For those with IBSD or A
#130554 - 12/14/04 07:06 PM
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doubletrouble
Reged: 11/14/04
Posts: 1530
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Hi guys. Just wondering how much immodium do you take on a regular basis. I usually only have it if things are really bad but lately I've needed it every 3 or 4 days just to get away from the loo for 10 minutes straight and I'm a bit worried that it might have harmful effects or that I'm taking it too much and that's why I'm not getting any better. Any thoughts, comments or just how much you take is much appreciated 
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Amy
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People with plain D take it sometimes everyday; some people take a couple everyday. However A people should avoid it as much as possible. If I have D I only take imodium if I am somewhere where D is not an option; otherwise I just accept it and hope to get regular again soon after. If I take imodium it will stop me up for days. 
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I'm an A... if I have D, I can take *one* imodium and be fine. If I take more than *one pill*, or I decide to take one as a preventative (which a lot of D'ers do with no problems) when I don't already have D, I become painfully constipated and it takes a week or so to straighten back out again. Not worth it!
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I used to find that was my problem. As soon as I took immodium it would constipate me for weeks and I'd be just as miserable but lately I seem to only be suffering d even with immodium I'm a little more than regular and the pain that goes with it is driving me crazy. I was just worried that maybe it was all the immodium causing my body to forget how to go properly! IBS drives me nuts 
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Amy
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Hi.. I'm D too. I don't take immodium everyday.. if i'm going to be home all night I just let nature takes its course. But if i'm going out with friends etc or working (i'm in school so I don't work much) then i'll take immodium. I used to take regular immodium but I think I become immune to it because in the end it gave me MAJOR gas (it never used to) so now I take immodium advanced. Usually just 2 once a day a few days a week. And generally.. I get right back to having D the next day. oh joy.
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Yeah me too.
Im generally A but my main problem is D. I only take Immodium if really need be and like the others said if I am in a situation where it could get difficult. Otherwise if I am just at home I have to spend my evening letting nature take its course! 
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Imodium use
#130637 - 12/15/04 07:12 AM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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I'm a D. I take about 4 to 12 Imodium Advanced every day to control gas and explosive D, on top of the other meds I take: Tylenol-3, Rx loperimide (8mg/ day), sodium cromalin, and gas-x (simethicone 125mg) as needed.
If I stop taking imodium, within a few days depending on how stable I was when I stop taking them, I go back to severe stabbing pain and explosive D with gas. Diet and lifestyle only control my IBS to a certain extent. Stress will send me into a D attack really quick if I don't control my tummy with meds. Ever passed out at work? Not fun.
Without meds, I doubt I could ever work or go out.
~nelly~
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Hi,
I am IBS A, but mostly D. And I was taking 3-6 immodium AD a day to control explosive D and gas. I only take immodium now if I feel an attack coming. That is due to several factors. I am on a prescribed anti-spasmadic (sp?) NuLev, I follow Heather's Diet, and I am also on an anti-depressant Effexor and I take an SFS. Now I wasn't thrilled about going on an AD but I am glad I did b/c it really helps w/ the IBS. Are you taking any meds or just trying to manage w/ OTC stuff? You might want to talk to doc about getting some meds to help you manage your symptoms. Are you following the diet to the dot? How about taking an SFS? Good luck and I hope you feel better.
Christie
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Christie
~Hoping and Praying for Sleep!~
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This almost sounds like myself. I take immodium if I am supply teaching or having an iffy day. Like today tummy rumblings (thinking back to what I ate) and a bit of diarehhea so I took 1/2 an immodium just incase so I can finish off my job(crossing guard-don't really have time to go! when I'm in the middle of the road!!)I do try not to take any if I know I am staying home and let nature do its thing. This amount or even 1 immodium only stops me for that day. Next day usually back to normal. Take care Sue
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I use Imodium only on the days I work. Which is 3-4 times a week. I may use it on occasion otherwise if necesary. I have used Imoduim like this for prob 6 yrs now. It gives my mind relief for a few hours a week. My GI said that was fine.
I hope this helps.
