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crohn's and questran dosage

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 5/7/2008 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
I just started taking questran, 1/2 packet in the morning and 1/2 in the evening.  Diarrhea stopped immediately and now I'm getting constipated.  Has anybody had a bad experience with regurgitating after  using this medication?  This happened to me without warning and I actually started to choke on it, couldn't breathe at all, and got scared to death!  I'm wondering if I am taking too much?  Or if I should have taken it with OJ - I took it with cranberry juice.  I've had Crohn's for 15 years and had a re-section 15 years ago.  Never been on any meds at all but diarrhea was getting out of hand.  I would appreciate reactions to Questran from any Crohn's sufferers.  Oh, I don't have my gallbladder either!  Thanks.
Posted 5/7/2008 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi mando,
I've taken Questran for many years and I learned that I didn't need the amount that's prescribed to control diarrhea. I started reducing the dose until I found the smallest dose that works best for me. Please check with your doctor if you decide to try this.
I don't think it matters which liquid you take with it as long as it's thoroughly dissolved in the recommended amout of liquid----that sand can make you gag. It's happened to me also.
Good luck.
Posted 5/7/2008 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
I have Questran, but I don't take it because of the side effects it gives me.  But, you can play with the dose to find the right one for you.  I have found that as little as 1/2 a teaspoon will help control the D without too much ill effect.  Cramping, bloating....  I tend to only take it when I have to be some place where there is limited bathroom facilities or if I will be traveling.  It shouldn't matter what you mix it into.  I actually mix it into applesauce.  You do need to be carefull with it because it will bind to other meds and to any B12 that you take, so don't take it at the same time as any other meds or if you have B12 issues it will bind to any B12 you take orally, but not inject.  Also, I've found the effects to be cumulative.  So if I'm traveling, I can take it for a couple of days and then stop but still have things be under control for another few days.

Posted 5/7/2008 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
You can drink OJ? That alone gives me a really upset stomach. It is too acidic for me. I know our diets are pretty individual, but I don't know many who can drink OJ. I noticed on another post about joint pain that you mentioned you use Ibuprofen. Don't know if you are aware the NSAIDS (aspirin, Ibuprofen, Aleve) are really bad for Crohnies. Taking Ibuprofen brought me out of a 20 year remission and a trip to the operating room. The reason I bring that up is because that could be the cause of your current flare. Not sure if you were aware of that. I hope you get feeling better soon. And welcome to Healingwell!

God Bless,
Gail *Nanners*
Posted 5/7/2008 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Actually, I never drink OJ because it it gives me heartburn.  The doctor told me to take the questran with it so I tried.  I called him yesterday and found out that any liquid is okay so I tried cranberry juice.  The cranberry juice came back up hours later and practically choked me.  Meanwhile, this is day two and I think it's constipating me.  I haven't been constipated in 15 years!!!  I'm thinking that maybe I should cut back to 1/2 packet a day starting today?  Before the Questran, I was running to the bathroom 8-10 times/daily so this is unbelievable to me.  Still, I don't like the idea of not going at all!  I appreciate all these comments - I'm new to the forum but been living with Crohn's diagnosis since 1993.  I had a re-section then while I was 12 weeks pregnant!  (Pregnancy was fine and my "baby" is now taller than me).  I just want to be NORMAL.

Posted 5/7/2008 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
I take one scoop (or packet) in the morning, mixed in some koolaid (punch or orange flavor works best for me). I'm actually not taking it right now, since I'm in a bad flare. I'd like to see other meds work without me taking it. But I think I'll be going back to to it, having no gallbladder creates bile salt diarrhea for me in addition to my other problems.

