I'm not getting this whole equalactin thing.. (maybe i'm just blonde?!?)
#91960 - 07/20/04 08:38 PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
ok so equalactin..
YAY YIPPPPPPPPPEEE EVERYONE LOVES IT! I too had success with it the first few times I tried it..
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT
lately, despite following the diet.. taking 2tbsps of acacia daily among other things I've had some MAJOR ATTACKS of D. Definitly not as many as I used to have (which doens't say much, considering I STILL have not had one single normal BM since I was 16 years old. since the diet acacia etc, I've started out with a normal one, which turns to D before my butt leaves the toilet.. such a tease.) .. BUT REALLY BAD ONES.. actually the past two attacks I've had have left me crying, feeling naseuous, feeling like I was gonna die etc. Very strange, because even when I was going 7 times a day.. they never hurt like this.
Anyways, the last two times this happened (tonight and last week) I took equalactin after two trips to the bathroom, and they didn't help AT ALL. NONE. NOTHING. NADA.
I had to go to worka and to CVS, so I popped an equalactin tonight.. and ended up hauling booty across the parking lot to micheals.. which luckily had a bathroom. ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. this sucks.
How exactly is equalactin supposed to work? I've be avoiding using immodium.. it used to work wonders but lately makes me feel like i'm dying everytime I take it.. trapped gas (which is never a problem when I don't take immodium), and I feel like i'm having a heart attack so I avoid it.
HELP PLEASE?!?
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Spicey,
We can't get equalactin here, so can't comment about that. But the sol fibre - have you worked up to the 2 tablespoons of acacia - maybe you are taking too much for your system?
I actually can't take acacia - my body doesn't like it and I get d. Strangely the fibre that suits me best is psyllium - the natural stuff, not Metamucil. (I'm not suggesting you try this, just give the whole sol fibre some thought.)
For diahorea, I take Slippery Elm - 1 teaspoon in a glass of water, followed by another 2 glasses, usually does the trick for me and seems to work far better (for me) than Immodium.
Hope this helps, or at least gives you something to think about. I know those attacks. You start groaning with pain and urgency! Not pretty.
Hope you find relief soon.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
The equalactin is more like a soluble fiber supplement. It's definitely not an anti-diarrhea medication of any kind.
I'm not sure what else to suggest otherwise. Have you tried other anti-diarrhea meds? Pepto? Kaopectate? Also, it really might be that the acacia doesn't agree with you, like bevp suggested.
Poor thing. I hope you feel better soon. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Ashley honey, do a search and read what Bev has to say about sf. she was on benefiber and realized she was taking too much of it. I have read that not everyone is suited for every sf. right now, I am not taking anything, becauseof the confusion of it all.
Aren't you suppossed to be painting your apartment this week? How is that going? Hope you feel better soon honey!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hey Casey..
I have tired pepto.. but I'm basically immune to the stuff, and now have to take at least three at a time to even get them to work for an hour. ugh.
As for the acacia, I just don't know.. I started on fibercon.. which didnt' make too much of a difference, and switched to acacia.
I started at one tsp, then 1 and a 1/2, then 2 and so on. It has taken me about 2 months to get to 1tbsp twice daily. It never really made a difference. I keep waiting for when one day a dose will miraculously work. ugh. But I don't know that I'm really taking too much, beacuse I didn't notice any difference when I was taking less of the stuff.
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks for the reply Gayla,
I'm not sure what to do. Have you ever taken a SFS?
This whole thing is so frustrating.
Anyways, I actually don't go up to paint the condo until next weekend, right after the closing. But i'm excited to see purple soon. haha.
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Hmm...
#92032 - 07/21/04 07:04 AM
|
|
|
|
|
atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
|
|
|
I'm not even remotely stable yet, but it seems to me that 2 tbsp of acacia a day would be doing something positive, at least a little. Like... I'm taking FiberChoice, and I still have D, but now that I've worked up to 6g/day, it's nowhere near as severe or as frequent as it used to be. Huh. I'm really not sure. I'm assuming you've ruled out everything like trigger foods (not cheating on the diet, are ya? LOL) and stress and stuff like that?
Personally, I won't touch pepto with a 10-foot pole. It actually makes me feel worse. But I figured I'd suggest it anyway. 
I hope someone else comes along with some better suggestions for ya... I'm sorry you're still feeling so crappy. I know how frustrating it is.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Actually, I do not like Benefiber, it made me feel more constipated than I was before I took it.
Konsyl works great for me, it tastes terrible, the texture is only decent when mixed with warm liquid, and you better drink it down fast because it thickens quickly.
An extra large glass of water has to follow.
Good luck honey, do a search and you can read what every one else is taking and its effects.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Or maybe the problem is the opposite of what Bev suggests. Maybe you should work up to 3 T of acacia. That's what I do, and it completely works, though all those other fiber supplements (esp Metamucil) give me huge problems. (And make me feel like barfing.) Have you ruled out ulcerative colitis with the doctor?
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
were you a "D" to start off with?!?!
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
Sorry you are having a rough time.
I don't take any SFS and I am doing fine. Maybe try to cut way down on it and see what happens. You know trial and error is part of the game.
Everybody is different and that is just me. I have never tried equalactin. Anyway, if the Immodium bothers you (BTW there is an Immodium for D and gas now), try the keopectate tablets and phazyme for the gas or pepto bismol. Also, maybe go on the safe foods diet for a while.
Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Barbie
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Dear Ashley,
I haven't tried Equalactin yet, but am also on 2 tbs. of acacia/day. I think it has helped, but I haven't noticed any fantastic results yet either. I had been up to almost 3 tbs/day, but it seemed like I was having even more attacks, so I dropped back down to 2. I don't know I may drop down even more and maybe eventually go back to another kind of SFS. It's just that acacia has been so highly recommended on this website and I was so hoping it would work.
