quietly_serene
12-30-2003, 01:33 PM
So, I was taking Citrucel for the longest time to help with this constant diarrhea that I seem to have. Was working just fine. Things got a little bit better.
I didn't feel very good taking a fiber that wasn't to be found in nature. It really bothered me. So, I decided to switch to a psyllium fiber. Per Harry's recomendation, I got the Equate brand (thanks Harry) but I chose the original texture, unflavored. I've been taking 1/4 teaspoon in juice followed by a large glass of water once a day for about 3 days now, thinking I would just work up to higher doses. I've not moved to higher doses because of this, ahem, gas problem. Never did I have this much gas in my life. There's a constant, well.. threat. :( I had some extra (1 cup instead of 1/2) yogurt, in hopes that it would help but I've not noticed any improvement.
Should I stick it out? Will it go away if I keep taking it? Should I increase the dose? Am I responding in a way that's not normal?
Thanks for any and all replies,
~serena
I didn't feel very good taking a fiber that wasn't to be found in nature. It really bothered me. So, I decided to switch to a psyllium fiber. Per Harry's recomendation, I got the Equate brand (thanks Harry) but I chose the original texture, unflavored. I've been taking 1/4 teaspoon in juice followed by a large glass of water once a day for about 3 days now, thinking I would just work up to higher doses. I've not moved to higher doses because of this, ahem, gas problem. Never did I have this much gas in my life. There's a constant, well.. threat. :( I had some extra (1 cup instead of 1/2) yogurt, in hopes that it would help but I've not noticed any improvement.
Should I stick it out? Will it go away if I keep taking it? Should I increase the dose? Am I responding in a way that's not normal?
Thanks for any and all replies,
~serena
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quincy
12-30-2003, 03:49 PM
Hi, I can relate to the gas problem. Just a few suggestions. You may want to switch to the smooth rather than the regular texture. Make sure you aren't ingesting any aspartame in it. You may consider to take it in the evening rather than during the day (such as in the morning) when the gut is more active. The gut is quieter when you aren't so active.
Yogurt gives me gas and bad gut cramps, that could be part of the problem. Are you also ingesting enough food during the day?
You may want to consider acidophillus capsules rather than in the yogurt.
What do you eat during the day? If you're ingesting gas producing foods also, you may consider cutting back a bit.
Sometimes just juggling the times of food and fibre you ingest can make all the difference in how you feel during the day....gas included.
Hope it works for you,
quincy
Yogurt gives me gas and bad gut cramps, that could be part of the problem. Are you also ingesting enough food during the day?
You may want to consider acidophillus capsules rather than in the yogurt.
What do you eat during the day? If you're ingesting gas producing foods also, you may consider cutting back a bit.
Sometimes just juggling the times of food and fibre you ingest can make all the difference in how you feel during the day....gas included.
Hope it works for you,
quincy
isolated one
12-30-2003, 11:22 PM
I also had major gas the first couple of weeks but the benefits were worth putting up with that uncomfortable period.
Belle2003
12-31-2003, 12:07 AM
My husband has been taking konsyl every morning for over 10 years and the gas is a daily byproduct. It is well worth the trade off because before taking konsyl he had really bad irritable bowl syndrome.
Harry
12-31-2003, 01:22 AM
Hi serena,
You are responding normally. Give it time before increasing the dose.
Psyllium is a natual fiber that is brokendown by your intestinal bacteria and it does ferment causing gas.
With continued use the gas does usually go away.
If Citrucel works better then keep in mind you do have something to fall back to --- they are both water soluble fibers supplements but Citrucel does not breakdown like psyllium and that results in almost no gas. Both are safe to take daily. I have never used Citrucel and as you know it is not a natrual product and it does cost more.
One thing I might add is all starches cause gas except rice. So, there are alot of products on the market that cause gas.
A worthwhile site to read and re-read is one about controlling GAS:
http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/gas.html
God Bless---Harry
You are responding normally. Give it time before increasing the dose.
Psyllium is a natual fiber that is brokendown by your intestinal bacteria and it does ferment causing gas.
