For Syl and Shawneric
#354222 - 01/07/10 09:51 PM
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What do you two know about the connection between stimulant laxatives and cathartic colon? I've read taking a stimulant laxative for several years can cause cathartic colon. What if you took them every day for two months?
Also, do you know anything about bentonite clay?
I ask because although I am a proponent of alternative health, there is a company called the American Botanical Pharmacy led by Dr. Schulze that I really question. The website is www.herbdoc.com if you want to look. He has two products called Intestinal Formula #1 and Intestinal Formula #2. IF#1 can be taken DAILY and has senna, cascara sagrada, and aloe - all stimulant laxatives! IF#2 has bentonite clay, which I'm sure I read somewhere can be hazardous to your health.
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Cathartic colon is the anatomic and physiologic change in the colon that occurs with chronic use of stimulant laxatives (> 3 times per week for at least 1 year). From the above definition taking a stimulant laxative for two months should not results in a cathartic colon. If in doubt check with your doctor.
Bentonite clay is just that - clay. Bentonite is used in cement, adhesives, ceramic bodies, and cat litter. It contains no nutrients but absorbs water.
IF#1 contains the stimulant laxative senna and aloe which Heather recommends avoiding. IF#2 contains a variety of fibers amongst other things including clay. A simple soluble fiber supplement that does not contain clay might be just as good and soluble fiber supplements are natural and alternative.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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what laxatives are you using?
Have you ever had a sitz marker test done? Or pelvic floor testing done.
Also take a look at this site on constipation.
http://www.aboutconstipation.org/
http://www.aboutconstipation.org/site/about-constipation/common-questions-mistaken-beliefs
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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FYI
Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/23/science/complex-and-hidden-brain-in-gut-makes-stomachaches-and-butterflies.html
Let the Mind Help Tame an Irritable Bowel
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/health/02brod.html?_r=1
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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I am only taking acacia now.
But last year over the summer I took the Intestinal Formula #1 (the stimulant laxatives) every day for two months, and the Intestinal Formula #2 (the stuff with bentonite clay) for a few days with it. I thought I was doing myself a world of good but I guess not. I was having some minor digestive issues going on before I took them (occassional minor constipation, occasional excessive and/or trapped gas)..... then while I took them I felt better for awhile... then I started feeling more and more awful (namely, terribly painful, excessive, and constant gas, and diarrhea) so I quit taking them.
Ever since, I've had this weird incomplete evacuation thing going on, and gas, gas, gas. It's like I just can't completely go back to normal. The most relief I've gotten - and I know we don't see eye to eye on this - is from following a low-carb no-sugar antifungal diet and taking antifungal supplements. But I'm wondering (and WORRYING  ) if the Intestinal Formulas, particularly the laxatives, have done permanent harm. My G.I. doesn't think so..... 
What do you think, Shawneric?
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I personally don't think you harmed your gi system with them although I can't personally say for sure, but behaps altered it some. Your body can get use to relying on them to go and that may take a little while to go back to more normal again.
The sensation of incomplete evacuation is a common symptom of IBS and a symptom that candida infection would NOT cause, which is one reason we don't see eye to eye on this as there are a specific cluster of symptoms to IBS and ones that support the diagnoses of IBS. 
However, just like biofeedback traning for the bowel the bowel gets use to things and even times you go and you might have knocked it out of balance and possible and I say possibly made the IBS act up more then it was before.
There is a famous IBS doctor Named Dr Michael Gershon who wrote the book the second brain. He was mentioning a DR working in the army with people who had bowel wounds. The Dr left and the new doctor was surprized to learn all of them had to go to the bathroom all at once at 10 am. They had all been trained to go then.
The colon in IBS contracts abnormally along its length and this traps gas and causes abnormal gas transit, instead of it coming out normally.
Gas in IBS is a hard symptom to treat. helping the colon move along helps, even relaxation can help this, so the bowel muscle contractions are not so strong so to speak.
The sensation of incomplete evacuation in IBS is because the nerves there are sensitive and send signals to the brain, even when there is very little or no feces in the rectum. This is in part neuorlogical signaling between the two, that is how your co0nciously aware you have to go.
are you taking any probiotics?
Because of the candida issue, are you doing anything else in that regard, taking anything or trying to kill anything?
That may or may not be imortant on the gas aspect.
Have you ever had a colonoscopy done?
Have you ever had pelvic floor testing done?
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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I thought it didn't have to only be a feeling of incomplete evacuation,but can actually be incomplete evacuation and lots of trips to the bathroom? Shanweric would you please answere my other posts u haven't answered yet? I know you are busy,but also I know it's easy to miss posts.
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Well, that makes sense. The laxatives made me go twice or more every morning. Now I sometimes feel awful if I go just once, or even twice. Is it possible my bowel can over time be re-trained to just go once in the morning and feel fine? Maybe the acacia will help with this goal by making the stool bulkier? I've only been taking it for a week so far, first 1/4 tsp twice a day, now 1/2 tsp twice a day. I can't always take it on an empty stomach though.. I hope that won't make it any less effective.