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Nelly- I have been on the diet 3 weeks now and the D has gotten a little better. I have been taking one immodium a day in the morning and drinking peppermint tea, but every morning the gas seems to be backed up really bad and I have to force to go. I am really bloated. I can't bear the acacia either, I have to much gas and that was fuel to the fire. Do you think the immodium stops things from moving and the gas just builds up until I feel like I will explode. Even with the basic bread rice water tea and a few other things like dry cereal, I have severe trapped gas. The diet is not helping that at all. Any suggestions. I am already drinking peppermint tea, and over the counter gas pills do nothing. I need to get out of that bathroom and get to work, but I am late every day. Is there anyone on this board that is not finding success with this diet. I can't be the only one.
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Yes, I am D & I have ordered both books, Hypn CD program, Acacia, & I feel like I am getting worst. So I have another Appt with a Gasgl Dr. next month . But I have been reading about Gulten alleries! And that may be a direction for me. I cannot take Fiber. I have tried it all. Now I am down to eating Bananas, Slice bread & if I eat much of anything I get the Big D with all that comes with it. I live on Librax & Immodium ,so I can a temp to work 5 days a week. So if you come up with & answer I would love to hear it. Good Luck ! I use to only use homepathy Med's. I am looking in that direction right now. As I have found a Dr. about 2 hour's away who can take a blood dropping & tell you if you have Yeast,Mold etc. Which can't hurt.!!!!
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Hi. I haven't been yet today (yay for immodium). I'm not on any other meds except buscopan for the spasms (it's not doing much either atm). I've been on anti depressants in the past and one type hyped me up and almost caused a heart attack and the other type slowed me down so much I crawled out of bed every morning feeling like I'd been heavily drugged the night before) and I didn't really get a chance to see if they helped the IBS or not.
Whoopie Cushion I'm so far not finding this diet to be helping me. After 3 weeks my d is heaps worse, I can't tolerate soy and the pain has been the worst too. I've never been this sick so long as I can remember. I'm still sticking with it for now but starting to wonder if it's worth missing all my other foods when I'm this sick anyway!
Umm I'm not on an SFS. I tried Benefibre for a week and got terrible pains and even worse d (if that's possible). I'm off to see my dr tomorrow so hopefully he might be able to help some. Thanks for the immodium info people. I was worried I might be doing damage but I guess for a d I'm probably on pretty minimal doses. At least now it's school hols I don't have to be any where for a while so I can just let nature take it's course for a while.
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Amy
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I too have been on the diet for quite some time and feel no better, probably even worse C and worse gas. Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Why this diet is such a Godsend for so many but it is not one for me. I too am tired, hopeless, confused, and ready to jump off a cliff along with you. I don't know what to try next. I'm already on an AD, probiotic, digestive enzymes, SFS (which may be causing more problems like you had with benefiber), and have even resorted to zelnorm.
I don't want to give up on the diet, as so many have been helped by it--have been given their lives back. I just keep wondering, why not me. What can't I get some relief. Instead, my symptoms are getting worse I fear.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone. I too am feeling hopeless and clueless. Thanks for being brave enough to admit you are having problems with the diet. Sometimes I am too afraid to admit that considering this website is based on the philosophy of the diet. I just want to be one of those who is helped by the diet. I'm not giving it up yet though. It has worked for many people. I wouldn't even know what else to try. Plus, my thinking is all geared toward this diet's philosophy. I just pray I find some relief soon.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I hear you. I was a bit worried about saying something too as I respect Heather for helping so many people and like you said the boards are obviously geared towards the diet. I'm hanging in there for a while yet. Nothing else has worked and I figure if in 4 months I have seen no improvement whatsoever then maybe this diet isn't going to work for me. There must be something different about our insides! I've started taking my aloe vera again in hope it will help clog me up a bit like it did before I started the diet and went off it. Other than that I'm clueless as to why I'm getting worse. Hope it starts working for us both soon!
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Amy
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I took one tablet a day for a few months - my doctor would've been happy for me to stay on it longer.
