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Quiet Digestion, Probiotics,MonaVie for IBS - C

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 2/28/2007 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
Some of my coworker have mentioned Quiet Digeston, Probiotics and MonaVie as things to try to my IBS C.  I have suffered for 30 years with this and my Zelnorm, Miralax, Bentyl and newest Amitiza do not seem to be working. 

Has anyone actually tried these and if so any success?

Thank you.

Posted 2/28/2007 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
i have heard digestive advantage in calet form is good. im waiting for my free sample. activia yogurt is a good source too. ever get nausea right before a normal bowel movement?
Posted 2/28/2007 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

Yes, I do get nauseated but normally for me as soon as something passes, I feel better.

 

I am trying th Advantage IBS, Activa and Dan Active Yogurt since 2/23/07.

Not sure it is helping, but it might be.  I am changing up my medication too since I seem to have built up a resistance them. 

I really hate to try too much at once, because I won't know which worked, but my co-workers are really trying to help, so I thought maybe I would investigate and see what others have tried.

Thank you.  Let me know how you are. 

Posted 2/28/2007 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Lil and some others on here have found that if they go off Zelnorm completely for a few weeks, then start back on it again, it works just as well as when they first took it, and continues to work for a while, before they have to go off again and restart it.
Posted 3/1/2007 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
It's true... I took Zelnorm for almost a year intermittently. I would stay on it for about 6-8 weeks then get off for 2 weeks, and so on. It really did wonders when it was working. I remember the last time I took it... I hadn't been on it for about 4 weeks; I jumped right into my regular dosage and I almost pooped my pants. In fact, I do think I sharted. Anyway, it was awful. I learned my lesson not to stay off it for more than 2 weeks and then expect to jump back on the bandwagon with my regular dosage.
Posted 3/1/2007 5:35 AM (GMT 0)

I appreciate the information.  I did take Zelnorm the past couple days, but I had only been off it about a week and a half while trying the Amitiza.  It hasn't work, but maybe I needed to stay off of it longer.  I will try that.  When you go off Zelnorm for a period, what do you do?  My pains are so intense I can hardly stand it.  I finally gave myself 4 enema's tonight.  Sometimes I have my kids (teenagers) sit on my stomach or I lie on a stool pressing on my gut.  I hate this!  I never feel relaxed.  I was taking Ambien at night to sleep & I did sleep great, but I stopped taking thinking maybe it was tranquilizing my gut, but I'm no better when I don't take it. 

Thank you.

Posted 3/1/2007 5:49 AM (GMT 0)
When I stopped taking Zelnorm (for the brief period) I would up my dosage of fiber, water and probiotics. I'd also try to exercise more. All those in conjunction helped my transit time... nothing near as close to how fast it was on Zelnorm, but definitely better than without. Maybe you could add prune juice.
I hope you can find something to help....
Posted 3/1/2007 2:43 PM (GMT 0)

Any ideas for stopping the gas? 

This is so embarrassing.  I work 9-12 hours a day at a desk and lots of travel.

I have tried most things over the counter.

Thank you sad

Posted 3/1/2007 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
I take beano before meals to minimize the gas, never found anything to get rid of it completely. It does help for me but I understand everyone is different. Unfortunatly, gas is a very common "gift" that goes along with IBS. :(
Posted 3/1/2007 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
I take Gas-X and I drink fennel tea. Members on this site have also mentioned that peppermint capsules work great as well. I almost think that's all Gas-X is anyway because a lot of times I burp up minty flavor.
I'm not sure if anything will get rid of the gas completely, but Beano and Gas-X sure do help.
Posted 3/1/2007 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
Didn't someone on here recently say that sleeping aids can cause constipation? I can't rightly recall, but definitely something you need to check on, since you DON'T need any help with the constipation.

Have you also tried magensium supplements or aloe vera pills when you are off the Zelnorm? A lot of C people have to take a bunch of different laxatives and probiotics at the same time in order to have movement. Definitely better to just have to the use the Zelnorm, but you do have to find something else when you're not on it.

Have you been tried on Reglan? I thought it only emptied the stomach, but someone on here said it also sped up the colon. If it worked, you could try alternating between it and the Zelnorm to keep from getting immune to either one.
Posted 3/2/2007 3:02 AM (GMT 0)

I have tried beano, Gas X, tums , rolaids but none seem to work well.  Today  ordered Advantage for Gas and Constipation and Aloe Vera Tablets (never tried). I have been trying Advantage for IBS the past week and Activa but no real difference yet.

