new and confused
#43696 - 02/08/04 03:00 AM
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Sarah H
Reged: 02/08/04
Posts: 8
Loc: Bristol, England
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Hello!
I'm new so I thought I'd say hello, as this seems like such a friendly, supportive place. Also I have some questions I hope someone can help me with!
Anyways, I'm 18 and have really been struggling with my IBS the last few months, so much so that it was making me VERY depressed, especially as I'm trying to get a job at the moment and supposed to be moving away to start university next September, and had no idea how I would be able to manage either in such a state. BUT, then I found this website and starting following some of the advice, and my symptoms totally cleared up! Things had been really bad in the mornings especially, I would have an upset tummy everyday, but since I switched from my breakfast of wholewheat (and seeded!) toast and apple juice to white toast and water, this got MUCH better. I realised my diet was very high in insoluble fibre, since I'm a vegan, and eat lots of beans, pulses, wholegrains, veggies and so on. I've been eating lots more soluble fibre (white rice, pasta, white bread, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lentil soup etc.) and have been feeling a lot better and healthier. I was starting to feel so sickly before! I had lost quite a bit of weight but since I changed my diet I have put some back on, and am managing to maintain a healthy weight at the moment. So thankyou so much to this helpful website for all those things!
The only thing is, I had been taking slippery elm supplements which I think may also have been contributing to the improvement, but these are really expensive so I switched to psyllium husk powder (the only soluble fibre supplement I could find in the UK). I have taken this twice (small 1/2 tsp. doses), and the IBS flared up again, only more C and gas this time. Anyway, I'm a bit confused, as I've only taken this twice should I stop or should I perservere for a week or two and see if things settle down? Did this happen to anyone else?
I could really use some reassurance that things will settle down again, I had been feeling SO depressed before and the weeks without symptoms were bliss! For a while I felt like I had my life back again and I really want it to stay that way.
Sorry for this being such a long post, thanks for reading it 
Sarah x
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Hi Sarah,
Glad to hear your doing better I would give the fiber supplement some time. I think that kind is a little harder on the stomach. Do a search on psyllium. I take Heathers Acacia. You can order that here on this web site. A lot of us here take it and do really well with it. If its not easy for you to order that I would keep on trying what you have. Do small dose's. It takes time. But you will feel better. I would really recmmend the Acacia because you get more fiber per dose, and it's easy on the tummy.
Good luck
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I agree with Steph. The Acacia is great because no side affects like you get with psyllium. So glad to hear how you are feeling better so far with just the diet change.
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Hi sarah, I to am very new to this sight and the Dx of IBS, but I am much older than you. I feel very badly that someone so young has to have this but you seem very smart that you looked for help so quickly. I personally cannot handle any psyllium. Since reading Heathers books I switched to Citracel first then I bought her fiber. No gas or bloat from either. Try one of them rather than psyllium of any kind, its rather brutal on the bowel!!! Good Luck
Carol 
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Welcome, Sarah!
#43717 - 02/08/04 08:49 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Do a search for psyllium; there have been a lot of posts about it. Here's one from Heather: psyllium
Good news about your improvement after you found the boards. It's a great place for support. I too got a lot better. Like you, I noticed a big change when I switched fiber supplements. It took me awhile to get used to the acacia after having taken Citrucel (and then I began increasing my dosage too soon); once I cut back a little, I was just fine.
I hope you get the psyllium under control soon.
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Hi and welcome! Unfortunately, psyllium fibre is not our friend. It causes gas and cramping and bloating in most folks. You need a fibre supplement that does not have it in it, and I know you're in the UK and that could be aproblem. There's lots of UK people on this board, just do a board search for them, they may be able to help you.
I would stop taking the psyllium altogether and see if you feel better. No sense taking it if it's only making things worse.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Hi, Sarah and welcome!
Thought I'd give you another perspective. I take psyllium (Metamucil) and I'm fine with it even though I used to have problems with bloating and gas. The way I did it was work up VERY slowly, much slower even that Heather suggests on her web page. I started with 1/4 teaspoon per day, then waited a few days and took some more, then gradually increased to 1/4t every day, then gradually increased to 1t per day, then gradually increased to the full recommend dose of 1t 3times per day.
Worked for me! Now I love it and would inflict severe bodily harm on anyone who tried to take it away from me!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanks so much to everyone for all your help!
LauraSue - I'm glad to hear psyllium worked for you! I think I'll carry on with it for a week, I took some more today and (so far!) it has been fine, I also came off my anti-spasmodic medication this week so maybe my body just needs a little time to adjust. If that doesn't work then I'll consider the acacia - from what I can see, shipping it over from the US would only be very slightly more expensive than buying the psyllium in my local health-food shop! It certainly sounds like people have a lot fewer problems with it so it would probably be worth a try.
Anyway, thanks to everyone again, just finding these boards has made me feel so much less worried and stressed, just knowing that I'm not alone. Take care everybody!
Sarah x
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Hello Sarah H welcome do hope you get some help from our board.you girls are all so young.an still going to school.
take care an good luck.read every thing.Gerry10 
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Neta G.Yale
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