With continued use the gas does usually go away.
If Citrucel works better then keep in mind you do have something to fall back to --- they are both water soluble fibers supplements but Citrucel does not breakdown like psyllium and that results in almost no gas. Both are safe to take daily. I have never used Citrucel and as you know it is not a natrual product and it does cost more.
One thing I might add is all starches cause gas except rice. So, there are alot of products on the market that cause gas.
A worthwhile site to read and re-read is one about controlling GAS:
http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/gas.html
God Bless---Harry
quietly_serene
12-31-2003, 01:08 PM
Thanks for the replies guys. I will keep taking it, 1/4 tea at a time untill it doesn't bother me that much. Is there anything that I could do to help the gas? I've been watching what I eat and trying to avoid foods that usually cause gas for me. This will hopefully help. <sigh>
There's something else that I meant to ask. Is there anything that I could do to help prevent gas from being trapped and causing pain? I get woken up with that kind of pain middle of the night often.
Thanks for all your help guys.
~serena
There's something else that I meant to ask. Is there anything that I could do to help prevent gas from being trapped and causing pain? I get woken up with that kind of pain middle of the night often.
Thanks for all your help guys.
~serena
Harry
12-31-2003, 02:43 PM
Hey serena,
I am glad you asked this I have been wanting to tell this to a person that really needs it! I will tell you more than you may want to know.
As may know it's normal to have gas but it's not normal for it to be accompanied with so much PAIN.
Based on my experience if you are having pain then it's usually caused by lack of magnesium in the diet along with calcium.
Calcium cannot be properly absorbed without magnesium and vitamin D. You need all this for preventing Osteoporois anyway. We usually get enough calcium in dairy products but I read that 75% of people are Magnesium and vit D deficient.
Most magnesium in your body is in your bones(75%) but you need it in your cells to eliminate spasms and cramping PAIN. I have really done a lot of searching and reading to find what is the best that is on the market today.
The BEST that is absorbed at the cell level is a chelated type that is connected to a protein amino acid -- glycine and lysine. The process is patented by Albion Labs in Canada. The form is called glycinate and lysinate.
There are several companies that produce it--- Doctor's Best, Kal, Solgar, Carlson and there are other I guess. Other forms of magnesium may work but to absorb minerals in your body they have to react to get it in a form that it can be used. The aspartates, oroates are also good.
Magnesium is in several of laxatives like Epson Salts, Milk Of Magnesia and Citrate of Magnesia and a small dose may work but they are inorganic and not as eaily absorbed as the organic form. Good Laxatives.
My wife has spasms of the esophagus and took Prilosec for 6 years and in the last 2 months we stopped the medicine(nausea) and she started taking a calcium/ magnesium supplement and has had no problems. I have been really impressed.
You need to take it 3 times daily in smaller doses to increase the absorption from 14% to 40%.
God Bless---Harry
I am glad you asked this I have been wanting to tell this to a person that really needs it! I will tell you more than you may want to know.
As may know it's normal to have gas but it's not normal for it to be accompanied with so much PAIN.
Based on my experience if you are having pain then it's usually caused by lack of magnesium in the diet along with calcium.
Calcium cannot be properly absorbed without magnesium and vitamin D. You need all this for preventing Osteoporois anyway. We usually get enough calcium in dairy products but I read that 75% of people are Magnesium and vit D deficient.
Most magnesium in your body is in your bones(75%) but you need it in your cells to eliminate spasms and cramping PAIN. I have really done a lot of searching and reading to find what is the best that is on the market today.
The BEST that is absorbed at the cell level is a chelated type that is connected to a protein amino acid -- glycine and lysine. The process is patented by Albion Labs in Canada. The form is called glycinate and lysinate.
There are several companies that produce it--- Doctor's Best, Kal, Solgar, Carlson and there are other I guess. Other forms of magnesium may work but to absorb minerals in your body they have to react to get it in a form that it can be used. The aspartates, oroates are also good.
