the train station the first week after I started Heather's diet with Citrucel and being amazed that my belly just felt...neutral. Not empty and cramping, not full and bubbly, just neutral. I had a big smile on my face that day! My SFS also helps keep the occasional stress-linked D attack much shorter than it used to be.
As for my C, it's taken a bit longer and requires exercise and lots of insolubles and the occasional non-decaf black tea. But I've made progress, and getting rid of the chatty belly and multi-day D attacks makes my SFS very dear to me.
Yep, I'm C, and SFSs definitely helped me. I also had some trouble finding the right one, though. Acacia made me feel horribly bloated, even though I started out at a small dose and increased it very slowly. I ended up settling on a combination of Benefiber and Fiber Choice, which has been working very well for me and seems to be keeping things moving, if you know what I mean. I do think it's funny that Fiber Choice ended up being so good for me, since Heather said inulin is one of the toughest fibers for most IBSers to tolerate. I really think it's just a matter of finding out what works best for you... and it certainly is possible that some people just can't tolerate any SFSs. Personally I'm still on what is considered a pretty low dose and haven't seen any reason to increase it. I say go with whatever feels best to your body!
-------------------- "Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
What's funny is that Heather's diet (well, ok, giving up caffeine, specifically) made me go from D to C.... and it's DEFINITELY been the SFS that's kept the C aspect under control for me so far (insolubles alone do NOT cut it!). And like Kree, I'm using Fiber Choice, and always found it funny that I took to it so well, since it was supposed to be hard to handle.
But hey, everyone's different - whatever works for ya is terrific!
It is so individual. A lot of people here do just fine with acacia. Do follow the advice that everyone has given about acacia and go slow. IT can take people months to get to the full 3 TBLS. And some people don't even take that much every. They feel fine at a lower dose.
Don't be afraid to try the acacia. EVERYONE is different. It may just be the perfect SFS for you. Check out this on Acacia. web page
I'm IBS A, but like Casey, Heather's diet made me lean more to the C side. The SFS has definetely helped me and I don't think I could do without it now. Like Astro Chick, taking SFS regularly has settled my stomach tremendously.
Re: the "how everyone is different" issue, here's a couple of mine:
-Salad, which is highly untolerable for most IBS'ers is the only insoluble veggie that I can eat everyday.
-Table sugar is untolerable for me but fruit sugar does not bother me at all.
-Luna bars, which are sooooo good, I can only eat occasionally. Everyone else seems to tolerate them just fine - go figure!
Oh well, I'm just grateful that Heather's diet gives a good guideline to follow, the rest is trial and error.
Here's just one more experience. I tried tons of different SFS's and Acacia is the only one that got rid of my bloat and gas! You couldn't convice me to leave it off! I also added a Calcium/Magnesium supplement and lots of water. No more C for me! Hope you find what works. The bloating and gas are the worst!!
This may be a silly question, but is there that much difference between Acacia and Benefiber. I know Acacia is made from the gum of the Acacia tree and isn't Benefiber have guar gum in it???
-------------------- 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!
No - soluble fiber supplements are typically marketed as laxatives, because they are so effective for constipation. They'll help, not hurt.
- Heather
-------------------- 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!
that "someday", something that works for everyone will be on the market & I'm glad I'm a member of this board so we will hear about here before our doctors tell us. In the meantime I am tons better with Heather's diet, Benefiber & exercise.
I agree soluble fibers DO WORK BUT THEY WILL MAKE YOU MORE "C" IF YOU DO NOT GET IN THE DAILY WATER!!! This is has been proven time and time again in the medical field. IF YOU TAKE IN ANY TYPE OF SOUBLE FIBER SUPPLEMENT PLEASE TAKE IN 8 TO 12 GLASSES OF WATER DAILY! OR YOU ARE DEFEATING YOUR PURPOSE OF BEING NORMAL! NO "D" OR "C"
This is what I have found! Whether you take Metamcil, Citrcil, Acardia, Benefiber THE KEY IS WATER!
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
For me the SFS acts like a buffer, before I eat, to any insolubles or protein foods or other irritants. With it and digestive enzymes and probiotics I'm able to handle just about any foods now (except high fat ones) with no problems, however, it took me over a year to get to this point.
I can take just about ANY type of SFS and often mix them up. Inulin doesn't bother me either. However, the ONLY one that corrects the "C" problem is one with psyllium, either Metamucile or Konsyl, but I only take Konsyl because it is pure.
The bloating? Well, I've resolved it is just a way of life for me...weather I eat, don't eat, take SFS or don't the bloating will come when and if it wants to. About the only thing that will minimize it for me is strong fennel tea, although I'm not fond of the taste.
There is no question about the fact that we are all a little different and need to make changes based on what works for us. However, as has been mentioned here, many times, what works one day, MAY not work the next.
Come to Las Vegas Mid October and we'll talk about it!!! (See the IBS Las Vegas Board for more details.)
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
Quote: Kandee Can you please tell me what kind of probiotics an digestive enzymes do you take? Thanks Heather7476
Do a search on probiotics and digestive enzymes with no time limits and you will see a number of long threads on the subject.
As to probiotics there are a number of good ones, VSL#3 being 1 of them. Jarro is a fav of many here on the boards. I happen to take Ultra Flora Plus DF by Metagenics right now, but have had just as good a luck with a number of different brands. It's an individual thing but the main point is to flat out..TAKE them.
As to Digestive enzymes........oh my, there are a million different kinds out there and most are good. I'm using Essential Enzymes by Source Naturals right now and seem to have the best luck with them. I take 2 at the beginning of each meal.
Eating this way alone is not the total answer for some of us. It needs to be a combination of things that each individual finds works for them. It took me almost a year to find the right combination of foods/supplements/exercise..so hang in there and keep trying things to see what works for you.
Reged: 08/09/04
Posts: 2996
Loc: South East Michigan
I know that diet and all kind of other things are going to play a role in getting better. There is just so much info sometimes I get a little overwhelmed. Do you buy these at a vitamen store? I am trying to wait till I go see my GI to start anyhting. I realy want to try these once I get that over. Thanks
BL--Glad you brought this up. I was IBS-C with occasional D till about a year ago; now I'm exactly the opposite- mostly D with occasional C. I just can't tolerate SFS either. I've tried them all, always starting with tiny doses, and I get so bloated. I have trouble with bloating and gas even without SFS--with them, feel like I'm going to explode! It's the worst. On the other hand, by using soluble fiber foods to get the same amount of SF in my diet, I feel much better--improved BMs and much less gas. Not sure why soluble fiber in supplements would be different than soluble fiber in food, but it seems that it is.
On the other hand, my husband swears by the Acacia for his tummy woes. He thinks it's the best thing since Crunchy Corn Bran. So, we all have to find what works for our unique bodies.
for any soluble fiber supplement, and for constipation in general. Soluble fiber won't work without water. And constipation can't be resolved without plenty of water in the GI tract.
- H
-------------------- 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!
Posts
I hate to say this, but .....
Maybe someday!!! Thank goodness for this site though. If it weren't for this site I know I would still be eating things that were bad for me. (sometimes I still do, I have no will power lately)
I remember walking to the train station the first week after I started Heather's diet with Citrucel and being amazed that my belly just felt...neutral. Not empty and cramping, not full and bubbly, just neutral. I had a big smile on my face that day! 
