# Metamucil and Calcium



## gradstudent (Jun 28, 2004)

So, this marks day #5 without taking Immodium. I have gone to the bathroom only 1-3x/day. I started taking Calcium 3x/day (per advice from LNAPE) and Metamucil tablets (3 in the afternoon, 3 before I go to bed). It seems like in order to keep the urgency and diarrhea at bay, you have to be very consistent and remember to take both meds. I have had one morning so far where I experienced some problems, but I did eat pizza the night before. I am going to a holiday party tonight and of course, I will watch what I eat and keep Immodium clsoe at hand, but I am making a concerted effort not to take it on such a regular basis and to try not to let IBS rule my life and every waking thought. I'll keep you posted, but I wanted to share some good news that is relatively easy and cheap to try!


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

gradstudent,I am glad to see you are reporting some progress. I know it will get better the longer you stick with it. Remember it is no cure and you must take the calcium on a regular basis every day to keep control. Over time you system will heal inside and you can eat some of those foods you thought you could not and the longer you go without much trouble you will get the courage to try them.Have a great Holiday and enjoy your party.Linda


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## begone (Oct 9, 2004)

Hi gradstudent,I'm one of Linda's biggest fans, though I only post a little bit.I had to take Citrucel, not Metmucil, because something in it bothered my gut. Lately, another change in diet (that has helped so well that I never have problems) is that I've gone fairly low-carb. I only did this because of low-level diabetes II--just had to in order to get good blood sugar readings on my meter, but the side effect is--very little gas (as compared to a whole lot, though less on calcium), & pretty much forgetting about being afraid to go to work (which i was) & being in a lot of misery.i know our bodies are so complex that this might not help another soul, but, if you feel like trying it, it might help. if not, the calcium & fiber does a good job too. my best bet is few carbs at breakfast, more once i'm home & can deal w/the consequences.begone


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## gradstudent (Jun 28, 2004)

Thanks begone! Trust me any advice is appreciated! My problems are mostly in the morning, so maybe having less carbs would help. I went a week without taking Immodium and then had a really bad day where I was stuck in the bathroom all day. I'm still sticking to the Calcium though in hopes that over time it will give me better results. Take care!


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## Andra (Jun 5, 2004)

I've been taking the calcium and metamucil for a while now and it's really been helpful. I had a scary dexascan recdntly and the doctor put me on 1500 mg of Calcium daily to prevent further bone loss so I had to add the metamucil to my diet to counteract the constipation all that calcium seemed to give me. I still have a bad day every now and then but my tummy is much better then it has been in years.I am so thankful I found the link about Calcium on this board.


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