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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 5/19/2007 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
For those of us with IBS-C, is regular colon cleansing worth pursuing?  I recently prepped for a colonoscopy, and the "clean out" I experienced has left me feeling better than I have felt in months.  I am considering whether to pursue an over the counter colon cleanse in the future.

I see there is a product put out by a "Dr. Natura."  Is that worthwhile?  Any other suggestions?

Posted 5/20/2007 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
I don't suffer from constipation, but you'll find that most members on this board are not advocates of colon cleanses - they can be quite irritating for the intestine, especially a colonoscopy prep, which can actually induce colonic inflammation occasionally.  Your intestines are quite good at "cleansing" themselves by shedding the lining every day or two.  Are you on any meds for your constipation?
Posted 5/20/2007 9:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi xyz,
I don't have IBS but I do suffer from severe constipation, regularly 10-14 days between motions. My colorectal nurse is trying a treatment called irrigation. (not to be confused with colonic irrigation). I agree that after a good "cleaning out" you can feel so much better. I'm not suprised though, the motions aren't meant to be inside for this length of time, the bloating, the pain, the toxins being released, really isn't good for you. I do the irrigation at home and although I haven't mastered the art of doing it yet it is helping slowly. I go to the clinic regularly for them to do it also, just so I know I get a good clean out. I haven't heard of "Dr Natura" though, sorry. I would say it's worth a look at home irrigation. No chemicals involved, not too severe ( unlike colon cleansing which can irritate more), so there should be very little pain or cramping and done every day it could alleviate the constipation problems. Hope this helps. x x
Posted 5/20/2007 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Thanks for the responses.  I'm taking Miralax and fiber supplements every day.  I'm having a movement nearly every day, but these are usually small in quantity and mostly pebble-like.  The Miralax has made the movements easier, but has not really helped with making the movements larger.  With these small quantity movements, I just know that a lot more waste is building up inside that isn't working its way out often enough (I believe this causes my abdominal cramps).  This proved to be the case when I had the colonoscopy prep, I was so backed up despite my so-called "regular" movements that my doc commented that I still wasn't completely cleared out by the time of the colonoscopy.  Apparently I have a long, winding colon, and that doesn't help matters.

I will ask about the irrigation idea.  Any further thoughts would be appreciated!

xyz

 

Posted 5/21/2007 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Sarita is right that frequent colon cleansing, with any product for any reason, will irritate your intestines and possibly make your symptoms worse. You may also find that such flushes wipes out the good bacteria in your colon and also makes your symptoms worse.

But, some people who are bad C all the time will go through with one when they really need to be feeling their best, like for a graduation, wedding or vacation. I think if you only did a cleanse occasionally, when you really had to feel your best, then you'd be okay with it. But there's no reason to buy the expensive "herbal" stuff; you can buy the regular products that they prescribe for colonoscopies OTC. Those you know are pretty safe.

It's good that the Miralax is helping you. Have you tried a daily glass of prune juice or a serving of whole prunes to see if you can get your poops to where you want them? Most people with IBS--in any form--have to use a combination of things to keep themselves as close to regular as possible. Aloe vera pills are also a possibility, although you may grow dependent on them after a long while. If you got what you were looking for with one pill every other day, though, that probably would be okay. But start out with the prunes.
Posted 5/22/2007 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Keriamon,

Thanks for your reply.  I have already tried prunes, prune juice and aloe vera.  Unfortunately, I can't say that they have helped much, if at all!

So far the only thing that helps me has been the metamucil + miralax combo.  Even with this combo, I still have constipation symptoms, but they are much more manageable.  No straining, difficulty or pain during movements, which was a major problem before.

