The fiber that works for diarrhea as well as constipation is psyllium seed husk that is in Metamucil. I don't know if Citrucel works as a bulking agent for diarrhea-- I have never used it.
But, the recommened dose is usually all you need.
A person needs 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily for their intestines to function properly and it should be balanced between soluble and insoluble fiber!!
I am having intestinal pains off and on as we speak. What do you take for that? When the pains come on, oh boy...LOOK out! It feels like labor pains! Can this be caused by over eating? I thought it was due to eating good and then eating a hambugar and greasy fries because it came on shortly after that. Is Mylanta good for it or Nexium?
Believe it or not I am having very good luck using Digestive Advantage for IBS plus Citrucel. The best part is the product is an OTC drug. It's wonderful and it I have not had any problems since I started this combination.
I hear about all these people taking Fiber pills and stuff but cant i just eat more fruits and vegetables and that be just as good?
b/c some ppl need more fruits/veggies/whole wheat than they can poss. eat -- esp. insoluble fibre... you're on the right track tho -- ppl should eat more fruits/veggies/whole wheat ...
A person needs 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily for their intestines to function properly and it needs to be divided between soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber bulks up your stool with fluid and sorta cleans out your colon. and insoluble causes you to have stools but thinner. Fiber is in all grains, fruit and veggies.
There is no fiber in all meat, seafood or dairy products. Also these days with all the process foods available most fiber is just not there--
It is a good idea to make sure you get enough water soluble fiber daily like psyllium -- it makes you regular w/o straining.
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Last edited by moderator4; 12-19-2007 at 10:21 PM.
Hi Harry, I joined HealthBoards to find support for my husband's lung cancer and now find myself looking at other issues. IBS affects me directly. I was first diagnosed with it back in 1986 when I was 27- IBS was practically unheard of. The last 18 yrs of dealing with it and learning what works and what doesn't. I don't know if this will help people, but this has been my experince. Avoid: Gas-producing foods: (ie: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage). Fruit preservatives. I found out that in trying to eat right at buffets, I ate canteloupe, watermelon, pineapple and they regularly doused the fruit with preservatives to keep them fresh for hours. MSG - I am a huge fan of oriental cuisine, but found out to my dismay that MSG or other flavor enhancers are used widely. That explained why typically I had uncontrollable diarhhea and colon cramps about 1 hour after eating at my favorite Chinese buffet. Alcohol-I didn't believe this but it took me several years to figure it out. I was not a beer drinker, but loved wine. I have since stopped drinking all together. Made a BIG difference. Greasy foods. I thought spicy foods would affect me, but I can eat really hot foods and be OK, but eat a piece of fried chicken and be in big trouble. Drastic changes in temperature (especially in the summer going from outdoor hot and humid to cold, air-conditioned interior). Letting yourself get dehydrated. Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day is a must. I tended to get so busy that I would forget to replenish my fluids during the day. The doctor told me that when the body starts running low on fluids, it starts taking it back from two main sources - colon, and sinuses. I have always had problems with both. restrictive clothing. Extra-tight pants/jean, pantyhose, girdles, etc. Go for comfort and allow yourself just a little bit of breathing room, just in case you encounter one of those sudden bouts of unexpected IB.
I hope some of these tips prove helpful for someone else. In the meantime, good luck in your effort to provide resources to many.
Hi, Harry, great information as usual. May I add that with the new yogurts, you can now get probiotic bifidus in yogurt? Activia & Yoplait are the two I have found that offer bifidus altho I have not been able to find Activia in low fat as yet, perhaps it is in bigger centers. I just want to say also, because of your help I can eat almost all dairy without symptoms. Thanks so much!!!! Restaurants and parties are no longer scary!
I've read about a product called Life Start. It's made by Natren. I use some of their other products. It's a probiotic that is suppose to help those with IBS. I read about it in the Journal of Essential Vitality.
Hi... I suffered with IBS most of my life and for the last three years also an incredible rash that I knew was due to some food???. I recently cut out all artificial sweetners, (the rash is totally gone) limit my sugar to two teaspoons a day, and also went semi-vegetarian (fish only now and lots and lots of veggies (minus broccoli,) and now eating lots of of whole grains and whole rice) and for over two months now I have not had even one single bout of IBS. My stomach is flat for the first time since I can remember and life is wonderful and I will never go back. This is how it was always meant to be!!
