Increase C with increased Citrucel
#264373 - 05/19/06 12:20 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I tried to do a search on this, but do you know how many hits you get with the words "constipation" or "SFS" or "Soluble Fiber Supplement"? sorry if this has been asked before...I think it has, but I couldn't find the answer.
So, to the question! Is it possible that an increase in citrucel could cause my constipation to get worse? It's firmer, but it won't come out as easily...or without strain, despite the Miralax.  I went from 4 or 5 grams fiber to 6. Maybe it's just a coincidence? 
Just to add, I am getting enough liquid.
Any feedback?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I don't think I ever experienced that with Citrucel, but I know when I tried to switch to Acacia I started with too much and it caused major C. Sometimes it takes your body some time to adjust. Now that I'm consistent with how much I take, and increase a little every couple weeks, the C is getting better. I would say give it a little time to adjust. You could try just going from 4 to 5 grams for a few days and then up to 6. How are you measuring individual grams? There are 2 per scoop in citrucel. If that doesn't help, I would say it's just coincidence since that's not a very big increase.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
 
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I have been taking Citrucel for months already. I started at 1/2 scoop (=1 gram fiber) and have increased up to 4 or 5 grams. When I went to 6, the increase painful passage became more evident. I know 6 grams really isn't that much either. And I wasn't satisfied with the results I was getting at the lower dose.
What type of Citrucel do you use? How much is your maintainance dose? And it works for you? Or are you taking Acacia? I'm not sure from your post.
Are you a C?
Thanks for responding!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I started wtih Citrucel about 2.5 years ago. I started with 2g. I took that for a while before realizing that C requires a lot more fiber. So, I gradually increased and worked up to about 12g (6 scoops). That was over the course of about 2 years. Most of the increase has been more recent. But 6 scoops of Citrucel is hard. I can only drink so much of that. Plus I wanted to increase my fiber even more, and it was getting very expensive. So, I decided to try acacia since you could get much more fiber in a smaller dose. I started acacia in late March this year in hopes of completely switching FS. I started with way too much (I didn't realize how much was in a Tbsp.). That gave me major C. So, I decided to try much more slowly. I went back to about 4 scoops of Citrucel accompanied by a few tsp. of acacia. Currently I take 3 scoops of Citrucel...2 right when I get up, 1 right before lunch (for some reason Cit seems to help me get going better in the morning) and about 5.5 tsp. of acaia...1 1/2 in the morning with my Cit, 1 1/2 with dinner, and 2 1/2 with my bedtime snack. So I get a little less than 20g a day. I'm still working on increasing, but I'm doing it slowly...about a 1/4 tsp. every week or two. I am a C. The type of Cit. I use is the regular orange stuff. Like I said, that works best for me to get things moving in the morning. Then the acacia helps to get the amount of fiber I need without having to drink 10 glasses of orange stuff. It does take a long time to get the right dose. But I never had any noticeable problems with Citrucel at that low of a dose..and I could increase it much more easily than I can with the acacia. Maybe it's because of what you're eating? Are you getting enough IF? Just recently I've been eating more fruit and that seems to be a big help. I pretty much avoided it for a while because I thought I couldn't handle it, but I guess I was wrong. And I've cut down on starchy processed stuff. So, it could be your diet or stress. I would stick with the Cit. for a while...and maybe even increase it. It can take a while. The acacia took about 2 months for me to really adjust. So be patient. I hope that helps.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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Beth, I'm not so sure this is a Citrucel causing C problem.
It almost sounds more like an anorectal pooping problem.
I'd say try taking some extra Miralax and see if that helps.
If not, you might want to email Margo and report it to Dr.J.
-Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I know what you mean about having to take so many cups of citrucel to get a decent amount of fiber! It's so much sugar and I'd be drinking it all day long!
So, are you planning on cutting out the citrucel altogether, eventually, and just taking the Acacia? I'm glad you gave it another try and that the Acacia is helping you.
Thanks for all your comments. What fruits are helping you out? I think I eat enough IF. I have 2 fruits and 2 veggies a day. I don't eat skins though...like on an apple. Can you handle skins?
I could increase the Citrucel faster than the Acacia too. Weird. I stopped taking Acacia because I don't think my body liked it, but perhaps I should try it again.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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...she said to increase the citrucel and not the miralax. This is when I was struggling with lots of messy, incomplete BMS. I don't want to increase the Miralax any more. One dose is my limit. I don't think I could handle any more than that.