You may have to figure out what dose works for you. I've never had a choking problem with it. I make sure and mix it up REALLY well though, it isn't fun to get down. It's been a miracle for me for the most part. It allowed me to function again.
Posted 5/7/2008 5:54 PM (GMT 0)

FWIW that is why I switched to Colestid (works the same way as Questran).  Comes in 1 gram caplets, much easier to take, since I can take it with water .......

cheers,

Posted 5/7/2008 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
I've always heard the pill form doesn't work as well. Kind of makes sense to me though, all that powder glunk soaks up the bile and excess liquids in our guts. Would be nice if it did work the same though!
Posted 5/7/2008 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Been on it for years ..... works as advertised and I have found no differences between the pills and the pouches, other than the pills are so much easier to take, IMHO ......

cheers,
Posted 5/8/2008 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
I have never heard of Colestid - what's the difference between that and the Questran? Has anybody else tried it? I'm actually doing unbelievably well on the Questran on day two. Only one poo each day! WOW. But I do feel a bit bloated. Just wondering about other's experiences on either medication. Any suggestions on the best time to take the Questran? With food or without? Before bed or after dinner?
Posted 5/8/2008 1:17 AM (GMT 0)
I've had the Questran for years and about a year ago I got the pills. They work pretty much the same, except you don't have quite the same dosing ability. With the powder you can really take any amount. I think my doctor's dose for me is something like 4 pills 2X a day, but I've taken 1 pill 1X a day and found that is almost too much. I really just want to slow things down without suffering any bloating or cramping. But I do have to say the pills are a lot more pleasant to take than the powder.
Posted 5/8/2008 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
Good to hear some of you have had success with the pills, I was just going by what others have told me. The powder works so well for me, I just don't want to mess with it. LOL

I take mine in the morning. For the first month or so I was a little more bloated, that got better, for me anyways.
Posted 5/8/2008 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
I took the powdered questran years ago. I found it helped the D but made be gassy and bloated. After experimenting with many liquids, I found that any juice nectar would better dissolve the powder and make it easier to tolerate.

I'm about to start taking the pill form (colestid) to try and control the D which I'm having post surgery.
Posted 5/8/2008 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
I asked my surgeon about Questran, post-resection. He wants me to take imodium and fibercon and only use Questran as a last resort. I didn't ask him why. For some reason, I get kind of tongue tied with this doc and don't ask him what I had intended to.
Posted 5/8/2008 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
It's been 15 years since my resection and I never took any meds. In the past 3 years, I would take 2 immodium daily and it didn't really do anything at all. The Questran really stops the diarrhea immediately which is a relief. BUT - I do feel bloated and gassy, like the other postings mentioned. I think today I'm going to cut back to 1/2 packet daily and see what happens. Still, it's better than running to the bathroom constantly. Going shopping had become a nightmare.
Posted 5/8/2008 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Questran is only therapeutic for fat malabsorption. It is for a specific form of diarrhea called steatorrhea. If you have reason to believe that your diarrhea is caused from fat malabsorption -- if you have lost a significant segment of the ileum to resection or disease, if you have large, greasy mal-odorous bowel movements, often explosive and especially occurring within hours of a high-fat meal -- you should ask your GI to do a fecal fat test. Imodium and fibrecon will not treat this kind of fat mal-absorption but they might mask the symptoms.
Posted 5/8/2008 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
You are so right about that - that is pretty much what my new doctor told me Monday and thus, put me on the Questran. He was suspicious that my Crohn's isn't really "active" but rather I'm suffering from the bile salt problem as a result of no gall bladder and ileum resection. Now that you mention it, my worse times are 20 minutes after eating but especially after a fat-content food or something with additives. I guess that's why the immodium never worked for me but the Questran immediately just shut that diarrhea down! Thanks for that input. 15 years later and I'm still trying to figure this all out.
Posted 5/8/2008 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mando: Don't be afraid to play around with the dosing. I never take questran unless I have had a couple of bms because ileus is a looming problem for me. I fiddled with the dose until now I usually don't take more than a teaspoon at a time and not every day. I do follow a mostly low fat diet. They only time I take it as a preventative (before I'm having symptoms) is when I know I'm going to be eating a high fat meal.

Just remember that this is an off label use of the product so it would be inappropriate to use it in the way it is indicated for lowering cholesterol. I just can't imagine taking up to 4 grams of this a day.

Good luck
Posted 5/8/2008 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor prescribed 1 pill before each meal. I am probably going to start with only 2 pills a day and see how that works. Actually, I don't mind having the D right now since I'm basically spending my time at home recouperating from my sugery. And, since I'm in so much pain, the loose stools are probably easier to deal with for now. But still, I'm looking foward to normal stools after so many years of D.
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