Some Advice
#64599 - 04/25/04 04:09 PM
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I am fairly new here and have been reading all the posts from time to time and doing searches and see that you all provide great support and advice. I have had IBS for time now, actually I did not know what I had until I could not take it anymore and went to a Gasto doc and had a month worth of tests and then given the final diagnosis.
I have the books by Heather and have been following the steps to a more manageable life, I have a couple of questions.
Fiber - I am taking Benefiber 3 times a day. Morning, Afternoons before dinner and before I go to bed. This has worked very well for me; I have tried others that have not cut the grade.
I drink the 64 OZ or more of water, but I still have terrible bouts with diarrhea, It seems that the stool does not flow properly, what do you think about using a stool softener such as Colace, my doctor had mentioned it before but he did not prescribe it for me he wanted to me work with the diet and the fiber supplements he wanted me to stick with the Citrucel I had bad reactions to that one and had to switch after a month of being sicker on it.
What do you all suggest as to I guess what the call make me more regular and have the stool more solid and easier to come out and no cause constant diaherra all the time over and over where I give out more water than stool in my system?
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how much Benefiber are you taking? it's quite possible you're not taking large enough doses. if you think your dose is fine, then you may need to consider an new type of fiber. just because it's not giving you adverse reactions doesn't mean it's working! if you're still having watery diarrhea, something is going on...
are you sure you've cut out all triggers?? no dairy? no coffee? (that's one people are reluctant to do... we get to be coffee addicts. believe me, life is still tolerable without coffee! even better if your diarrhea goes away!)
using a stool softener -- why would your doctor recommend that? did you used to be constipated?? if you're having watery diarrhea, you don't need anything softened. diarrhea can be tricky... sometimes you're in there struggling to get your tummy empty, feeling like you have to go but can't ('cause you've gone a million times already!). that doesn't mean you need to loosen your stool more!
at times like that, it really helps to use a hot water bottle on the tummy and drink some peppermint/fennel/chamomile tea. buy some Equalactin and see if that helps-- just chew up a couple when you feel the attack coming. has your doctor prescribed anything to stop the contractions once your diarrhea starts? there are several different drugs that may help.
i want you to know that you don't have to live with that diarrhea like you've described! i used to feel that way for so long... i never believed it could get better, but it can! make sure you're not cheating in any way.... because ya can't lie to your intestines! up your dosage of soluble fiber (slowly) and give up all the triggers. you should notice an improvement. if not, switch to a new soluble fiber supplement (try acacia. i love it!).
good luck. hopefully you'll feel better soon...
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I take 3 tbsp a day of Benefiber. I have ordered the Equalactin. Yes, at one time I did have constipation. For the excess cramping he prescribed Levsin and for the excess diaarreha he prescribed Robinul Forte 2MG Twice a day. I do drink the teas and they have been helpful. As to the triggers, I cut of the diary 100% I use soy products now which are great by Silk and they are the best.
It is a hard time, I am still trying to work a happy medium, thanks for your advice.
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oh! i use Levsin, too, for attacks. i don't use it daily, like some people do. (my doc just instructed me to take it when i felt the cramping coming on) it works pretty well, but i have had even better luck with Equalactin. if i had a doozy of an attack, i'd use 'em both, since they do different things.
that's a lot of Benefiber. did you just start at that dose, or did you work your way up to that? i know with the Acacia we're aiming for 3 Tbsp as our goal, but i'm nowhere near that 'cause i find i'm sensitive to the dose changes. i go up by the tsp every few weeks...
if you added your doses too quickly, that could certainly explain the diarrhea...
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Along with what Jen said, I was wondering if the benefiber just wasn't the supplement for you. I think it contains psyllium which can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. Switching to equalactin sounds like a good idea, but make sure you start slowly at a low dose and gradually work your way back up. It helps to avoid tummy upsets.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Benefiber
#64810 - 04/26/04 11:33 AM
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Bethany
Reged: 02/27/04
Posts: 128
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Benefiber doesn't contain any psyllium. It is mainly Guar Gum. Many people have had pretty good results with Benefiber. If you don't have the bloating and such, it should be fine. Maybe you could try something else and see how you do, maybe the Guar Gum is affecting it.
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"Love isn't love, until you give it away!" 
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Thanks! Good to know. I can never keep the brand names straight - which ones have what.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Because I just couldn't remember which one had what ingredient, and what the different doses were, etc. Too much!!
So, I finally sat down one day and wrote it all out - it's in the supplement section here soluble fiber supplements
- Heather
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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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Benefiber does cause excessive gas and bloating for some people, though. I noticed a huge different when I switched from Citrucel and Benefiber.. and quickly switched back!
But as Bethany said, some people have been perfectly fine with it. It is all an individual preference.
- Jennifer
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- Jennifer
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Thank you for all your responses.
I had worked my way to the dosage with Benefiber, I moved to the 1 tsp a day gradually 3 times a day = 1 Tablespoon. . I separated it as to one teaspoon for Morn, Noon and Night. I did this for 2 weeks to see what reaction I got and it was none, then I added another teaspoon and so on and so on for about 2 months and did this for another month so I gradually added the intake and I received no gas or bloating,
I did notice a change in my stool as it was getting solid so I thought I was fine and then poof it became crazy, I was not eating triggers and I thought I was ok but then this happened. I had switched at one time to Citrucel back as I was using that originally and it was horrible it made me sick and excessive gas and bloating all the time, so I gave up and sticked with the Benefiber, yes it is Gum Gar and it seems to work well with me.
Today I brought some Equalactin and tried it today with a small dose to see how it works when I feel terrible, seems like it happens in the morning and middle of the day that I feel awful, so I will see I also have Fibercon as to reading the ingredients it has the same active ingredient in Equalactin, so I shall see, still monitoring my food, as I have been less and less to see what is going on until I get somewhat stable.
Yes my doc prescribed the Levsin, at one time my attacks were so bad I had to take it 3 times a day now I am down to once a day. Sometimes I think that the fiber works better than the Levsin, as sometimes it goes crazy from Diarrhea all day and then at night to constipation, so I thought I was going to go crazy. I am sure we all been there. With the Robinul Forte it was hard to take as to it gave me constipation so I had to cut the dosage and it seemed to work, my doctor did not want me to take Imodium as to the side effects I had with it.
I am not starving myself but no really eating anything that could cause and attack. Of course the water, I shall see you all have been great as to advice and resources I will continue to read the posts and search for topics, I will make it there I know I will and I hope you all will.
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