On a different note, I've noticed over the past three months that if I drink even the slightest amount of coffee, I get severe gas and stomach pain almost instantly.  The same with certain red wines.  Is this related to IBS?  I find these symptoms odd because up until three months ago, I could drink several cups of coffee or wine with no symptoms whatsoever.  I thought maybe I had an ulcer or gastritis, but the doctor said the gastroscopy showed nothing in the stomach region.  

xyz

 

Posted 5/23/2007 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi xyz,
It is quite common for IBSers not to be able to tolerate caffeine and acidity, coffee has both and wine has the latter. It isn't uncommon for your IBS sysmtoms to change either. When this happens you should, however, see your doctor. Discuss your symptom changes so s/he can rule out any other problems.
Make sure you drink plenty of water daily, it will help with the C.
Take care.
Posted 5/23/2007 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
I feel for you; I've recently begun getting heartburn from spaghetti dinner. And I really like spaghetti. :-(

I've got some generic Pepcid, though, so I'm going to see if that relieves the mild symptoms. If you're really into coffee, you might try it too, although no promises. Acid churning up can cause the symptoms you describe (gas and pain) or it might be caused by something else, which Pepcid and its ilk won't help.
Posted 5/23/2007 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I drink lots of water every day.  All changes in symptoms have been addressed with my doctor, and in fact that's why I had the colonoscopy/gastroscopy procedures just last week. 

With some red spaghetti sauces I'm OK and with others I get a burning sensation fairly quickly.  Same with red wine.  Maybe the acid content varies and that is what my stomach is reacting to.  I used to be a coffee addict, but these days my GI tract just can't handle a drop of it, so my only source of caffeine is green tea with a dash of soy milk. I drink two cups in the morning and another in the afternoon with no apparent ill effects.  In fact, it even seems at times to help relieve the IBS-C symptoms.

Another thing I think I've noticed is the less animal protein, refined sugar and greasy food I eat, the more my IBS-C symptoms improve.  Lastly, I'm not celiac, but it seems that reducing or eliminating gluten also helps.  I have no idea why.  

Posted 5/24/2007 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
You said you had a "long and winding" colon. Did the doc say you have a "redundant" colon? This is a common occurrence with people who have lived with chronic constipation for many years. In a nutshell, your colon stretches out to accommodate all the stool, and you end up with extra length that coils around through your abdomen. Now that you have that much more length of intestine for stool to pass through, that much more moisture gets pulled out of it and you're in a vicious cycle of constipation. I had the same thing until adhesions necessitated a bowel resection. It's miserable!

You're doing a great job with the fiber and miralax; increased water; and dietary changes. Ask your doc if it would be safe for you to take a few swallows of magnesium citrate every evening. It's the same kind of stuff you use for a colonoscopy prep and works by sending fluids to your colon to help flush you out. Before my resection surgery, that was the only thing that kept me halfway normal and comfortable. Mag citrate is available OTC and is very inexpensive. It comes in a small glass bottle and the taste really isn't bad - kind of like a ginger ale/ lemon-lime gatorade.

Don't take my word for it: definitely speak with your doc about this. You're doing everything right and still not regulated.
Posted 5/24/2007 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I forgot to address your initial question about colon cleanses. Keri is right: any "cleanse" that you hear about on the internet or TV, tends to have a little known product in it called "betonite" that causes some.... shall we say... spectacular results that frighten people into thinking that stool has been in their systems for years. Please don't waste your money on these products. Stick with what is available at pharmacies and DO make your doc aware of it.
Posted 5/24/2007 12:30 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks Jen, no, I was not told that I had a redundant colon.  I've actually only had constipation problems since December of 2006.  Still, I can't help but think that the extra length of my colon, even if it's not redundant, is playing a role in my symptoms. Why it would have just started to cause issues last December, I have no idea, although my doctor thinks my turning 40 had something to do with it.

Thanks very much for the magnesium citrate suggestion. Fortunately the last couple of days have gone by pretty pleasantly on the miralax/fiber, with at least one fairly normal sized movement per day, but I would love to have some of that other stuff available if things get rough again.  I will check with my doctor on the feasibility of that.

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