Drug Store Brand Fiber
#197536 - 07/19/05 09:05 PM
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Draupadi
Reged: 07/16/05
Posts: 218
Loc: Santa Cruz, California
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Hi everyone,
I just started taking a Long's brand fiber supplement that contains 1/2 gram SF from psyllium husk per capsule. I have been taking the highest recommended dose of 15 capsules per day, which is probably equal to around 8 grams. I've been taking 5 at a time with a full glass of warm water, a little while before meals.
I have been having a little less pain, but I have been experiencing even more bloating, gas, and constipation than before. Is this normal? Will it go away eventually? Should I up my dose, even though the bottle says that 15 tablets is the maximum? I am wondering if I may need to switch to another brand...however, I am in some financial trouble, and I do not want to spend money on an expensive brand unless I have exhausted all other options.
I believe from what others have told me that SF supplements can be extremely effective. I just have to figure out how to use them! Any insight or suggestions woul be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Julia
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Did you build up gradually to the max per day or just start out at that level? A gradual build-up helps your body get used to SFS. Also, I believe that others have said a SFS with psyllium husk is more apt to cause bloating and gas.
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IBS D
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Yep, psyllium is the harshest SFS around and causes gas and bloat. Increasing the dose too fast will cause even more gas and bloat as well. And 8g a day is probably not enough to help the C, so you may well want to try a different SFS with less side effects.
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I did the same thing at first and things got ten times worse for me (I'm an A) my GI told me what Linz said and told me to switch to Citracel which has been much easier for me to tollerate, but like Heather says everyone reacts a bit differently to each supplement. Good luck, hope your financial troubles don't get in the way of your health:)
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I started out taking five capsules the first day, and then 10 for the next few days...perhaps I should have worked up more gradually. I may have to switch to citrucel, although I do not like taking liquid fiber, so I hope they have pills as well. What I really want to know is this: have any of you had a similar reaction when you first started taking your SFS that has now normalized? If so, how long did it take? I would be willing to wait it out for a little while, if that may be the case for me. Also, should I gradually increase my dose even more? If 8 grams is not enough to help constipation, how much is? Thank you so much for all your support! You guys are the best!
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Julia
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In general, if you're having a bad reaction (i.e. increased bloating and gas) to your SFS, you're increasing too quickly. You should start at a low dose, then increase a little, a little more etc. and if you end up getting more bloating and gas, drop the dose back a little for a few more days or longer and then try moving it back up again.
But yes, psyllium is known to be bloating in many. So even if after trying to increase more slowly you're still bloating up, I'd suggest trying a non-psyllium brand. Most you can get at drugstores. Citrucel and Fibercon both have capsules, but personally I prefer the powders (I take Acacia and sometimes Benefiber) because you have to take SO MANY of those darn pills! lol
You've probably already read this, but here's Heather's page on SFS's: http://www.helpforibs.com/supplements/sol_fiber1.asp Hope that helps! 
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I am also a C, and had tried every brand under the sun - name brand and otherwise to relieve the C. I finally switched to Heather's acacia, and price-wise find it a huge savings as I don't have to take so much of it daily, yet get tons more fiber per dose. I did build up VERY SLOWLY - probably increased by 1/2 tsp each time over a 3-4 month time frame until I reached my stability at 2 1/2 tsp before each meal (18 grams). I hope this helps!
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God is Faithful!
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I started out on a SFS similar to psyllium and it gave me horrible side effects for about 10 days and then I just had the extra bloating and gas that the harsh SFS caused on it's own. So if you want to stick it out, it'll be about 2 weeks in my experience.
And you'll need to then increase your dose. 12-15g a day of SF from SFS is a good amount to try, but Heather recommends up to 30g a day for C's if you need it.
Acacia is great if you hate the taste/texture of some SFSs as it's pretty much tasteless and dissolves in anything so you can take it in food. I have mine in oatmeal in the morning and then soy milk at night and I can't tell it's there.
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I found that the build up to higher doses does take a lot of patience. I was taking 1 dose of Metamucil (the orange gunk) in a glass with breakfast, but my doctor said this was much too low fiber. He urged me to use FIBERCON, which isn't supposed to cause the bloating and gas. So, I stayed on Metamucil for breakfast, but added 1 FIBERCON a day. Even this caused my stomach to hurt at first. Gradually, in a couple weeks, I could handle a FIBERCON without discomfort. Then I experimented with having a FIBERCON with lunch and dinner. This was a gradual step and my stomach was annoyed initially but this went away. Bottomline: after about 2 months, I am up too the following:
Breakfast: 1 glass of metamucil, 1 of Heather's Peppermint cap and a FIBERCON tablet.
Lunch: 1 of Heather's Peppermint cap and 2 FIBERCON tablets.
Dinner: 1 of Heather's Peppermint cap and 2 FIBERCON tablets.
Bedtime: 1 of Heather's Peppermint cap and 2 FIBERCON tablets.
So I have a glass of metamucil per day, and 7 FIBERCONS per day. My old problems with constipation, where all I'd get for my troubles would be little pebbles from heaven, are gone. I have a bowel movement abouut once or more per day, reasonably solid. I still have an occasional flare-up of IBD-D and I am working on resolving that too - take anti-anxiety tablets since history shows that the flare-up of "D" coincided with periods of great body/emotional upset.
Bottomline: Take it slow! The body does need time to adjust but I am doing much better with increased fiber.
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SLOW is so key to fiber increase! You are right! I'm glad I was patient, because it has made all the difference. I also have to be very sure to get enough IF as well. It is a true balancing act, but very worth it to feel so much better!! 
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God is Faithful!
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