Re: Me too!
#205164 - 08/13/05 06:47 AM
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Johnny T. Reb
Reged: 07/09/05
Posts: 987
Loc: Lake Linden, Mich in the U.P. IBS-C
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I stopped the Miralax about 4 days ago. I'm not sure that
it really helps because my stools are always like sludge
and hard to push out. No particular reason for taking two
SFS's. I take three heaping tsp's of acacia and one dose
of citrucel at lunch time. I had tried Metamucil, but found
it way too gassy. The spasms are what causes my constipation, that's what my GI doc says. It makes me have
to strain all the time which doesn't seem right to me. I
also always have major pain in my sigmoid colon. I usually
go every day, more on some days than others, but the days
I go very little, I do have trouble eating and feel terrible, and generally get nothing done. I'm still taking
Triphala for the same reason you are. Oh, I do eat less
on days that I don't go very much, and do have cramps and
gurgling. Two months ago, I used to not have to strain
nearly as much. I'm beginning to think something else
is going very wrong and my GI doc is not picking up on it.
It doesn't seem that anybody else with C has to strain
a lot. Thanks for cueing me in. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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you're taking about 13.25 grams of SF from your SFS every day:
3 heaping teaspoons of acacia = about 11.25 grams
(3*2.5 for the teaspoon + 3*1.25 for the heap)
1 Tablespoon of Citrucel = 2 grams
Have you considered upping your SFS dose to get more SF?
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Sand, Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I just haven't because Heather said to do it very slowly, but I think
I have been slow enough and it's time for an increase.
Right now, my diet is
Breakfast: a bowl of Scottish oatmeal with three tablespoons
of applesauce in it, and the acacia in it
Snack: piece of cinnamon zuc bread
Lunch: banana, apple or pear,soy yogurt, and an oatmeal
cookie, along with citrucel and acacia
Snack: baked chips of some sort
Dinner: example, last night I had a baked potato, half a
cup of peas, and a 5 gram SF tortilla with baby port
mushrooms and zuc's in it.
Dessert snack: Soy Delicious 'ice cream', typically the
Creamy Vanilla flavor which has 5 g's of SF per serving
Do you the increase in SFS will help with my straining
problem? I'm a bit concerned that it might be a tumor
pressing into my sigmoid colon. Although, I had a cat
scan back in January that was negative. Thanks for the
suggestion. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I do strain on the days I don't go much...it's only been the past few weeks (since I've been trying psyllium) that I've had the "got to go now" experience. And once I do go, later in the day I may get little pieces and that is accompanied by straining.
On days I don't go lots, I strain all the time to get a few pieces out. I cramp up too all the time, which might be why I'm having C problems as well. I think we have this in common. I didn't mean to suggest I didn't...maybe yesterday I was having a day when I wasn't straining so much, so I didn't emphasize it as much in my reply! Today, well, a different story so far. 
So, your still taking the Triphala because your scared to stop "just in case" too!  I hope we are not just throwing money away. But because Dr. Weil, as well as all the info I have read by other sources, suggest it is safe and non habit forming, I keep taking it.
I'm not trying to take business away from Heather, but maybe Acacia is not the right SFS for you. It does contain calcium which can be constipating for some. And some C folks report it caused them more C and problems. But maybe you were even worse without it? 
Have you tried magnesium or flax meal for the C....or peppermint oil capsules for the cramps, since that is a big problem for you?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I'm not sure what to do?
Thanks to anyone!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Well, I think it's worth a try. I'm IBS-D but before I really got my SFS level up I would have that "not done" feeling and feel like I had to really work to get my gut cleared out. (Sorry, TMI.) So when I visualize straining, I think of Heather's "tube filled with gel" explanation of what enough SF does for your gut as a solution. (I know things may be different for C people, so take this with a grain of salt.) Anyhow, Heather says C's may need up to 30 grams of SF, so I think an increase would be worth a try. I just kept going up on my SFS level until I felt good.
I don't know what to say about the possibility of a tumor. I assume you've had a colonoscopy in addition to your CAT scan. If you're really convinced that's what it is, maybe try a different doctor?
BTW, your diet sounds great (I'm assuming your oatmeal cookie is IBS safe). I wish I ate that well. 
Take care.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Sand, Yes, I've had two colonoscopies. The first one was done
back in Jan. by a Vascular surgeon, which my GI doc didn't
trust. So he just did one on me this past June 22nd. I would
think if there was a tumor pressing in to the sigmoid colon,
he should've seen it. I really grilled on my sigmoid colon
after the procedure, and he said he saw nothing unusual. I
think he's a good doctor. The GI doc I saw down at North-
western Univ. in Chicago turned out to know him, and
vouched for him. However, my main problem has been that
the stool doesn't seem to want to pass from the sigmoid
into the rectum, and I haven't heard of anyone else that has had that problem. My GI doc here says that it's prob-
ably due to the spasms, but lots of others have spasms
and they don't have this problem.
Also, I do always have that 'not done' feeling too. Though sometimes after I fart a lot it does subside
subtancially. Oh, the cookie is store bought and contains
eggs, which I presume are whole eggs, but Heather told me
that it wouldn't be that bad of a cheat. I hope. Thanks
again for your help! -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Well, it sounds like your doctors know what they're doing. I don't know what to suggest other than trying more SFS. It seems like it couldn't hurt and it might help.
If Heather says the oatmeal cookie is OK, then enjoy!
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Beth, Ah, thanks for the clarification. I was under the impression that all other C's had no straining at all.
I hadn't thought about acacia being the wrong SFS.Meanwhile
I just ordered another pound of it this morning<laugh>. I
have been drinking Silk soy milks for quite awhile and
they have a bunch of calcium in them. I don't think the
calcium is the problem. As I was telling Sand, my consti-
pation problem is the stool not wanting to pass from the
sigmoid into the rectum, which my GI doc said is due to
the sigmoid spasming. If it would just stop, I would be
golden. I don't know if it's due to diet or stress or
both. I do know that the fact that it's been happening
has been really bugging me, which probably sets it off.
It's a vicious cycle<sigh>. I still haven't tried the
hypno as Linz suggested. It sounds rather plausible.
I often wonder if I were able to totally forget that I
had IBS, that it would go away. Well, it's a nice thought
anyway<laugh>. I do have mag citrate supplement pills
that I haven't tried. Never tried the flax meal.I do use
Heather's peppermint pills, but they often dissolve in
my stomach, so I don't know if that ruins their effect.
I'm on Prevacid too, I should tell my GI doc I need a
stronger acid suppressor.
I have Dr.Weil's book, my Dad sent me it, he's a
really big fan of him. Thus far I've tried Triphala,
Zinc Picolinate(for BPH), and the breathing exercises,
they seem to help a little.
Right now, I'm going to up my SFS and see how that
goes. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I can't advise too much on the psyllium, being a D it made me a whole lot worse. However it is possible that the gluten is just starting to kick in. It can take a while and seeing as you haven't actually been eating "wheat" it could take a bit longer. With the slippery elm it's most beneficial if you take a teaspoon 3 times a day about 15-20mins before you eat. Oh and don't take any other meds an hour before taking it or an hour after as it can affect the absorbtion (sp?) of those meds. HTH at least a little bit. ((HUGS)))
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Amy
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