I hope I can start PT soon....I need some muscles!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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For right now I'm going to stick with the amount of Citrucel I'm taking and keep increasing the acacia. It definitely took a lot longer than I thought it would to adjust to the acacia. I was just starting to think about trying another kind of fiber, but all of a sudden things seem to be working better...just in the past week or so. And I started the acacia the 3rd week in March.
Lately I eat blueberries and mango (buy 'em frozen..thaw them, then drizzle with honey). I also eat applesauce (either homemade or boughten unsweetened) mixed with raisins and cinnamon, then microwaved so the raisins are kind of cooked. Soooo good. And good SF/IF mix. I don't tolerate things like apple peels very well. I go with the mushy stuff. I would say I get 2-3 servings of fruit a day (plus another if you consider the grape juice I drink...I know some people can't handle it, but it helps me), and at least 4 or 5 servings of veggies a day. I need a LOT of mushy fiber...and a good combo of SF/IF. I get most of my fiber from fruits and veggies. The more starchy stuff seems to stick to my insides. For now this seems to be helping. I'm far from better, but I think I see improvement.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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what you meant by Quote:
And I've cut down on starchy processed stuff
What food would those be? Isn't that the SF to buffer the IF?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Somewhat. I definitely eat more IF than I used to. And I don't always eat SF first. I find that Heather's Diet doesn't totally work for me. I'm in the process of experimenting right now. I don't eat a lot of bread/pasta/rice/potatoes. I eat high fiber cereal for breakfast. I munch on oyster crackers and graham crackers. I eat a small amount of rice, pasta, etc. sometimes. But not always. Plus I'm finding there is so much added stuff in packaged food that I don't think I can tolerate...like hidden sources of msg. So, most of my diet is fruits and veggies...both the SF and IF kind.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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Re: Beth
#264771 - 05/22/06 10:38 AM
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lalala
Reged: 02/14/05
Posts: 2634
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Maybe I misunderstood you, but 2 fruits and 2 vegetables a day doesn't sound like enough IF or food to me. I think that's a good start, and I know you're working to incorporate more IF into your diet, but in the long run it just doesn't seem like enough.
I'm a D and I eat about 4-5 vegetables and two fruits a day - and I still feel like I need to incorporate more veggies and fruit.
Edited by Maria!Maria! (05/22/06 10:47 AM)
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I know what you are going through. And -although Heather recommends all those "starchy" foods to soothe the bowel - it can also block the bowel from my experience - especially if too much is eaten. Now it is necessary to have those soothing foods in small quantities - but here is what I have tried:
I have tried to limit wheat/flour based foods and that has REALLY helped. Also, I only have one serving of oats a day - because they can cause gas, bloating. I try to make sure and have veggies as often as possible (cooked). I eat lean protein and I drink lots and lots of water. I do take acacia every day - two tsp. twice a day. I am thinking of increasing it a bit. And, when I overeat or have fatty foods at nite - I am especially "C" the next day!
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Beth, Yes, but if you're having trouble passing you may need
to, at least for a while. Speaking of exercising, another
thing that might help is to do sit-ups. I've been doing 50 a
day and it is helping me. I typically have a decent BM within
an hour or so of doing the sit-ups. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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That sounds exactly like what's working for me. I just recently figured out that oats have been causing me problems...I've been eating them for years thinking they were helping! And I eat more fruits and veggies than I used to. I also can't eat much at once. If I eat too much it majorly slows things down...and I can tell as soon as I do it. And I can hardly eat any fat. I am gradually figuring this all out. I think it is helping. But lots of fruits and veggies, lots of water, and exercise are key!!
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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...I usually eat a SF fruit and an IF fruit and then 2 cooked veggies safely food processed to death. Sometimes one of the veggies is SF too.
This is the most fruits/veggies I get! Sometimes I miss a veggie at lunch if I have hummus or sushi.
I don't do much beans either. Maybe 2 T once or twice a week. 
Maria, thank you for hanging in there with me. I know I ask a lot of questions...but I'm still hurting so I have to keep looking at what I am and am not doing. I know I need hypno (and I will once I get enough to buy a CD player), but I need other things as well. thank you for your support!
Love and hugs to you!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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