What I learned from the colorectal surgeon that I didn't learn from my GI

To start with, I was so afraid that I had a fissure or prolapse, but the surgeon said, everything's fine -- I'm just sore & inflamed and it is easy to treat.

So he told me about three things I wasn't aware of.

By the way, I searched for each of these on these boards and they're not widely discussed, which surprises me.

Konsyl (fiber supplement): He recommended this over *any* other kind of fiber. I told him I was already taking a dozen psyllium husk caps daily and he said I would have to take 48 to get the benefit of one dose of this. He says it's way more effective than Metamucil, Benefiber, all of them. You know, my GI has never recommended fiber, I had to figure that out on my own. The surgeon said that this will make my bowel movements more productive and, hopefully, less frequent. So far so good, frequency hasn't really gone down much but stool is much more formed.

Balneol Hygienic Cleansing Lotion: Quincy, this one's for you. It's a cleanser designed for use on toilet paper, so it's totally flushable. And VERY soothing. And very effective. I've been using it since Friday & I'm totally in love with it. You just use a tiny bit.

Calmoseptine ointment: This creates a moisture barrier, and the surgeon said that the moisture is part of what causes irritation. I haven't decided whether I love this or hate it (it's menthol + zinc oxide) but I certainly can tell that it is effective in soothing the irritated area.

What freaks me out is that my GI never even mentioned any of these. Next time I talk to him, I'm going to mention these and suggest he consider recommending them to his UC patients.

Hi Janey.....good to hear no prolapse!

Konsyl and Calmoseptine has been mentioned by members sporadically, sorry I can't say whom exactly.

Let us know how the Konsyl works for you.

You should write down the suggestions and give them to your GI so he can pass them on to his patients.

I've never heard of Balneol. There is fragrance in it, but I'll check it out to see if it's available in Canada.

Thanks so much for the update and the suggestions from the surgeon....I look forward to hearing how you're doing.

q

Calmoseptine is a standby for j-pouchers. Personally I hate the stuff -- the menthol feels more like a burn than a cooling sensation to me, but the moisture barrier properties are pretty good. In milder circumstances I find A&D (diaper ointment) is perfectly acceptable.

As far as the cleanser goes, I got a bidet seat before my takedown and it is THE BOMB. I wish I lived in a country where bidet seats were the norm before I got sick because it definitely would have made the 20 burning BMs per day more tolerable. I like that I get very fresh and clean without rubbing/irritating and it's just plain water.

Can't speak to fiber. But I agree with the poster upthread, doctors are just people and they have different preferences and recommendations that are often just based on what they learned from their mentors and what their patients tell them about what works.

No sugar in Konsyl, and much more fiber than Metamucil.

Here's the chart:

http://www.konsyl.com/t-comparisonguide.aspx

That comparison is extremely misleading. They do make an orange flavored product in both sugar sweetened and sugar free versions - just like Metamucil. And really the point is that it is psyllium husk, plain old ordinary psyllium husk. Nothing special here as far as fiber goes.

1. calmoseptine - yes, otc but your druggist may have to order - not all carry it in stock

2. psyilium seed powder - you will probably have to order on line

3. Balneol Hygienic Cleansing Lotion - probably same as 1. not sure tho

Yep, I ordered the calmoseptine from amazon but wanted to get more Balneol and Konsyl sooner, so I went by my Walgreen's & bought them -- *much* more expensive than the amazon prices! Yes. *sigh* I accept amazon as my new overlord :-(

soystud -- I was at a Korean BBQ a while back that had a lot of organ meats on the menu, including large intestine. You could pick up one there!

As a j poucher, I cannot live without my Calmoseptine. Love that stuff! Amazon.com sells a three pack...saves $$.

The Konsyl would benefit me as well. Going to try it. Thanks for posting.