Anyone taking Cholestyramine Powder for Diarrhea?

my moms taken it for years and it works well for her.

I have been taking it since about middle of 2009. Like the previous poster, I can tell when I have forgotten to take it. I take to help with diarrhea and the amount of bile salt. I had 2 resections in 2008 that took the terminal ileum and a bunch of bowel with it. I developed a mild-moderate short bowel syndrome. Cholestyramine has really been a benefit for me.

I take it every day and have since 1997. I mix it with apple juice. It was kind of inconvenient at first, but now it's just part of my morning routine. It's actully a godsend since it is the main thing that keeps me feeling normal and allows me to lead a full life! Good luck to you.

Well... is not supposed to be so. Colesteramine helps in absorbing water and bile juices, almost a mechanic operation. It's not supposed do cause any bleeding.

My doc tell me to keep it, even in the middle of a flare.

 

I tried for a few days and felt like it was making me more sick so stopped it and got the pills instead.

Has anyone taken both the tablet and powder at different times? Is one better over the other in terms of outcomes?

I registered on this forum just to let everyone know that, for me personally, Questran/cholestryamine has totally changed my life for the better!

I used to get chronic diarrhea, and it was getting worse and worse. When I was at work, I used to go to a restroom on the other side of the facility so people wouldn't know it was me in the bathroom. If I went out for lunch, I had to choose places that were near restrooms and I knew where there were public restrooms because I would have to go sometimes before I even finished my lunch. I wouldn't eat breakfast because I knew that I would never be able to make the entire commute without diarrhea, and there were no bathroom stops on my way to work. I panicked whenever I knew I had to go to dinner in an unfamiliar place, and lived on Immodium - to the point where it just didn't work anymore.

Things got worse and worse; I would get diarrhea even if I didn't eat anything and would have several incidents after eating. I used to just get it once, and would be done, but then I would get two or three more diarrhea incidents shortly after. I was miserable and embarrassed.

I had my gall bladder taken out in 2010, and of course that didn't help things. The surgeon said that I would get better if I just took Metamucil, but that didn't help at all. I told him I was still experiencing problems, and he prescribed cholestryamine. That's when life became worth living again. Almost immediately, things were better. I only got diarrhea if I overate or had something that would have caused me trouble anyway, such as coffee. Now, with just one packet in the morning, I have no problems. Sometimes I have to go to the bathroom a little bit quickly, but typically don't get diarrhea. Now I don't have to plan my day around my lunch break and can feel free to go to dinner wherever I want.

Thank you, cholestryamine!

I saw my gastro doctor on Monday and told him that I was having a lot of gas as a side effect of the cholestyramine powder. He asked if the gas continued even when I wasn't taking the drug--and I realized that it did continue even on the days I skipped the cholestyramine (just not quite as horrific as the days when I took the medication). He feels that I probably have a bacterial overgrowth--and he now has me on ten days of Flagyl (ugh ugh ugh).

He said that, if the Flagyl doesn't solve the problem, then he'll prescribe me the Welchol pills. But he suggested that I check with my pharmacy, because lots of insurance companies won't pay for the pills when the cheaper powder is available.

I'll let everybody know how it works out. In the meantime, I continue to take cholestyramine. It doesn't solve all my problems all the time, but it really really helps.

Hi there, I'm new to the forum and completely at my wits end! I had my gallbladder out about three months ago, and since then have been in the same spot as many of you with chronic diarrhea. I can't enjoy a meal out anymore, and am often too exhausted and nauseated to want to leave the house anyway. I've missed so much work that I'm going broke, and when I do go to work, I'm
afraid I'm going to have an accident since there isn't a bathroom close to my work area. Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has not had good results with cholestyrene, and if there are any alternatives out there. So far it doesn't help my diarrhea, makes me super nauseated, and makes me feel painfully bloated. I just started taking it. Does it take a while to start having a positive effect? Thanks all.

Electricmomo21 ~ I had my gallbladder out in 2001 and after had diarrhea all the time. Then just last year I was diagnosed with Crohn's. So far the meds I've tried for Crohn's (asacol and lialda) have actually made my diarrhea worse. My doc prescribed Welchol, which is a cholesterol med, but helps to "soak up" the bile. It has done wonders for me!! Ask your doctor about it. I wish I had known about it sooner as I would have started taking it years ago.

Dear Stressedtohell- have you ever had your colon biopsied and checked for microscopic colitis/collagenous colitis?

Hi,

Most of this I posted in another thread but it is worth repeating.

I had about 36" of gut removed in 1973, this included small and large intestine including the ileocecal valve. This left me with chronic D. Questran was my best friend for over 30 years before switching to Welchol tablets. These are fairly large pills but they beat a gritty powder in ease of use and the way they work. I take 7 a day with meals, if I eat a spicy or fatty meal that is when I take 3 tablets.

Ask your doctor if this would work for you, it is a major improvement in my life, Using it is the closest I have been to "normal" since I was about 12 years old.

Best of luck, Ron