I have been on Miralix,Zelnorm, Bental and recently Symax and Amitiza.  I have been to 3 doctors since January regular family who keeps telling me its stress and an gastro and a gynacologist (thought maybe I had a pelvic organ relapse).  I've had a cat scan, colonoscopy (2nd one - I'm 44) and vaginal ultrasound (lots of fun).  All came back great.  Therefore my boss thinks I am now well.  I've had this 30 years and I am not well.  It gets worse every day.  I must agree this is stressing me out and it is not in my head! 

I have used over 200 suppositories, numerous enemas both fleet and water in the past 6 months.  This is not normal.

Today I hurt so bad that I had to lay down in my office on the floor & that was just to make it thru the day.  I have to travel alot in my job both on planes and in cars. Sitting for hours just sits me on fire internally.  I am absolutely miserable.

I just if the stuff above doesn't help, I can go back to the doctor, but I'm not sure what he can do.  It seems I am on the best meds available. 

 

Posted 3/2/2007 3:17 AM (GMT 0)

I take a gas pill as soon as I finish eating. Often wash it done with a glass of wine if I am having a glass. It seems to work quicker if I take it then as it prevents rather than have to try and get rid of it. If I do get gas. I take one Dulcolax which doesn't make me go but seems to get my insides going and the gas breaks up. I had to stop the Ambien as it caused terrible stomach pains and just a general discomfort in the stomach for me. I switched to Lunesta and have not problems.

 I take a Tagamet(cimidene) before I eat. I  quit the PPI's as they were not helping and they now say they may cause bone loss. Besides they were very expensive. I get more relief with the Tagamet. Acid causes gas, also. The combo peppermint, fennel and ginger help with gas also. Just keep trying. It sounds like stuff just isn't moving and perhaps you have a motility problem and could use Reglan or Motilium to keep things moving better.

Posted 3/3/2007 5:52 AM (GMT 0)
REmember the acid we are concerned about is coming from the stomach. That is the one that erodes the esophagous as the lining of the esophagous is not made to withstand hydrocholoric acid. It is not necessarily from acidic foods though it may make the HCL worse. Peppermint, chocolate and alcohol are the three things I was told to avoid as they make the valve floppy allowing HCL to backwash into esophagous. I have severe damage to my esophagous from this and never have eaten acidic things to any degree. The other thing that seems to help some people is to raise the head of the bed not with pillows unless you have a wedge. I wonder why your doctor told you not to take Gas-x. I can understand Beano somewhat but not the Gas-x as they give it in the hospital in liguid Mylanta which has the same stuff in it.
Posted 3/3/2007 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Do any of you ever have gas so bad that you feel like your insides are going to burst?  Do you ever have to lay down on your stomach in order to pass the gas or put something on your stomach?  Have you ever had to lie on a stool or press on your stomach in order to have a bowl movement.  I have this all the time.  I have never heard of anyone else having to do this and I feel really weird.  Its like something is twisted or turned and it is completely trapped, but I have had all the medical tests that say its all "normal".  Sometimes at work I will have to just push my stomach on the sink.  I know this sounds insane.  I drink a ton or water and I exercise, but sitting or standing doesn't help.  I just don't get it.  My coworker told me yesterday, he thought I just worried about "it" too much and I don't have cancer, so I just needed to think about something else.  It's hard not to think about your stomach when you are about to explode!  I don't want to hurt.  (My husband called to check on me and he happened to hear me say I didn't feel well).  I could just feel my coworders irritation at me and that is why he had the words of advice.  How do you handle people that just don't get it.  Unfortunately, we (normally a group of 5-6 at a time)work and travel together all the time and it's hard to put up a front.  I have to in front of the customer, but I don't always feel like having going to dinner and I just want to go back to my hotel room and relax.  I get accused of being unsocial or cranky.  The last trip was especially awful as the new "leader" wanted 7:00 breakfast meetings.  I informed her would just meet them at the customer site & I privately explained, but don't think I didn't hear about it later.  NO one wanted to go to the breakfast and nothing was discussed,but why was I allowed to get out of it and they weren't.  Leader's need to take into consideraton that some people have health issues and just simply ask who wants to go to breakfast and not try and make a mandatory plan.  Sorry to go on, I just wondered it how other people deal with all this..............................................    I have even had a coworker tell me if I hurt that bad, maybe I needed to look at my alternatives.    Thank you - but I am very good at my job and I work alot of hours -   Help. 

