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Hi Tonnie,
I hate the stuff. It's horrible! YUK!
I'm a "D" also, and I used to take Heather's fennel tea every morning. ICK! (Sorry Heather.) HOWEVER, as much as I hated it, it never caused my "D" to get any worse.
You're doin' it right, keep it up. If the peppermint caps don't cause you any indigestion, as they did me, they might just work as a better antispasm med than Donnatal!
I suggest checking out "Equalactin." If you're not familiar with it, you can do a search here; we've discussed it a LOT. It's an over-the-counter SFS that works REAL well to calm down the tummy (unless the cramps are really severe); it actually works more like an antispasm med than a SFS. Don't be put off by the fact that it's for "C", because it works for both "C" and "D" (unless you take too many). It's a delicious-tasting chewable tablet that I take whenever I'm on the road and my tummy feels "iffy." It calms it down almost immediately. I also take it whenever I go out to a restaurant, before my meal, or to a friend's house whose meal I might question. You may have to ask your pharmacist to order it for you; none of the drug stores around here carry it, but the druggist always orders it for me. Alternatively, you can order it online. I believe it's about $7 a box (and a box lasts a long time).
Your doc must have a good reason for not wanting you back on the Lotronex. Have you approached him on other meds? I'm sure he wouldn't want you on Donnatal, unfortunately, but what about IB-Stat? It's supposed to work like Donnatal but without the phenobarbital, so I'd be willing to bet the doc would be receptive to it. Give it a try.
Also, do you like Ginger? You might try to find Ginger Altoids. They're really hard to find (Barbie got them for me online), but they're really yummy, and ginger is sooooo calming on the tummy. I also drink lots of Stash brand lemon ginger tea; it's really good! Hubby's hooked on it too.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Don't give up on CB--I eat there about once a month--they are always more than happy to allow me to custom order--just this morning I got the french toast, it is made with sour dough bread, but I asked them if they could use egg beaters instead of the regular egg mixture that they dip it in, and leave off the scoop of butter. In addition to egg beaters and SD bread, they also have fresh bananas. I have really eaten much there lately except breakfast, but I am sure they can work with you, as they do for me! They also have oatmeal, and, while not one of my favorites, there are always grits, which my husband says are among the best he has ever had. And, they serve breakfast all day long....
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Beth
IBS-D, IBD, Pain
Working toward stability
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Don't the crusts of pizza have dairy in them?
I was at the store, pondering buying pizza crust, only to see it contained dairy, doh!
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IBS-C and Bloating
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I just tried to key the chart so that every single product wasn't aimed at every single symptom, even though in a lot of cases that's actually correct. Fennel is probably best for bloating, which seems to go hand in hand with constipation much more than diarrhea. But, fennel is also an anti-spasmodic, so it can help diarrhea as well.
I don't carry anything that would help one IBS symptom while worsening another. Interestingly, most safe natural products are unlikely to do that - it's more with pharmaceutical drugs that you'll get relief from one symptom at the risk of exacerbating another.
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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that's what will really control your D. The fennel will not hurt - it can't exacerbate diarrhea, and can only help. But, it son't do what a soluble fiber supplement can. We've had several people come off of Lotronex and go on Acacia and that kept their diarrhea at bay. I'd definitely try that - keep up the peppermint and dietary changes as well, and the fennel if you like it.
Acacia info is here http://www.helpforibs.com/shop/suplmts/acacia.asp
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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For restaurant pizza info, check out the link I give in my earlier post in this thread.
For store bought pizza crust, I use Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust - no dairy or any other trigger or irritants, only 12.5% of calories from fat.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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I was dx with IBS-D eight years ago. I started out taking Lotronex and Immodium, then went to Levbid and Immodium, but having 'hot flash' type symptoms and seriously dry mouth / conjunctiva issues made me quit. I have gone several months wihtout prescription or OTC meds, and it has gotten so that even if I am very careful with the supplements / diet, I can't remember what it is like to NOT have D daily. It's better since my hysto last fall, and luckily, with everything I've learned from heather's books, it is not painful, and very rarely do I have the gas / bloating I was getting while on the scrip meds, but still, that insecurity about where the closest bathroom is can be SO frustrating. I'm thinking maybe I should increase my soluble fiber in the a.m. and p.m.? Also, do you think this would help with my complete inability to exercise (even walking)without setting off a two day attack?
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Beth
IBS - D
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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1 glass of it mixed per directions every morning. metamucil. tried Benefiber, but hated it.
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Beth
IBS - D
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