Peppermint caps Vs. Dicyclomine
#359735 - 07/14/10 04:36 PM
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ELF
Reged: 06/05/10
Posts: 17
Loc: Kansas City, MO
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I currently take dicyclomine (I alternate between 10mg. and 20mg.) which works, but I'm worried about taking it too much and it losing its effectiveness, as I have read on here.
My question is, do the peppermint caps help with the same issues the dicyclomine does? My main issues are loud bowel sounds and gas, I presume are caused by spasms. I'm reluctant to try them because I get heartburn frequently and because I haven't had luck with the fennel tea, and only minimal relief with the fiber. The money I spend on food and supplements now is starting to be considerable, so any help would be appreciated!
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IBS-D since 12/2009
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and peppermint is a smooth muscle relaxant and painkiller. I find pep caps more effective than the prescription anti-spasmodics, and they don't have the drowsiness/dry eyes side effects.
But - if you're prone to heartburn, be cautious with peppermint. Try one cap at a time, on a totally empty stomach, and wait an hour before you eat or drink anything.
Both pep caps and anti-spasmodics are take as needed, not something you need to use on a maintenance basis unless you want to.
So, try mixing and matching and see if you like one more than the other in various circumstances.
Best,
H
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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!
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Prescription antispasmodics can cause dizziness and C among other things. Peppermint may increase heartburn though. My doc, and I, suggest trying pep caps first and then moving to an antispasmodic. I fall back on Bentyl from time to time when my gut feels like it is in knots. If I take it on a full stomach the dizziness isn't so bad. If I drink a lot and take my fiber the C isn't so bad. I use pep caps as a preventative before certain meals/out of the house and whenever I feel a little bit twisty.
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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!
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Quote:
and peppermint is a smooth muscle relaxant and painkiller. I find pep caps more effective than the prescription anti-spasmodics, and they don't have the drowsiness/dry eyes side effects.
But - if you're prone to heartburn, be cautious with peppermint. Try one cap at a time, on a totally empty stomach, and wait an hour before you eat or drink anything.
Both pep caps and anti-spasmodics are take as needed, not something you need to use on a maintenance basis unless you want to.
So, try mixing and matching and see if you like one more than the other in various circumstances.
Best,
H
Heather...I have considered many times buying your caps, but never have.
The reason being is
A. Are these really going to help with my bloating and constipation?
B. Moreover, I read your guides on how to use it. The problem is, I eat 5-6 meals a day every 3-4 hours, hence my stomach is never that empty.
Likewise, I do not always know that I am going to eat at 12:30 or 5:30.
Sometimes meals happen spur of the moment. I can't have my meals planned out.
So I felt I would not be able to properly use your caps in getting them on an empty stomach and with a 1 hour gap before a meal.
Also...what about breakfast? You eat when you wake up, you do not have the luxury of waiting an hour.
Can you advice on how to use your caps in this case? I'd like to try it but don't want to it the wrong way.
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If constipation and bloating are you main problems I'd go with a soluble fiber supplement over the caps.
You don't have to take 3 caps a day, and you don't have to wait an hour after taking one to eat. That waiting period is a guideline for people prone to heartburn.
You can try one a day to start. Try taking one just 10-15 minutes before you eat. You can play around with the caps a lot, and see what works best for you. There are a lot of individual preferences with them, so I can give general suggestions but in the end it's trial and error for most folks.
For example - I take them right before I eat (like 30 seconds before). I also take 2 at a time. But I usually only take them before restaurant meals, or if I'm really feeling touchy. Some days I don't use any at all. That's how they work best for me, but I wouldn't tell others to follow those same guidelines because they might find that 2 at a time is too much. Or they need to wait before eating because they're prone to heartburn (I'm not).
I know that's all kind of shades of gray, I'm sorry. They're just something that takes a little trial and error for each person to see what will work best and what won't.
- H
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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!
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over the weekend. I tried one before a meal, but can't say that I noticed them helping very much. I took one an hour before and still had the gut sounds (spasms?) I deal with constantly. I've still had to take Bentyl while I'm a work to keep everything quiet.
I didn't realize you could take two at a time though - I think I'll give that a try over the weekend and see if that does the trick. Thanks for the suggestion!
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IBS-D since 12/2009
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Thanks! I don't experience the dizziness on 10mg. of Bentyl like I do with 20mg. I usually don't have C issues either. My main issue is constant, embarrassing gut noises every time I eat, which the Bentyl takes care of. I'm hoping the pep caps will do the same.
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IBS-D since 12/2009
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Hope you're doing better soon. You might play around with one cap three times a day versus two caps at a time, and see which strategy works best for you.
- H
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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!
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