Lotronex and Zelnorm feedback from users, please!
#7753 - 04/28/03 06:49 PM
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Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Canyontinsley posted this question on an earlier thread, and so it doesn't get buried I'm posting it as a separate subject.
About Lotronex and Zelnrom-what is the general opinion? Do most of you take them? When my doctor told me that I have IBS I chose to just try and do this the natural way (change diet, exercise more, and use vitamins). However, my friend tells me her grandmother uses meds for her IBS. She said that her grandmother can eat most foods, but it is still hard. For those of you that do use meds, what do you feel the benefits are? Do you still eat as if you were not on medication or do you get to enjoy trigger foods without pain? I guess I just felt like it was better (for me) to change my lifestyle than to pay for medication for the rest of my life. Can anyone tell me if I'm wrong in thinking this? If you do take these meds, please write me and tell me what you honestly think.
canyontinsley
Thanks for your feedback!
- 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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I was originally on Lotronex before they took it off the market. I loved it. Since I have gone off the medicine, I've developed quite a bit of anxiety. It made me feel more confident. My doc put me in the clinical trial for Cilansteron(sp) and it worked good. I was able to eat some triggers moderately. Which I enjoyed. Most of my fave food are my triggers so getting a little taste here and there was great. I would love to be able to control diet wise but I fall off.
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Laurie 
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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Re: Zelnorm
#7773 - 04/28/03 08:25 PM
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H2
Reged: 02/28/03
Posts: 161
Loc: Ohio
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My doctor gave me about 3 weeks worth of Zelnorm as a trial run. At first is worked great, but by the end it was not as effective. (To be perfectly honest, I forgot a few doses at the end, which might account for the decline in effectiveness.)
I was following the IBS diet the whole time I was on it, and felt fabulously healthy. I continue to follow the diet (mostly) now that my Zelnorm has run out. I don't feel as good as when I was taking it, but I prefer to not take medicine as much as possible. It was helpful, but I have being dependant on pills every day.
Hope this helps, lemme know if you have any questions! 
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-h2
"Soluble fiber not included."
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I took Zelnorm for three months. It worked really well for the first two. I could not eat what I wanted, but I could cheat a little. Then it stopped working suddenly. I would not recommend it because it only gives you a taste of what life used to be and I am going to have IBS for life. I might as well eat what I am supposed to all of the time.
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lovejoy_22
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Heather, I prefer the natural route myself. Although my doctor didn't prescribe Lotronex or Zelnorm for me, he did give me prescriptions for Bentyl, Levsin and Miralax. I've tried both Miralax and Levsin ("Nu-Lev"), but the side effects just weren't worth it.
I've been on your eating plan for a few weeks and have noticed a definite decrease in pain, but still struggle with C. With supplements I expect that will work itself out over time.
BTW - I made your Brown Sugar Banana Bread and Will's Rice Pudding (w/o lemon) - they were absolutely wonderful. Thank you!
Meg
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All I've tried is zel-norm. I saw no improvement or change, and it gave me bad headaches. That's just my experience! I find the diet, drinking water, exercise, and drinkign the anti-gas teas most helpful. Good luck!
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Take care,
Michelle
...the greatest of these is LOVE. (I Cor 13)
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My doctor put me on Lotronex for about six months. I felt worse than I do with the IBS. The Lotronex was so constipating (for me) that I continually felt tired, bloated, full, gassy, my stomach was painful because I did not have a BM except every other week. Following Heather's diet and taking the occasional Bentyl for spasms seems to be working really well for me. A lot of my trigger foods are foods that I shouldn't be eating anyways (I'm trying to lose weight) so my opinion is the life style change is the way for me.
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Do you have IBS-C or D? I have D and even on the Lotronex I was going at least once a day sometimes twice.
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Laurie
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
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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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I have been using ZelNorm for about a month, and while it is not a miracle cure, it does seem to help. I seem to digest faster, which helps with the constipation.
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I would like to say that I have been on Zelnorm for almost a year now. I find the best thing about it is that it takes away my bloating. I still watch what I eat. Chocolate and dairy products are two of my worse triggers, and so I should not be eating them anyway.
As I go along I find more and more things that have a bad effect on my stomach.
However, I do not handle stress very well, and it surely exacerbates thr IBS terribly.
All in all I am happy with the Zelnorm. I also take Bentyl as needed.
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Hi Heather
I've never used these but I'm on two other medications Modulan, and Sulfolak which I'm hoping to get off of once I've been following the IBS eating plan for awhile. I think I read an email about if you have to eat out at a restaurant that there was something to take before you eat. I was in a situation at work I was only supposed to work for 5 hrs so I only brought enough food for that time but they asked me to work 8 hrs. I didn't want to say no because I had been off of work for almost two months because I have been so sick with my IBS. It is getting a little better I've cut out caffeine, dairy, chocolate, fried foods, redmeat and pork. I managed to not eat anything I wasn't supposed to but I still didn't have a proper dinner till later after I got home at 8:00. If you have any suggestions that would be great.
P.S. I just got your book and it is Wonderful
Georgette
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Hi - It's the soluble fiber that is great to take when you're going too long without eating. Keep a bottle of Fibercon or Citrucel or Equalactin tablets in a drawer at work (and some peppermint or ginger tea bags too). Then just take a couple pills if you're working extra hours and can't eat. This will help keep you stable.
Best,
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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Georgette - I'm not sure of your work situation, but can you keep snacks at work for emergencies? I keep graham crackers, pretzels, and apple sauce cups at work to help me throughout the day.
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Hi Mags2003
I'm a Cashier at Costco and I can't keep anything with me except for the pills that Heather mentioned which were Fibercon, Citrucel and Equalactin Tablets so I will go to the Health Food Store and see what they have.
Thanks For Replying
Georgette
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