I also wanted to ask you just how strict you are with your diet. I think that could be some of my problems. I don't adhere strictly to the diet. I don't know about you, but sometimes I can eat something and it won't bother me,and then the next week, I have it and bam! I have an attack the next morning. It's very exasperating isn't it. Good luck to you and if it's any consolation, you are not along in this thing.
Janene
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
Thanks for the reply... I have no clue what I'm going to do about the whole fiber situation.. its a huge pain in the butt if you ask me considering it doesn't help in the least, but i'll keep on trying with it. i'd rather not have to switch kinds again.. so hopefully between 2tsps and 3 I'll find my magic dose. (which doesn't seem likely considering i'm still not 100% sold that SFS help with D.)
As for the diet, I am pretty strict about it. More so before than now. I tried being really really strict and still had D all the time.. so easing up a little hasn't made it any worse for me, and I figure why limit my diet and everything over something that isn't even helping. I still have an occassional coke, cheese or french fries, but I do stay away from creamy stuff, milk, fried foods, red meat, ground beef, coffee, chocolate, butter, yougurt almost 100% of the time.
Plus I totally hear where you are coming from about the whole food problems.. one week i'll handle something like a pro.. and the next time I have it it sends me to the toilet. ughhhhhhhh... I keep a food diary too but i haven't been able to notice any correlations as of yet, or pinpoint any one thing affecting me. Basically everyday I either dont go the to bathroom or I have diarrhea, so that would mean virutally everything I eat, even the so called "safe" foods are a trigger?!? yikes. who knows?!?
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Ashley
#92298 - 07/22/04 11:09 AM
|
|
|
|
jeenerz
Reged: 07/10/04
Posts: 212
Loc: Northwest Montana
|
|
|
You sound like me. I have tried eleminating certain things from my diet (ie all dairy for about 2 weeks), but it didn't seem to make alot of difference, so I went back to my staple of yogurt and a banana every day. In fact, after I've had an attack, yogurt seems to calm my tummy. And as far as going back and forth between C & D, I have that too. Like Tues, I had a terrible attack and had to take 3 immodium and 2 levsin to stop it. Well, It's Thurs. and I still haven't gone to the bathroom yet--feel constipated, but........so I'm suspecting that tomorrow am I'll get another attack of D again. It is very frustrating. My son said to me the other day, "Mom, why do you watch what you eat so carefully if you still have problems. I'd eat whatever you want to--you'll feel crappy either way  Well, I won't take his advice, because I do know I have trigger foods that definitely make it worse, but I'll tell ya, it sure makes you feel like it sometimes. In fact, If I could get stabilized where I wouldn't have to worry every morning when I get up if an attack is going to hit, I would be much more prone to stick to what works. I'm just trying to find it...good luck as we search together....have a good one
Janene
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Fibercon and Equalactin
information.
http://www.gicare.com/pated/polycarbophil.htm
This is not really working on the underlying disorder, more a matinence supplement.
I would read this also.
Keep following the next section at the bottom.
It also has a lot of graphs
http://www.hopkins-gi.org/pages/latin/templates/index.cfm?pg=disease1&organ=6&disease=43&lang_id=1
--------------------
My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I totally agree with you! I feel exactly the same way with you about everything..
Friends and family always question me as well.. its not that they are being unsupportive, but they see me altering my life so much with supplements, diets, and fiber, having to make special meals for me when basically, they don't help at all as of yet.
but I keep on trying.. I agree with you.. if I found something that works then I'd feel much better about everything. I obviously know not to eat cheeseburgers every day and fettucine alfredo.. but the rest of it is confusing.
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
check here SFS
All SFS work the same way, and they work for diarrhea as well as constipation. Equalactin, Benefiber, Acacia, Citrucel, Konsyl, Fibercon, etc. are all just different types of SFS. What one works best for you can take some trial and error. The general rule for diarrhea is that if you're up to 12-15 grams of an SFS daily and you still have diarrhea, this points to something other than IBS.
SFS are NOT anti-diarrheal medications like Immodium. They're just soluble fiber, that's it.
- H
--------------------
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!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I was just reading your original post and you mentioned about having so much more pain/cramps than you have had in the past and I just wonder if you're taking too much acacia. How fast have you been increasing your amounts? I was doing 1/2tsp per week, but like I said earlier, I'm dropped back to 5tsp/day and will stay there for awhile before I try increasing again. One other question for you; you had said tht Immodium used to really help you. Did you find that if you took it to stop a D attack that the next day you had problems with constipation? That seems to be what I'm experiencing. It will stop the D attack, but then stops me up the next day. I'm also taking Librax, but am not super impressed with it either. So the saga continues...hang in there
Janene 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks for the info.. I am actually only up to 1tbsp twice daily.. do you think I should just keep on working up to a higher dosage?!
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
thanks for your thoughts.. however, I've been increasing by the 1/2tsp.. and its taken me almost three months now to get up to 1tbsp.. so I def don't think that i'm going and moving too fast.
As for immodium.. it still stops the diarrhea, but the next day i'm gassy, and bloated and sometimes I get trapped gas that makes my heart area hurt.. and then the results in D a few days later. oy.
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
You might add in another 1 tbsp dose at a third and separate time of day.
Also - are you watching the insoluble fiber and fat intake right now? That could trip you up...
- H
--------------------
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!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
some more fiber info just fyi, I know heather knows a ton about fiber. 
Dr Salt is an expert on IBS and wrote a good book.
The mind body spirit connection and IBS.
http://66.218.71.225/search/cache?p=fiber+and+parkview&ei=UTF-8&cop=mss&u=www.parkviewpub.com/fiber.html&w=fiber+parkview&d=A85C79F2DD&icp=1
--------------------
My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
