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Hang in there...a lot of us are in a similar boat, but if God gave you this Cross I am sure He knows you can carry it.
It isn't easy, but Prayer helps. If things are getting you down tell your Doc. Talk to family aswell. I know they don't always understand but it feels better talking about it.
I too mention the name of meds to my Dr that I have heard may help me. If they get all affronted then find another Dr.
Maybe see if Heather's books/dvd work for you and if they don't, try some elimination diets but do so with your Dr or a Dietician fully aware of what's going on.
Please know you are NOT alone. I will keep you in my Prayers. You must be really tough to have had this put on you.
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Jeanette
#325090 - 02/20/08 01:21 PM
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Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
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Jeanette, did you ever take the antibiotics? My doctor (my old one) wants to try me on doxycycline so I'm trying to do a little research on it beforehand.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant 
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No, I haven't tried the antibiotics yet. My new GI gave me a month supply of Align and I was hoping that I would get the same results from it that I got from Udo's Choice (I started Align on 2/11/08) last week was pretty good - had a normal BM almost every day, but this week I'm back to the days of C followed by days of D and constant gas. I think I'll do another round of Udo's choice b/c I really noticed improvement with it. If that doesn't work, then I'll consider an antibiotic. What I am finding is while Heather's diet does decrease the number of days/week that I have D, it really isn't improving my quality of life b/c I'm in a constant state of either C or D. I have to say that I do follow the diet very strictly (mostly just soluble fibers ,fish, chicken, turkey and applesauce). There is absolutely no UNSAFE foods in my diet, but yet I have constant problems - getting very tired of it.
Anyway, now that I got my pitty potty out of the way, I strongly urge you to try Udo's Choice for a month before doing the anti-biotic. But on the other hand, my daughter who's an RN thinks I'm nuts for not trying it.
I'm sorry, I can't be of more help. Please keep me posted.
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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Jeanette, thank you for your fast reply! I'm taking VSL#3 right now and after I finish it I'm planning on Align because I also got it from my doctor (1 month supply). I'll have to research Udo's choice, I wonder if it's similar to VSL3. I'll research it and try it if it's really different from the one I'm taking now.
I really have to think about the antibiotic. On one hand I don't want to take it because I'm afraid of what it will do to my digestion. I feel like I've been trying to replenish my good bacteria with probiotics form the past couple months and the antibiotic would kill them all. On the other hand, what if it is that easy? Just take it and be so much better? I wish there was a way of knowing other than playing my own guinea pig  .
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Isn't the VSL#3 helping you?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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I have yet to see improvement that I could attribute to the VSL3. Maybe I would need to take it long term before I see any changes, who knows ;
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Re: Zara
#325584 - 02/26/08 05:06 PM
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CJIBSDG
Reged: 12/24/07
Posts: 153
Loc: Idaho
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Well, I gave up on the align. I seemed to be a little better after the first couple of days on it but nothing like the improvement I had seen with Udo's choice. I bought another supply of Udo's and have been taking it for 3 days now - too soon to really say, but I am noticing some improvement. BM becoming more regular (still not daily), and less gas. I've also been consuming some really UNSAFE foods the past few days (fried chicken and diet coke) and they've not bothered me so far. I've also considered trying VSL because it's cheaper than Udo's, but if this works I think I'll just bear the cost burden - I'm just getting really tired of trying different things with no success so if it aint broken, don't fix it 
I know what you mean about feeling like a guinea pig. Wouldn't it be nice if there were some concrete, steadfast rules?
Are you getting any results from the VSL yet? I'll keep you posted on the Udo's.
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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Re: Zara
#325585 - 02/26/08 05:11 PM
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Aly
Reged: 08/16/04
Posts: 669
Loc: Columbus, Ohio
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just fyi, when I started align it took me 6 full weeks to get the benefits. I had loads of bloating and a general bad feeling, but it helps me SO much now, so I'm glad I stuck it out. Sometimes probiotics can take a long time to get used to. Just fyi, take it or leave it!
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IBS-A
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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Hey Zara, how are you doing on the VSL now? I've been back on Udo's choice for 9 days now and am very happy to report that I have not had a single incident of C or D in 9 whole days!!!! I do still get a little too much gas on occassion, but gastrizyme clears that up immediately. I've been having 1 to 2 NORMAL BM every day or two. As you know, this is my 2nd time trying Udo's Choice. I took it for 4 weeks and saw significant improvement, then went off for 3 weeks and immediately started in with the C and D, then tried Align for a week some improvement but not enough. It's going to be Udo's for me from here on out! My doc did say that I'll probably need to take a probiotic for life. It is very expensive, but my plan is to cut down to 2 pills per day after taking it for a full month and see how I do. If I do well with 2 pills/day for a full month, then I'll try just 1/day. If I can maintain a good balance with 1/day it will only cost $30/month which is reasonable.
Oh, I should also mention that I've been eating some very bad foods this past week (mainly just to test the waters b/c I'm really beginning to think that most of the foods I've eliminated probably won't bother me as long as I'm taking Udo's). Some of the things I ate last week are: Chinese food (3 days in a row), fried chicken, several diet coke's, raw carrots, raw cauliflower, raw celery - NO PROBLEMS (aside from some pretty foul gas from the chinese - which I cleared up immediately with gastrizyme). I'm so sold on this probiotic
I'd love to hear how you're doing on VSL - I hope well!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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