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Posted 10/29/2009 10:32 AM (GMT 0)
hi
i just got some fiber powder to put in my drinks. i was scared at first but i cant taste so we are all good there.

now i need to know what its going to do to me.

i think i remember reading on here in the past something about gas and cramping at the beginning.
is this correct? or ws that from something else?

i am afraid of more pain and cramping than i already have and the thought of gas just hurts me.

what can i expect?
Posted 10/29/2009 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
yes the same problem i had before here u need to just add 1 spoon of powder in one glass . use it one in moring and one in evening that will be fine ok . best of luck
Posted 10/29/2009 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
I started with half a dose so my body could get used to it. Also, on the package I have...it has 'laxative dosage' and 'supplement dosage.' We with UC would probably want to use the 'supplement dosage' and I really don't think we want to go to the bathroom MORE! lol

Good luck. Oh, and I did notice a little extra gas but if you start slowly your body should adjust fairly quickly.
Posted 10/29/2009 12:25 PM (GMT 0)
It's definitely worth a try. There can be a bit of gas and bloating at first, but your body should be able to adjust to it within a few days.
Posted 10/29/2009 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
What kind of powder are you using? I eat a Metamucil wafer package (2 wafers) pretty much daily, & for a few months I had trouble buying them in the local supermarkets. So I switched to Benefiber powder. Big mistake!!!!! I was only using about 1-2 T a day, in a beverage, but my god the gas was so bad. Just constant bubbling, bloating, pressure, farting. It was more uncomfortable than painful, but it was REALLY uncomfortable- it was so distracting I honestly couldn't even think of anything else. I tried to stick it out but wasn't able to. Thankfully, the Metamucil wafers are available again, & I eat them regularly with absolutely no increase in gas. None! It shocked me how awful the Benefiber powder was. I wound up dumping the whole huge canister I had bought. So, if you do experience gas, you can always try another type of fiber supplement. I do find them to be very helpful, overall.
Posted 10/29/2009 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, that's a good question Eva Lou b/c actually Benefiber is not the same active ingredient asMetamucil. Metamucil is the psyllium husk and benefiber is wheat something or other. I think the psyllium husk is the better choice.

Is this correct?
Posted 10/29/2009 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
My best advice is to not expect ANYTHING. I find that if one knows what the potential negative side effects are ahead of time, one tends to develop them with greater frequency than if one doesn't know what they are. ;)
Posted 10/29/2009 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Eva Lou, I've had to abandon the benefibre too, the gas and bloating was intolerable, and the dietician recommended it!
I stoppped it a week ago and the difference is unbelieveable. I have issues with urgency so thinking about it in hindsight perhaps attempting to bulk my output was not the best decision!
Posted 10/29/2009 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Expect there to be excess gas and bloating from the fibre supplements, once your system adjusts then it will subside (took my system 3 months, everyone is different), if you're getting enough daily (also different for everyone, I still take one cap which was what I started out with in the beginning) then you should expect to have formed stools and possibly less frequency (vaires again from person to person and depending on how much fibre supplement you're getting in daily), sticking with it is key, daily and indefinitely, cuz once you stop taking it and you decide to start it again later then your system will have re-adjust all over agin (gas/bloating and possibly cramping).

Psyllium is most definitely the best choice, metamucil or Prodiem stool bulking therapy are 2 that I know of that are sufficient with psyllium.

:)
Posted 10/29/2009 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
I've been using Metamucil powder for 3 days and I'm getting mixed results. I'm glad you asked because I was going to ask about others' results too! Overall, I feel better - less pain, less bloating, etc... just generally, I feel healthier. However, blood has returned to my spoot (that's a technical term lol) and I have to go in urgent clusters. So my bathroom patterns have gotten worse, but the other 22 hours a day are much, much better. I actually slept through the night last night - THAT'S amazing for me!
Personally, I'm going to stick with it, and add probiotics as well. I've had some great results from Pro-Bs, and sometimes they don't work at all, so we'll see. Considering the overall health changes though, I'll keep trying the fiber unless something drastic changes.
Posted 10/29/2009 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I believe the active fiber in Metamucil wafers is psyllium husk- the fiber in Benefiber is wheat dextrin. I was just amazed at the difference in how my body reacted. The Metamucil wafers tended to make me go less, with more volume each trip- kinda pushed eveyrthing together! And I was expecting more gas from them, but didn't experience it. So I figured the Benefiber would be basically the same- "more gas" is an understatement!!!!! I could've powered the Hindenburg. And it went on & on & on.... I just couldn't deal AT ALL. People are quick to give up on fiber, but it does help with IBD.
Posted 10/29/2009 10:00 PM (GMT 0)
Also for those with IBS it's important to get daily fibre intake as well, fibre aids with both C and D, just be sure to drink plenty of water with it.