As far as candida, and other possible parasites, I take black walnut hull, wormwood, and cloves once a week, which don't seem to have any adverse effect on me, a probiotic called Three-Lac, and Oxygen Elements, which is supposed to help cells get more oxygen. (I'm not sure about that last one, I want to research it more.)
As far as other supplements go I take: Philip's Colon Health, which is just 3 probiotic strains, no inulin or FOS or anything like that; fennel; okra pepsin, which is supposed to help protein digestion; and Catalyst-U, which are digestive enyzmes in a "soothing" herbal base blend of licorice, marshmallow, gentian, lavendar, chamomile, slippery elm, ginger, and calendula. After what I've read, though, I doubt the enzymes are much help.
I haven't had a colonscopy or pelvic floor testing.
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"In many cases, the sensation that stool is stuck in the rectum is based in reality. People suffering from chronic constipation often do not completely evacuate hardened stool. However, in other instances, such as in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, a sensation of incomplete evacuation may occur even when there is no stool left in the rectum. In such people, an abnormally sensitive rectum may falsely give the impression of incomplete evacuation.
Other causes of this uncomfortable sensation may stem from obstructions in the rectum or anus. Sometimes hemorrhoids can grow large enough to block the free flow of stool. Such hemorrhoids are sometimes found only in the rectum and thus not be visible at the anus. Although hemorrhoids typically will also cause pain as they attain large sizes, this is not always the case."
The symptom you describe should be evaluated by a physician. An anal and rectal exam must be done. It is also likely that you will be referred for a proctosigmoidoscopy. This test, done by a gastroenterologist using a flexible scope, allows for complete visualization of the lower colon and rectum to fully evaluate the potential problem.
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/stool-feels-stuck.html
again in IBS the sensory nerves are not functioning properly. " in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, a sensation of incomplete evacuation may occur even when there is no stool left in the rectum. In such people, an abnormally sensitive rectum may falsely give the impression of incomplete evacuation."
This is a pretty common IBS symptom. More so in D IBS andD/C IBS, but even in consipation predominate IBS and when there is stool in the rectum. You might not feel your fully evacuating or have to keep going,even when not much comes out.
Aperson what thread?
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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yes it is like alot doesn't come out but sometimes a large stool does but a little gets stuck. I often have to put my finger in and push.
"don't have any of those symptoms,maybe though malabsortion? or perhaps it was because I ate less than an hour before bedtime? would u say blackberries are well tolerated? I only eat them in a smoothie with a banana or I boiled them into syrup,while they didn't melt or disinegrate,I spread it on top a ibs safe panacke best I could."
here is the email I wrote to heather's staff "SOmething is upsetting my ibs so bad. lots of gas,spams and bloat. I really believe it is heather's new england clam chowder recipe. I am finding pieces and chunks of potatoes in my stool. SHould I only eat mashed potatoes? maybe heather should look at this email?"
I really think something in the clam chowder is bad for me,because anytime I have stinky gas or feel just more terrible than usual,something I ate was bad. THe stool smelled more bad than usual and only the stool with the clam chowder recipe I'm passing smells. Ignore the eating bedfore bed question days later even though I quit eating before bed,same problem.
"I got really bloated at work and felt like my body was pulling and straining. I felt I needed to sit down so bad,but just had to suffer through my work shift.all the huge "balls" of gas and all the crazy gas poping all over so so uncomfortable and I felt a little naseated then a little later nasty acid came into my mouth."
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did u get my other emails? could u finish answering the one u said u would finish later? especially the part I mention my right eye is watering and crying before I needed to go to the bathroom. I wonder if my gas will eventually get better? I know its trapped gas but all I have to do is lay down and push,I use my deodarant cap or my cellphone and push on each side under my rib cage and realse explosions of gas,sometimes I do realease a ton without pushing but not often and pushing and releasing gas is the only releif I get,I feel I huge ball of gas and push and it just explodes out of me. sometimes I wake after a few hours of sleep and can't sleep until I release more gas. I often release a ton of gas when I wake up in the morning,and sometimes wake up from sleep with tons. I don't get huge like some people mention how their stomach looks flat then later they look like a couch potato or pregnant and have ppl ask if they are prego. I do not have a flat stomach because of bloating and it sticks out more than I'd like because if I didn't have ibs it would be pretty flat. Mayb it's just mostly distended because of spasms? perhaps when I get stable I can get rid of all my bloating and bulgy stomach?
I think a water filter is a good idea all that chlorine and stuff they put in the water ca't be good for ibs. I already have the water filter picked out after looking on amazon.com but it will have to wait until I get tax return money. "
Edited by aperson (01/09/10 10:37 AM)
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