I went to the doctor for a physical, mainly concerning my stomach... and all my tests come back normal, eliminating everything except IBS (which he figured it was anyway). He didn't give me any medication, but a pamphlet with a few things I can do to help it (exercise, don't drink too much, etc.) most of it I'm already doing. Does anyone have any tips? I heard about acidopholus... is that any good? I also remembering seeing a commercial for an OTC medicine that makes your bathroom visits "regular", is that used for IBS? Also does anyone else have the problem of always having to go within a half hour of eating a meal? Thanks.

My doctor has told me to take metamucil twice a day. Start with a small dose, like 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mixed with a glass of water, and work up to the 1 tablespoon it says on the package. Also drink lots of water.

Also, I don't know if your problem is diarrhea like mine, but I've been trying a diet I found on line. It's very boring, but I'm hoping it will work. Today is the third day. It's white bread, white rice, plain oatmeal, plain pasta, dry cereal such as cheerios, and plain potatoes without the peal. No coffee, dairy, meat, fat, veggies, fruit....nothing like that. This is a temporary diet, only to be used a few days to get it under control. The you start adding things. I just started, so I can't say if it really works well or not.

I am also taking acidophulus/bifidus capsles.

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My doctor has told me to take metamucil twice a day. Start with a small dose, like 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mixed with a glass of water, and work up to the 1 tablespoon it says on the package. Also drink lots of water.

Also, I don't know if your problem is diarrhea like mine, but I've been trying a diet I found on line. It's very boring, but I'm hoping it will work. Today is the third day. It's white bread, white rice, plain oatmeal, plain pasta, dry cereal such as cheerios, and plain potatoes without the peal. No coffee, dairy, meat, fat, veggies, fruit....nothing like that. This is a temporary diet, only to be used a few days to get it under control. The you start adding things. I just started, so I can't say if it really works well or not.

I am also taking acidophulus/bifidus capsles.

Hey thanks for the advice... I'll try the metamucil. I've heard great things about acidopholus and have had people recommend it before. As for the diet, I can't really stop eating things. I'm underweight right now, and it's always been so hard for me to gain weight. I'm gonna start cutting out dairy (besides cheese) and caffeine (besides chocolate) out though, so hopefully that'll do some help.

Drink lots of water. Lots! If you force yourself to drink lots for a few days your body will learn to crave it more, which is a huge help. The bowel needs lots of water to work properly. When it doesn't get enough that will most often result in the big "D".

You might want to avoid citrus (especially oranges) for a while. That can be a major irritant. And yes, cutting out dairy and caffeine can help, so it's worth a shot.