# bentyl when to take it?



## Guest (Feb 19, 2001)

I take bentyl, am newly diagnoised, and I was wondering what if you forget to take it 1/2 hour before your meal? Can you take it 20 minutes before you meal? How important is the 30 minutes? Dr. said I should quit taking it and see how I feel. I did and I got a bad stomach ache so that was enough to prove it does work. But how important is it to take it 30 mins. before you eat? Thanks.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Eating often triggers symptoms in quite a few people with IBS.The reason for taking it prior to meals is so the medication is in place prior to doing something that upsets the IBS. Kinda like taking an antihistamine before going over to a house with cats if your allergic to cats.The medication will be more effective if you let it get fully in place before you eat, but if you forget you could take it at any time even once you start eating. It may not be as effective, but it won't hurt you. You can even take it after the attack hits, but again it won't be as effective as when you take it earlier and give it enough time to be in the body and working before you eat.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.And from the as if IBS isn't enough of a worry file...from New Scientist's Feedback column: photographed on the door of a ladies' loo in the Sequoia National Park in California by reader Liz Masterman: "Please keep door closed to discourage bears from entering."


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2001)

Thanks for the input. I keep forgetting to ask the dr. these questions.


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## JenS (Dec 18, 2000)

There are times you will forget to take it 20 or 30 minutes before a meal...we are only human. There were times I took it RIGHT before a meal and it did okay, but I took it daily and not "as needed" so it was probably always in my blood stream.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Hey Bey, I agree with all of the above. Just wanted to add that I keep a piece of paper handy to write down these ques. for the DR. I'm having more & more "Senior Moments" & I know I'm not going to remember everything, so I write it down. Also for ques. like these your pharmacist is a good resource. Give them a call if you are not sure. Feel Good! BQ


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2001)

I take Bentyl spread out throughout the day. Food does nothing to me - I can not name one food that affects my IBS. I have stomach pain at any time during the day - that is why I space my Bentyl out.My first GI doctor told me to take Bentyl when I had pain. My current doctor told me it is a maintenance med - he's right.


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## Imagica (Jan 14, 2001)

Mason,It's only a maint. med. If your IBS is severe like yours is. Beybit,20 minutes is fine before a meal it's usually prescribed that way anyway. The idea is to get into place before you eat giving plenty of time to avoid consequences of pain.


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## Bloated_again (Feb 9, 2001)

I was prescribed bentyl when my ibs-c was first diagnosed. I was never told anything about when to take it except when needed. What exactly does bentyl do. It seems a lot of people take it for different reasons. It helped out my constipation and bloating at first but now that my bloating is gone it isn't working for the constipation part. because of the side affects such as disoriented, and tired I can only take it at bedtime now.


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## Stace (Sep 20, 2000)

Bentyl is an anti-cholinergic, which means that it relaxes the smooth muscles of your gut and intestines.Stacey


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2001)

I am guessing Bentyl works differently with each person. I take it because my stomach is extremely spastric. It calms it down quite a bit. But I am IBS-D and the Bentyl does *nothing* for the D. But I would much rather have D as often as I do than have the "razor blades" feeling in my stomach.


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