My troubles started around 30 plus years ago. I would first have a normal movement, then a urgent one and then diarrhea, all within 30 minutes or so. Had a colonoscopy and everything was normal. The following year I went back to my gastroenterolist and he suggested that I try cholestyramine and metamucil and play around with dosages. Everything was fine until around 4 years ago. I thought I was o.k. and went off the medicine. Biggest mistake. I then started to have bowel movements every 15 minutes or so until 2-3 hours were up. No diarrhea any more. I went to our University Hospital and through the clinic and the doctor said I was only his 2nd patient that he could not help. I have been told I do not have IBS, etc. I had a HIDA scan. Have taken foods out of my diet like milk, wheat and no better. Tried acupuncture. I went back on cholestyramine (1/4 amt. twice a day. If I use more I get constipated) and am using Berry Burst Metamucil - 1 scoop once daily. I still have up to 8 movements a day so you can see that what worked for me once does not work now. It is hard to do any traveling, etc. I have not had a food allergy test or an enscopy yet. I think my 4th colonscopy will be due this year or next.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me to try?

Sometimes diet can cause your friendly bacteria to get out of balance causing diarrhea. Not only diet but cholrine in water, and too much salty or sugary or spicy food can result in an unbalanced friendly bacteria. Medication and antibiotics can upset your gastro tract.

Taking probiotic supplements, eating yogurt and Kefir can help to rebalance your GI system.

I like and use Stonyfield Farm yogurt -- it contains 6 active friendly cultures --PB-8, Primal Defense, Culturelle, Bifidus, Reuteri probiotics may help.

I wish you well---Harry

Is one carton of yogurt enough for a day? I have never heard of Kefir. What is it? Probiotic supplements are what? Thanks.

I think eating an 8 ounce carton of yogurt daily is OK. With your condition I suggest you eat it 4 time daily to spread it out the during the day. This will help--- the object is to re-establish your intestines with friendly bacteria by flooding it with the good stuff that has many cultures. Read the yogurt label for the type active culture strains.

Kefir is similar to yogurt --that is -- it is a cultured dairy product that can trace it's history back more than 2000 years. It is cultured with kefir grains and not other kefir like yogurt is cultured. It contains many live active cultures strains and has the consistancy of buttermilk and is refrigerated.
The brand that I use is LIfeway and I buy at grocery stores but I use to buy it from health food stores.
I have cultured it myself with milk & using some kefir grains that were given me. The grains look similar to pieces of cauliflower.

Probiotics supplements are the friendly bacteria that is contained mostly in capsules and usually do not contain dairy products that some people are allerigic and have sensitivities.

Your intestines contain 400+ strains of bacteria that can readily get out of balance. There have only been about 90 bacteria strains that have been identified and named. Some are required for digestion and do their job and pass through your intestines while others are permanent residents and re-colonize your intestinal walls.
Some people are so sensitive that 1 round of an antibiotics and it puts their friendly bacteria in their intestines out of balance resulting in diarrhea and/or constipation.

Doctors generally have no way of testing your intestines to see what bacteria strains or cultures need help--- except by symptoms. Yeast / candida infections are more common than most believe. Treatment is another problem??

The probiotic supplements that I named in my other post --- I have used with good results. There are many others on the market.

Most supplements are damaged/ destroyed by heat and stomach acids so they need to be refrigerated and some are enteric coated so they are not affected by stomach acids.

I wish you well---Harry

I know you've had a lot of testing done but did they ever test you for Celiac disease? Did you just take wheat out of your diet, or did you go on a Gluten Free diet?

Harry, Thanks for your help. Since we live some distance from a "large" town, it took me until last week to finally find the kefir. I started a Super prebiotic around 3 weeks ago, then the yogurt and then the kefir. My next question is around how long will it be before I see results (or should I have seen results already?) and will I have to take the above all the time?
Also to another reply, I do not have celiac.

Everyone is so different and the active probiotic culture strains that they need will probably be very different. So, it is very difficult to say how long it will take to see a positive affect.
I dislike being so vague but that has been how I have found it.-- All probiotic supplements are not equal to everyone and I have found that you just have to be proactive - study about the various types available and use the shot gun approach.

Some cultures are needed by us all but in different amounts. I have found that Culturelle takes about a month-- taking 2 daily to see a re=colonizing affect.
The fastest one I have used and could really tell a difference in 30 minutes is L. reuteri that at one time Wal Mart use to sell it but it is now sold by Nature's Sunshine and Nature's Way. It kills on contact some bad bacteria strains and is in mother's milk for the immune system of new borns.

You should be seelng some affect by now??

I wish you well---Harry

In response to my original post early this year, I am going to give you an update on my progress. I started slow finding some of the products that Harry mentioned. My first was Pro-Biotics - 2 a day; then I found Stonyfield Farm Yogurt and Kefir. Also read where 3 cups water and 1/2 cup brown rice boiled for 45 minutes helped the bowel so added that to the kefir. I also started to take the Benefiber in a caplet form - 1 per day and still take the Questran. I was having fairly good days; then a couple of bad days. Last week I found Curturelle and take 1 per day and have been having more good days than bad. After around 4 months I feel like I have a life again.
My next question: I wonder if I will have to continue the above for the rest of my life or will the bowel eventually get better?
thanks...

needin help,
Welcome Back!!

There are probiotics that help digestion and pass through your intestinines but others like Culturelle that stick and reside in your intestines. Once you re-establish friend bacteria balance you can stop using them.
A big problem with a lot of folks is their poor eating habits cause the friendly bacteria to get out of balance again -- like too much sugar or salty food in their diet. Also, antibiotics will mess up the bacteria balance.

I wish you well---Harry