:)
Posted 10/29/2009 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
oh great. my husband came home with benefiber yesterday. it is wheat dextrin based.
i have been laying in bed gassy as all hell and man is it uncomfortable. i hope its not the wrong stuff as it wasnt cheap.
i will try it for a few more days and see what happens.

if psyllium husk is better... does that mean that the wheat based one is bad? or just not as good?
Posted 10/29/2009 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if the wheat fibre is bad, but I do know that Metamucil is often recommended for pregnant/nursing moms because it helps throughout the physical changes and actually supports healthy milk production - although I still can't figure out how that works! Anyway, if your signature is current, then I thought this extra info would help you choose brands : )
Posted 10/30/2009 7:09 AM (GMT 0)
omg!
ive only had 2 glasses so far in 2 days and OMG! the pain.
i am so gassy and cramped up.
and worst part is i cant just fart anywhere NO.. i have to be on the toilet if i fart cuz its never alone...
always some blood to go with it.
and man is the blood out of control. seems like im bleeding more.
this sucks.

i think i will stop and try to get metamucil or something.
i wish i would have asked about this BEFORE he went to the store.
Posted 10/30/2009 7:36 AM (GMT 0)
Kazygirl, I had exactly the same problem, I was sounding like a squeeky dog toy trying to hold on to it until I got to the toilet. I had to take an antispasmodic in te end to get the cramping under control.
It wasn't great at work, the loos are huge and when I eventually got to the lo I sounded like a foghorn, unfirtunately the loos are in the changing area nad therefore lost of people got to share the tune!
The wind is much improved now, I stopped the benefibre on Sunday, and the dietician had assured me that it would not cause bloating and wind (I'm guessing she's never tried it!)
Posted 10/30/2009 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds exactly like I was experiencing with Benefiber- and EVERY TIME I had to pass the gas, something else would come out with it! It was awful. Don't give up on fiber entirely- it really does help, it's just finding a supplement you can live with. The wafers are pretty good, & they make a nice breakfast along with some fruit or something. And, best part- no gas!

Posted 10/30/2009 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
 

I started taking Metamucil in July and WOW has it made a difference! At the time I was spiraling into an all out flare and within 2 weeks I was feeling so much better. 

The last time I tried taking Citrucel I had a lot of gas but this time around I started with a small dose of Metamucil and then over the course of 1-2 weeks I got up to a full dose.  And like I said, it took 2 weeks to really make a difference so stick with it. 

Also - I did some research at the time and found a chart that said that Metamucil was the only supplement that absorbed both liquid in stools which I definitely need. 

Posted 10/31/2009 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Well the wheat dextrin (or whatever Benefiber is) is not necessarily bad if you are using it for a laxative but I believe that for what us with UC need (which is to absorb water) the psyllium husk (Metamucil) is the way to go.

And don't go with a full dose at first, try maybe a half dose for a few days and see how that goes...could take a week or two even.

Don't give up just yet, it has been GREAT for me...I couldn't believe it helped so much.

Hang in there, give your body time to adjust.

Good luck!
Posted 10/31/2009 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
I tried benefiber and it's not very holistic. Try acacia fiber by Heather, Heather's Tummy Fiber. Available online or in health food stores. I'm constipated and have diarrhea. I'm hoping this keeps me in the middle. Too new at UC to make any judgment calls and am tapering on prednisone but no gas or bloating. Of course, I'm not doing dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables. It's weird as a result, not to pass gas or smell up a bathroom very much...
Posted 10/31/2009 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
I tried benefiber and it's not very holistic. Try acacia fiber by Heather, Heather's Tummy Fiber. Available online or in health food stores. I'm constipated and have diarrhea. I'm hoping this keeps me in the middle. Too new at UC to make any judgment calls and am tapering on prednisone but no gas or bloating. Of course, I'm not doing dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables. It's weird as a result, not to pass gas or smell up a bathroom very much...
Posted 11/1/2009 6:03 AM (GMT 0)
I don't take a fiber supplement, so I can't help you with that. My boyfriend has used psyllium husk as a fiber supplement before, though/

However, an abrupt change in diet tends to cause discomforts such as gas, bloating, cramping, etc. If you add the supplement slowly, you should have less of an issue.

Also keep in mind that UCers can tolerate different amounts of fiber and it's very individual. Even the kind of fiber can matter, especially if you also have IBS. I try to get my fiber from food and prefer oatmeal-it's got insoluble fiber surrounded by a nice padded layer of the soluble stuff, so it keeps me from being constipated while still being pretty gentle. I believe others on here have had luck with oatmeal as well.
Posted 11/1/2009 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
It's quite normal for fibre supplements to cause excessive gas and bloating, it happens with healthy people as well, it's simply your system adjusting to it, took my system 3 months but was soooooo worth it....it varies for everyone of course and some lucky people may not even notice any excessive gas or bloating issues from it.

:)
Posted 11/1/2009 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
If you can get your hands on the Metamucil capsules...that could be a good option. You can at least increase gradually.

I had discomfort for a day or so...that was it. But I started with one capsule per meal at a time...I've increased to 4 twice daily.

Hope you find the right one...I've never tried Benefibre.

q
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