If you have had enough tests to finanace Harvard medical school and all you get back is hummm try this try that and come back in six months Try this go get your para thyroid hormone bal checked. It ranks right be hind diabetes and causes all kind of stomach pai n constipation lethergy and personality changes and oh! majior bone loss. It can not be cured ecept by surgery. It will take a endochronolist forget primary care givers. If you do not have it you will still be paddling up the same ole creek but if you do ,YOUR CURED. PS I have suffered from everything I have read on this forum seen more spec DOCs than I can count. Finally decided the only cure was to get totaly wasted and clean a loaded gun maybe two. But during all this incredibily priced medical testing they, who ever they are discovered I had a 30 percent bone loss.Ok 4 parshally blocked arterys two leaky heart vavles, arrithmyia, no gall bladder two head on collisions three bullet holes one in chest and one in groin one in arm and one still in spine, a fall off a two story building, a gasoline fire gallon of gas in face and ignighted. One sliced off ear from a fall over foot stool in my house. I can live with all this but not a 30 percent bone loss which I was told was exremely dangerous. And that is how I found out about hyperprarthyroidism, which since then I have Found Out most docs overlook it. So there you have it its now up to you, Good luck and good night.
Last edited by harry reeves; 08-27-2006 at 09:37 PM.
This is a great information and help board for all of us who have IBS. I suffered my whole life with this.
When I found out I was diabetic and changed my diet to no whites, my IBS got a lot better also. My Doc told me also to use Fiber tablets. He said it worked but had to drink lots of water with it. It does work and helps bind when you are consistant with it.
I do have flare ups every now and then and the only thing I have found is as someone mentioned to go to baked chicken, no skin and I eat some brown rice (not white for me) and after a few days my system comes back around to normal. And slowly I add other things and with any luck I am ok.
I have read a few new things to try which I am going to do and I thank you for your help and Harry thank you for starting this!
Hi I have suffered with IBS for the last 15 years which has caused other problems for me i think it is great i found worth reading for I BS ers to know other people understand what we are going through is a God send
I have had IBS for nearly 4 years, and I cannot work because of it. I have had the usual tests (barium enema, full blood tests, endoscopy, bowel biopsy, etc) but all have been negative, so IBS has been diagnosed. I alternate between constipation and diarrhoea regularly. I have tried diets (the elimination diet made me worse!) but find that what upsets me one day can be tolerated on another. I have tried changing my lifestyle but nothing seems to work. I am currently on amitriptylene 25mg, citalopram 60mg, and codeine 2X 30 mg, but it is all very hit and miss. My GP is great, but the hospital gastroenterologist is useless - so is the 'second opinion' at another hospital.
This site is great to know that I'm not alone
Ive had IBS for 3 and a bit years now, and it has changed my life around something chronic!
Its so hard to know how to cope with it, and what to do to help, especially as no-one seems to know much about it, or have any quick fix solutions.
Ive been on a ridiculous amount of medication over the last few years, so much so, that the dr has said there is 1 more thing i havent tried, and then i have been given everything possible to try and help. Which leaves me feeling quite upset, as this last thing is an anti depressant, i am only 22 and the thought of having to be on those for possibly the rest of my life, scares me.
I do feel a bit selfish thinking like that, as if it may help then it could be worth it, but the thought of being depedent on anti depressants to help me, is a difficult decision to make. I have had endless blood tests, scans, and scares about it being an appendicitus, gaul stones, ovary problems etc etc, but nothing comes back as positive. it always comes back as "normal" but it doesnt feel like everything is normal!
I suffer really bad back pains too, which i just cannot seem to shift. I cant take anything to help, paracetamol/ibuprofen etc doesnt do anything for me, and it just seems like a never ending thing! I think people who dont have it, can find it hard to understand just how frustrating and upsetting it is to have to live with this condition, and i also know people who do have it get it in different strenghts too. I just wish there was something which would help the pains in my stomach and back, and to stop the constipation i am constantly having. Its so hard to live with. Just thankful iv found this forum!
Hi--cheekymunkey,
I feel your pain, I have been chronically constipated since I was an infant. I got to the point where I was maybe going once or not at all in a two week period. I had a lot of back pain and sciatica.
There are so many things that can cause constipation. What is your diet like? Is it a lot of carbs/sugar? Are you exercising?
Systemic candida/yeast can also back you up, as can a mineral deficiency or drinking a lot of distilled water. There are some mineral products, like Mineral Rich by Optimum Health, which may really help you go
gentille57
Last edited by gentille57; 12-28-2008 at 07:26 AM.
I have had what I believe is IBS for about five years now. For the first time my new doctor wants to start all those lovely tests. IM just wondering if all the pain and $ is worth it. I have had a couple other doctors before, who pretty much tell me to just watch my diet. Though as you and many know, on some days that wont matter. Stress has been a key trigger for me.
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