gas with psyllium, does it every go away? - Bowel Disorders Message Board

quietly_serene · 12-30-2003, 10:33 AM

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

quincy · 12-30-2003, 12:49 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

isolated one · 12-30-2003, 08:22 PM

I also had major gas the first couple of weeks but the benefits were worth putting up with that uncomfortable period.

Belle2003 · 12-30-2003, 09:07 PM

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 · 12-30-2003, 10:22 PM

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:

[url]http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/gas.html[/url]

God Bless---Harry