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Welchol not working like before!!

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 6/7/2007 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
Summary:

Back in March was put on several antibiotics for a Pelvic Infection, had massive diarrhea and nausea.  Once I stopped the antibiotics I resumed my welchol and started taking probiotics and now my bowels are no longer formed, more like soft sometimes diarrhea in nature.  I am at my wits end.  I have appointment with my doc on Monday to see what the heck is going on.  I feel like I cannot go anywhere without fear of diarrhea kicking in!!!!

Any suggestions what this could be?

Post Edited (AshLeigh_Lyric) : 6/7/2007 7:43:35 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/8/2007 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi AshLeigh,
I wonder if the antibiotics killed off all the good bacteria and that's why you can't get back to normal even with the Welchol. Have you tried taking probiotics? Probiotics should really be taken when one is taking antibiotics (probiotics no sooner than 2 hours after antibiotic dosage).
Calcium might help you too.
Sorry you are struggling right now... I hope you can find relief soon.
Posted 6/8/2007 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
I have been taking Kyodophilus(sp) but unfortunately I did not do probiotics along with the antibiotics like I should have..UGH! I need to purchase some probiotics since I am about to run out of the ones I have. I bet the antibiotics have killed a lot of the good bacteria and now I have to work on getting it back to "normal" like before.

Might add some calcium to the mix too.

Thanks!
Posted 6/8/2007 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it can take a while to recover from antibiotics, especially if you were put on really strong ones (sounds like you were). You might want to consider upping your dose of the probiotics. I read one doctor's website and he recommended people on antiobitics take like 3-5 times the normal dose of probiotics, and people recently through with antibiotics take 2-3 times the normal amount. Since they can't hurt you, except to give you extra gas (I find that taking them right before bedtime takes care of a lot of the gas problem), you might as well try it.

Calcium is also a good thing; I take some in addition to my Welchol. Also, I don't know if your doctor told you that you could, but mine told me that I could vary my Welchol doseage as needed. So if I'm having bad poops, I usually up my dose of Welchol until I start getting constipated, then I lower it back down. However, unless you are having yellowish bile poops, extra Welchol may not help; it will absorb the bile but nothing else. That's where the calcuim, which absorbs water, comes in handy. And, of course, the probiotics to clear up the root of the problem (we assume).
Posted 6/8/2007 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Keriamon for the suggestions. My poops are not yellow in nature and I have increased my dosage of WelChol to 6 a day will increase my dosage of probiotics and add calcium to the mix. How much calcium a day?

So Calcium, WelChol and probiotics are okay to mix and take?
Posted 6/11/2007 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
You can take up to three 600mg calcium tablets a day, but I wouldn't start with more than two. You can take them anytime you want, although you might find them most effective first thing, before breakfast (as least I can take mine on an empty stomach; some people can't), and right before bed. That will have it most concentrated around the mornings, which is probably your worst time of day.

Yes, calcium, Welchol and probiotics are okay to mix. Probiotics are okay with anything at anytime. Calcium and Welchol are okay with a lot of meds, EXCEPT meds that you need to absorb through the digestive tract at a very specific rate, like thyroid medicine. Calcium and Welchol both can keep medicines from being fully absorbed when not timed correctly (with a doctor's help, though, you should be able to find a time that you can take all of your meds without causing intereference). Welchol may keep you from absorbing some of the calcium, but since you're not taking it for the calcium absorption anyways, then it doesn't matter. I've been taking the two together for a couple of years now, and I occasionally throw in some probiotics too (probiotics aren't absorbed, so the Welchol and calcium have no effect whatsoever on them).
Posted 6/11/2007 10:08 PM (GMT 0)

I hate to say this, but every time I'm on an antibiotic, I seem to lose a little more GI function.  I think antibiotics are much more serious meds than they are treated.

   Try changing your probiotic, or take one type in the a.m., and a different one in the p.m. or the next day.  I think its good to try all different strains.   Hang in there.  Hopefully, you'll eventually get back to "normal".

Posted 6/12/2007 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
I went to the doc yesterday morning and explained the situation. He took me off WelChol for a while and put me back on Questran packets 2 times a day. I purchased some Florastor(which the doc said was great to take- that everyone needs probiotics), I have to give a stool sample as well. Unfortuantely unable to go this morning...YEAH! Maybe the Questran is working. He told me Questran helps with diarrhea associated with antibiotics or something to that effect.
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