Best anti-spasmodic for constipation
#218615 - 10/10/05 09:05 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I have spasms which, apparently, cause skinny, thin stools. I have always avoided anti-spasmodics because I feared they would both increase the C and also, they can cause dry mouth and dizziness.
But if they work for C, I want to try them. So, what anti-spasmodic have C people found most helpful without increasing constipation.
Thanks for any and all opinions!! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hi Beth!! I think ANY anti-spam med can cause C. I have tried them all and like Donnatol the best. It has a mild relaxant in it as well so can potienally make you sleepy. I don't find that I have the dry mouth as bad with the donnatol as I did with the others! It has never made my C worse. Its cheap and I suggest giving it a try on the weekend when you don't have to go to work to see how sleepy it makes you!
Just a note, as I am newly pregnant, do NOT take Donnatol while pregnant! 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I was looking for one that I could take throughout the day. Donnatol would wipe me out! Is there an other option...one you tried that kept you alert but didn't constipate you?
I know your pregnant!!  I posted to you on the long thread of well wishes!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I have found, through trial and error, that I can't take any anti-spas that contains hycosamine (Levsin, Nulev, ect...) because the hycosamine gives me a migrane. However, it works GREAT on the pain and only mildly made a difference in my C - for about a day my "urge to go" kind of goes dead. But when he pain gets so bad, I go with the anti-spas and deal with the C.
I have also tried Rubinol (sp?) which worked about the same...deadens the "urge", but knocks out the pain - and me too usually. I only use them as a last resort.
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God is Faithful!
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Nope, they all either make me "spacey" or tired!  
I knew you knew!! Thanks for the well wishes! I just know there are others out there trying to get pregnant and/or already pregnant and wanted to be sure they knew not to take it if pregnant!!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I used to take a 10 mg dose of Bentyl. That helped somewhat, and I never noticed it to really give me any side effects. This time I asked my doc for the 20 mg dose to see how that would work. It's definitely more effective, but I never know how it's going to effect me! Sometimes I hardly notice and sometimes it makes me feel like I have a really big buzz! I can't even drive a car when I'm like that. But the 10 mg dose is doable as a day to day thing, or at least it was for me. I may go back to that b/c of the side effects of the larger dose.
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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...as a precaution to stop the development of pain and spasms to start out with? Or only when you have spasms and pain?
Thanks!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hey Star! I am IBS-D and I have been taking Bentyl for about the last three months. I agree that sometimes it just doesn't work that well. But, for the most part if I eat good and take it as instructed, I don't get any pain or spasms. I think it did help me to get somewhat regular as well. I ruined its efficacy when I tried the Maker's Diet and Primal Defense these past couple of weeks. No matter how much Bentyl or Immodium I took, nothing helped.
Augie- I take it daily. 10 mg doses 30 minutes before each meal and right before bedtime (4x a day). Lately, I've been swallowing down 20mg doses instead (Dr. approved this by the way) since the 10mg just wasn't cutting it. I find it's much more effective to keep it constantly in my system than just sporadically. Plus, if I don't take it regularly I will get really drowsy and dopey when I take it. Not good when you're trying to stay awake in an already boring class or argue in court! 
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...if the C folks were able to take this everyday as a precaution to spasms...or if that would make them more C. Is it okay to use just when the cramps and pain become unbareable or is it too late by then?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Beth, Yes, I take the 20mg dose three times every day. Some-
times I do have some larger stools,like yesterday, but other
times, like today unfortunately, I have four to five BM's of
relatively thin stools. Yesterday I thought I had it made,
oh well back to the drawing board. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I know you had a better BM when you tried reducing the total amount of food fiber you ate and it worked for you. Did you keep it lower again and it just didn't work this time? Are you going to go back up to your usual fiber dose (supplement and food)?
Thanks for your feedback. I think I might call the doc for a prescription. Or, try some NuLev samples he has. Have you ever tried NuLev?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Which one do you use as your last resort? I might try NuLev just because my doctor has free samples....or Pamine. I would rather try Bentyl, but I would have to pay for that, and it might not work out after only taking it a couple times...I don't have mone to waste on more stuff that is useless! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Beth, No, I kept it about the same, just didn't work today?
I'm trying about the same amount of fiber today, and give it
another whirl. It could have been from the news that my truck
is going to cost me 1200 bucks to get repaired. I didn't think
I was that stressed though. I have a long day today, I have to
administer a test tonight from 6 to 730 and I got into
school at 730 this morning. However, I do get friday off
this week. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Rubinol was the one I finally wound up with, and it is expensive. Thankfully, I have only had to use it a couple of times, and at this point, I don't even know if my prescription is any good!
If you can take hycosamine, go for it! It is generic and cheap and works great on the pain. I just can't take it because it gives me a headache. Nulev is a time release version, so it should work great for the pain. I'm sorry you are still having such trouble!
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God is Faithful!
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..experiment goes! The other day you decreased 7 grams of food and 5 grams of the Acacia. Is that what you are going to stick with? Or are you going to reduce even more? Maybe there is no connection at all? Who knows.
I'm sticking with increasing the Acacia and keeping my food fiber the same. I have no idea if I am hurting myself or helping myself doing this. 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I was on Levsin,Nu-lev, Levbid-pretty much the same med from what I read- and It caused me more problems than it did help.
It slowed everything down- including my bladder- it took me 5 minutes of sitting on the toilet just to urinate- and my vision was blurred, dry mouth etc.. etc.. etc...
Believe me- I would give anything to make this crampy ache go away but I had to come to the conclusion that it just wasn't worth it. And it did cause more C for me- by the way.
Many people have had good results with antiscpasmoidics- just not me...
I hope you have some luck.
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Beth, I'm sticking with those right now.However if I have a
couple of bad days in a row, it's back up again. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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No, I only take it when I feel like I may have a problem... and especially when I feel an attack coming on.
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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