Acacia...when to give up on it
#215242 - 09/22/05 02:22 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
|
|
|
I know supplements have a "breaking in" period, but I also found this quote by Heather
"Remember that different people have varying tolerances and adjustment periods to soluble fiber supplements; this means that it can take several days to two weeks for your body to adjust to the increased fiber intake. Your symptoms should NOT dramatically worsen during this introductory period, and you may well see immediate improvement, but if you don't notice any difference the first day or two have patience."
She says they should NOT make your symptoms worse. Well, my BMs have gone from firm, round, small size pieces, to skinny, long, painful and small amount.  I am also having cramps now. Maybe it's just a bad day and it would have happened anyhow...coincidence?
How long should I give it before I call it quits? Did anyone else experience a change in stool consistency or pain while trying to go...feeling like I always need to go, but nothing comes out, except for maybe a skinny thread now and again, accompanied with pain.
I'm taking between 1 and 1 3/4 tsp a day. I keep lowering it (after getting it up to 2 tsp) in hopes that maybe I just went too fast....but it's been 2 weeks now at least and it's only getting worse. But again, maybe I would have had problems regardless of the Acacia. 
--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
if you felt like you couldn't increase your dose, you might just stop altogether. You're only getting a few grams per day with your current dose, and that's just not enough to make any kind of difference.
Best,
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!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
It just isn't true that your symptoms won't worsen. I know that from personal experience. The question is -- will they get better? I gave up quickly on each SFS just because it made my D bad enough that I couldn't control it. I am actually trying Acacia again (I've become really desperate about getting my D under control) -- I began at only 1/4 t a day about a week ago and so far the only diff is that I have horrible gas. I don't get gas/bloating normally and nothing else has changed, so it's the Acacia. How can 1/4 t make that much of a difference???? It's insane. Stupid body. 
Two weeks isn't really that long. Give it longer if you can. I'm going to stick it out as long as I can in the hopes that maybe I just need more time. Maybe we should be giving each other daily Acacia status reports??? Don't mess around with the dosage, either -- if you're scared you went too fast, stick at 1 t or so. For a C I don't think it would hurt at all to start at around 1 t.
And remember -- everything Heather says isn't gospel. She has lots of great advice, but her advice does not apply to 100% of the population. Maybe most people take two days to two weeks to adjust to fiber -- but maybe some people take a lot longer, and you're one of those people.
--------------------
jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I wouldn't give up yet. I find the skinny poops are good and pain is a good signal too. What I mean is that is a sign of things starting to move, like a train's wheels just slowly starting to roll. Sometimes pooping gives me pain right after as things move down and sometimes I get gas after going too but I have learned to think of these things as good. And it isn't always like that. I think giving acacia a longer try will be worth it. I love the stuff. I have soft, easy and plentiful bm's most of the time and never had that on fibercon or on nothing.
--------------------
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!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Are you suggesting I stop taking the Acacia altogether? Or that I should increase the dose even though I am feeling badly on the current dose...or, that the dose is so small, that my symptoms probably have nothing to do with the acacia?
Sorry, but a bit confused here. 
Thanks for your help.
--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I hope I have the same outcome as you. Thanks for the encouragement.
Do you think I should stay at 1/2 tsp 2 times a day? Or should I increase it? How do I know when it's time to increase?
How much do you take?
I get the gas after BMs now too. And frequent, painful, but pitiful BMs. I will try to look at this as "somethings" happening.
--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
This is nice to have someone else doing this at the same time I am...makes me not feel so alone.
I hope we both endure the "initiation" period and end up being able to post words such as Little Minnie, Linz, Sand, Bamagrl, Astrochick...and everyone else who loves acacia.
Fingers crossed for both of us. Please let it work, please let it work, please let it work....
--------------------
~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
If you feel like you can't increase higher than what you're taking now, then you might as well not be taking any at all, because you're not taking enough to make any difference (which is what I already told you, young lady! LOL!).
Personally, I don't think your symptoms have anything to do with the acacia. What you're describing isn't different from symptoms you've described to me in emails in the past, pre-acacia. I would increase it. But that's just one opinion. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
PS
#215324 - 09/22/05 11:08 PM
|
|
|
|
|
atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
|
|
|
I would increase the dose a little every 4-5 days. That's about how quickly I jumped up on my SFS, and it seemed to work pretty well.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hey, I want to be in this circle, too! I just started the Acacia again, this morning with 1/2 tsp. We'll see how it goes. I'm so scared of the choking hazard with my Citrucel that I HAVE to find an alternative because I get nauseous too much. If I have to go to the hospital every time I get nauseous after taking my SFS (like the bottle says to do), I may as well just set up a bed INSIDE of the hospital. It happens almost every time I take it. So, I'm trying the Acacia, again, too. But, I was also on the Type "A" diet and it says that type A's are supposed to avoid Acacia like the plague.......I don't know why, but I cannot keep taking choking hazard SFS's.......
Keep me posted!!
Michelle 
--------------------
IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