Posted 3/5/2007 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
And what did your coworker think your alternatives were? Permanent full disability? Ha! It's very hard to get social security disability, and the fact that you've been carrying on your job so long is proof (to SS) that you don't need it. Only people who lose their jobs because of constant medical abscences have any luck getting SS, and then they don't have much luck even then.

I agree, there's hardly anything else you can think about when your stomach's off. I wonder if when this same co-worker gets food poisioning or the stomach flu s/he does work between vomiting and keeps his/her mind on work instead of on the intense sick feeling? I don't think so.

I think you need to lay down the law with your co-workers because your health isn't their business. So long as your boss knows and will work with you, that's all that matters. When they start to offer you "advice" I would give them a cold look and point-blank tell them that your constant pain and intestinal problems aren't their concern. Thank you. And turn away from them. It's not your job to be sociable at work to your co-workers; it's your job to do your job. So long as you aren't rude or are a pest to them, there's no reason why you have to go hang out after work and have a few beers with them. No reason why you have to take lunch with them. I don't do that with my co-workers, and no one ever says I'm anti-social. It might also be a good time to get or invent a hobby which will keep you occupied frequently with meetings, lessons and projects. "Supper? I'm sorry, I can't. I have my knitting circle meeting this evening. We're going to start socks." "Lunch? I'm sorry, I can't. I need to review my Japanese translations for my test tomorrow night at the community college." If worse comes to worse, tell your boss that your co-workers can't keep their nose out of your business and that could he please remind them that personal questions at work should be kept to a minimum unless someone seeks your advice. After all, these people aren't doctors. They don't even have the experience that people on here have; their opinions on what you should do, therefore, are wortheless.

And yes, I've had to stick my butt up in the air before in order to pass gas. I've heard of others who press on their stomachs too. Have you tried all the OTC gas products to see if they help? Have you tried peppermint tea to see if that helps relieve it? Are you also constipated? Have you tried prune juice and fiber supplements to stay regular?
Posted 3/5/2007 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I am back on Zelnorm twice a day and also Glycolax which I take twice a day.  I can adjust my dosage on Glycolax which I did yesterday.  I have been going since last Friday.  At first, my poo was real thin and tiny, but now it seems to be getting more normal.  I still have a soreness around my belly button area?  No fever and I don't feel bad.  I am glad I am pooping!!

Posted 3/6/2007 1:42 AM (GMT 0)

Yes, I have tried most everything OTC.  I have been trying taking a Gas X during meals.   I have ordered the following:  Advantage IBS for constipation & IBS gas pain - & aloe vera tablets.  I have been taking the Advantage for IBS.  I can't tell a difference yet. 

My co-workers bug me the most when we travel out of town.  When we are in town, they are always out of there every night 1-3 hours before I am.    Today, I did get pretty irritated because one of the guys told me he had to leave to pick up his daughter from day care because she was sick and he sure hoped she didn't have what I have as he would hate to see her constipated all the time - haha.   I told him he was very rude and I was sure she would be fine. He said he didn't mean to be but her was really worried about that.  I told him he thought about my stomach a bit too much & I was tired of discussing it.  

I normally don't discuss my business too much with everybody at work as it is very embarrassing, but I had so many tests this year & I had to keep going to the doctor so I just told them the truth.  I was also on new meds and they made me feel really "loopy", nausated, etc.   I didn't want people to think I was dying, but now I see why I should keep my mouth shut.  I mean sure it's funny to have IBS(NOT), but not everyday.  I do try and have a sense of humor about it, but I can only take so much. 

Oh well, lesson learned!

Thanks guys.

Posted 7/13/2008 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed 17 years ago with IBS. I started taking MonaVie two months ago and have not had any gas pains since. It has made me feel a lot better. I am able to eat better. I would recommend trying the MonaVie. I was told if you don't see results with it right away to give it a least 2 months. Some don't see results immediately. I started seeing results within 3 days. I noticed a change in my energy levels.
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