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Diet fyi--
#131885 - 12/20/04 12:34 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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Just as an aside, I'm actually not on Heather's diet. I'm on my own diet for the last 11 years (since I was 22). The differences are that I am much less tolerant to insoluable fiber than Heather is, and that meat is not a trigger for me. I also can't do soy. I only found Heather's site about 3 years ago. It just reinforced what I had found out for myself.
I really believe a diet like Heather's plus lifestyle changes are the keys to controlling IBS. My diet is different, but what's the same is that I stick to it to stay stable!! My keys are:
no caffeine
plenty of eggs, fish and chicken
occasional beef
no citric or ascorbic acids
Keep Ph of food neutral
No fruit or vegs, unless green vegs cooked to mushiness
No dairy whatsoever, keep soy to a minimum
Soluable starches OK
I've posted this before, but I thot I'd mention it here. Not everybody can do insoluables like Heather can, so you'll find a lot of us on variations of her diet. I found my own diet back in the late 80s and early 90s, because I'd been hospitalized for 5 months when I was 19 and subsequently bedridden for 2 years. Conventional treatments (like ADs) didn't work for me.
Anyway, keep on keeping on. If you found these boards, you're on the right path to stability. Whatever works for you!! Only you know your body, so if what you're trying isn't doing it for you, stick with what works!! It can be done!!
~nelly~
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I'm thinking about seeing a dietician and going on an elimination diet cause I just can't seem to eat anything at all anymore and nothing appears to be a trigger in my food diary. My doctor said it could be a case of things building up over time. If I don't get a result from my colonoscopy in Feb I think I might go this route. Has anyone else tried one and was it helpful?
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Amy
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The bland part of the diet works for me when I've got really bad D. But otherwise, the diet doesn't work for me either. I'm allergic to soy (I get immediate gut reactions when I eat it), the only meat I eat is occasional turkey and tuna, and beans are gassy, but I eat them. That leaves eggs and peanut butter for protein but those foods can aggravate D too. How frustrating! I'm not too keen on the idea of eating so many solubles either. I don't think it's very healthy in the long-run.
I go back and forth on believing this diet will work. But for me, no matter what I eat, it's the stress that triggers my D.
Keep us posted as to how you're doing!
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I have not tried this but would be very interested in how you get on as this is something I have also thought about.
It is really frustrating though as sometimes I will eat something and have no problems then another time it really sets me off. Im lucky that I am very rarely stressed so I dont think this is the problem.
Wouldnt it be lovely for someone to turn around and tell you 'it is this certain food which is making you ill'!!!!
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Yes, post how the elimination diet goes!! You have to become stable! So I am for anything that will bring clarity to your situation!!
By the way... {{{{{{{{BIIIIIG HUUUUUUUGS!!!}}}}}}}}}}}
It's not easy trying everything to make yourself stable and at the same time having all of these unknowns about what your body can tolerate and can't. KUDOS to you for hanging in there!! Good for you for keeping at it, and I know it can be difficult, but you will find answers down the line, I promise!!
Go get 'em girl!!
~nelly~
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Hi,
I use immodium normally on days I work (2 days) just as an insurance type thing. My stress levels are higher on those days and it helps. I don't always but if my stomach starts rumbling, I normally take one or two.
Sandy
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Just hoping those answers are IBS. My specialist is looking into a possible cd or uc diagnoses so I thought I'd get the wonderful colonoscopy out of the way first then if it is IBS for sure I'll see a dietician about the diet. Unfortunately my grandmother was a stoma patient and we don't exactly know what was wrong but it's highly possible it was PID and as it's an inherited condition (or more prevailent in those with family that have it) I have to have it ruled out for sure. I'll let you know how the e-diet goes as soon as I have it done. My doctor told me the reason some foods make you sick sometimes and not others is it can be a chemical or amine (or some other type of food)intolerance found naturally in foods. It's not acutally the "food" that makes you sick it's that as you eat this type of food the level build up and up until you reach your threshold and it makes you sick, therefore it might actually not be the specific food that makes you sick (eg chocolate) but the fact that you've eaten too many foods out of this particular group. I thought it was interesting. Thanks for the support guys. Fingers crossed something makes me feel a bit better soon.
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Amy
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