Magnesium is in several of laxatives like Epson Salts, Milk Of Magnesia and Citrate of Magnesia and a small dose may work but they are inorganic and not as eaily absorbed as the organic form. Good Laxatives.
My wife has spasms of the esophagus and took Prilosec for 6 years and in the last 2 months we stopped the medicine(nausea) and she started taking a calcium/ magnesium supplement and has had no problems. I have been really impressed.
You need to take it 3 times daily in smaller doses to increase the absorption from 14% to 40%.
God Bless---Harry
quietly_serene
12-31-2003, 03:48 PM
Thanks for the speedy reply Harry! I looked around in my medicine cabinet and found some Calcium/Magnezium suplpements. Apparently I did have some. It's not the chelated kind, but until I get to the store, I'll try this one. The dose is 1000mg of calcium (100% RDA), 400mg of magnesium (100%), 15mg of zinc (100%) and 1mg of copper (50%), split into three doses for better absorption. Is this the dose you recommend?
Are there any other supplements you recommend?
Thanks,
~serena
Are there any other supplements you recommend?
Thanks,
~serena
Harry
12-31-2003, 07:19 PM
If you are like me you buy something and don't know a thing about the type and that is not really good. When you don't get any results --you'll say well that didn't work. As you know we are all different so take it in divided doses between meals. It may work. You're not going to come close to getting 100% absorption. Calcium also messes with digestion like Tums.
Another thing-- of all things grapefruit juice increases the absorption 4 or 5 times.
Since its New Years eve -- I tell you this---One alcoholic drink will incease the magnesium in your urine 5 times. Tests have been run and this has been verified many times.
An excellent homepathic remedy for Spasms and Cramping that reacts in 30 minutes or so ---- is Magnesia Phos, any potency-- that is available at a health food store. My wife carries this everywhere she goes for about 25 years because of spasms with a hiatal hernia--- that really hurt at times. This remedy is good for all types of cramping anywhere in the body. The bottle say "Menstrual Cramps" on the front.
GEE--- That all I know!!!
Happy New Year---Harry
Another thing-- of all things grapefruit juice increases the absorption 4 or 5 times.
Since its New Years eve -- I tell you this---One alcoholic drink will incease the magnesium in your urine 5 times. Tests have been run and this has been verified many times.
An excellent homepathic remedy for Spasms and Cramping that reacts in 30 minutes or so ---- is Magnesia Phos, any potency-- that is available at a health food store. My wife carries this everywhere she goes for about 25 years because of spasms with a hiatal hernia--- that really hurt at times. This remedy is good for all types of cramping anywhere in the body. The bottle say "Menstrual Cramps" on the front.
GEE--- That all I know!!!
Happy New Year---Harry
quietly_serene
12-31-2003, 09:29 PM
I eat grapefruit regularly, so I think that should work out good for me. =) I don't drink, so alcohol is unlikely to be a problem. Another plus!
Homeopathy hadn't even occured to me for this. Interestingly enough, I have all the tissue salts and I usually use them for anything and everything. I guess when a person's in pain, straight thinking is almost impossible.
I'm happy that you're sharing all this information with me. This is exactly the reason why I read boards like this one. The combined wisdom of a group of people is great!
I've already taken 2/3 of the dose of calc/mag and it seems that I'm feeling better. I'll keep taking it regularly and take my doze of psyllium again tonight. I took Citrucel this morning to boost my fiber intake, but instead of the evening citrucel dose, I'll take psyllium. Hopefully, I can switch to all psyllium soon.
~serena
Homeopathy hadn't even occured to me for this. Interestingly enough, I have all the tissue salts and I usually use them for anything and everything. I guess when a person's in pain, straight thinking is almost impossible.
I'm happy that you're sharing all this information with me. This is exactly the reason why I read boards like this one. The combined wisdom of a group of people is great!
I've already taken 2/3 of the dose of calc/mag and it seems that I'm feeling better. I'll keep taking it regularly and take my doze of psyllium again tonight. I took Citrucel this morning to boost my fiber intake, but instead of the evening citrucel dose, I'll take psyllium. Hopefully, I can switch to all psyllium soon.
~serena