# Zelnorm and Amitiza don't work for me



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Well, Zelnorm and Amitiza don't work for me. I went back to the health food store and now I'm on a variety of items from probiotics to some herbals (and occasional MOM) and right now I'm sort of regular (better than I was). How could we all be diagnosed with the same problem and yet be so different? I've heard that some people have great results with Zelnorm, but I've read it's only effective for 50-60%. Zelnorm worked for me for 1 1/2 weeks. Amitiza did nothing at all. Both made me feel strange (don't know any other way to describe it).


----------



## 22177 (Jun 26, 2006)

ABNormal .... i was also on Zelnorm for a while. My doctors switched my medication because Levsin (the medication i was on, and am now currently on) has a side effect of constipation. My advice is to stay away from that stuff. It makes no difference in pain, and no difference in BM. But like you said everyone is different and different things help different people. Also, if you research Zelnorm, it has been taken off the market for causing internal bleeding...and thn put back on, and then taken off....so on and so forth. You get the point. If it works for you great, but in my experience it increased me abdominal pain severely. Good luck!


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

aflacgrl, I really did not want to take prescriptions anyway. You're right--the side effects are worse than the condition!!


----------



## 15748 (Jun 27, 2006)

Hey, I was prescribed Zelnorm and opted not to take it because like you both have said the side effects are terrible and in my opinion arenâ€™t worth it. Also my doc told me it almost always stops working after 6 months so what the point in taking something that could make you really sick only to have it cop out at the 6 month marker? I use Milk of Magnesia like once a week - I'm also on the probiotics (healthy trinity) and I supplement w/magnesium supplements (200 mg). Also when I'm having a hard time I drink 2,000 mg of vitamin C in the drink Emergen-C. It seems to help a lot! I havenâ€™t quite figured out a perfect formula for regularity yet but Iâ€™m working on the dosages and hopefully will have it figured out soon. And your right everyone is different Iâ€™ve heard mixed things about Zelnorm â€“ some people swear by it and others have had horrible reactions. We are all different in the ways we react to things. Moine


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

I was wondering about zelnorm b/c I am on Donnatol right now and it doesn't seem to be helping and I think I've gained weight from it. My doctor gave me some natural pills though that help with constipation and getting my body back to a regular routine. They are some kind of colon pills but you take four of them once a day and then have a BM within 2 hours (usually 15 min for me) and it helps with the pain and bloating I used to get all day.


----------



## 22177 (Jun 26, 2006)

Well, Zelnorm like i have said before didnt work for me. It worsened my condition to say the least....but it has helped some people, i think that you have to find what works for you!what did the doc give you....colon pills?! what did that do and did it help?


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Moine, I do think the Healthy Trinity has helped. I'm also using IBx and Aloe Vera. It's amazing how many things I'm taking, but the alternative....


----------



## 15748 (Jun 27, 2006)

ABNormal, Yeah usually when a doc says alternative it doesnâ€™t mean good things >.< besides if you can find something that works, something that you can live with and still have a good quality of life then it works right? Iâ€™ve heard good things about the Aloe Vera juice, how much do you take? Is it a special brand â€“ and does it cause cramping? Itâ€™s a shame the big pharmaceutical companies donâ€™t do more research on alternative drugs that do work. Or something that doesnâ€™t make you dependant on it. It would be really nice if those companies took notice of the growing problem people are having. Moine


----------



## 20679 (Jul 1, 2006)

I have ibs-c. I take zelnorm daily for spasm. so far it has worked well. I also take colace and metamucil daily.


----------



## 18872 (Jul 1, 2006)

I have had constipation for 2 years and about 3 months ago I started taking Zelnorm. I am getting the medicine illegally through my grandmother due to the fact that it costs over 100 dollars and my University insurance does not cover it. In this thread someone mentioned the fact that it was taken off the marker due to "internal bleeding." That shook me up a little because not only have I been taking it EVERYDAY for the last 3 months but I also take it on an empty stomach. It does not help me have a bowel movement (i use a colon cleanser for that) but it does help the pain and discomfort and bloating (sometimes). I do feel it weakening day by day. I am deathly afraid of stopping it and being unable to stand comfortably because of the pain. Should I stop it? Will this in the long run hurt me? and if it wasnt so damn expensive!!


----------



## 16487 (Mar 28, 2005)

I have never heard of anyone getting internal bleeding because of zelnorm. I have been on it almost 2 years and a friend of mine has been on it since it was released. ALthough it only helps me a little (I have pain no matter how many BMs a day) it is a life saver for my friend. Aflacgrl, please post a link of some sort that confirms what you are saying. As I have said before I have never heard of any major side effects from zelnorm other than headache, cramps, dehydration, and diahrea nor have I ever heard that it has been pulled off the market. Like I said my friend has been on it since it was introduced and he has never had a disruption in it's supply.


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

I've been taking zelnorm for the last 3 years--2 to 3 times a week, with periodic holidays, since it won't work for me if i take it every day. I've never had a bleeding problem nor experienced any supply interruption either...


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Re: Zelnorm; I think it's been stated fairly well in the literature that in some people Zelnorm can cause abdominal bleeding. I don't think it was a large percentage. You can read about it online. Moine, I think the aloe vera I take is George's Natural or something like that; I'm at work, so this is off the top of my head. I drink about 1/3 cup every morning. I know that others on this site have used it (that's how I heard about it). The prescriptions just don't work for me.


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by aflacgrl:Well, Zelnorm like i have said before didnt work for me. It worsened my condition to say the least....but it has helped some people, i think that you have to find what works for you!what did the doc give you....colon pills?! what did that do and did it help?


Yeah she gave me some kind of natural colon pills that are supposed to start making my body work again. when I take them I usually go to the bathroom within 15 minutes but it could take up to 2 hours. If they don't work by then then you take 4 more. They don't seem to make me bloated or make my stomach hurt while they work though


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

krgl17, so what are the "colon pills" called? I've never taken anything that works that fast. Please let us know.


----------



## 22177 (Jun 26, 2006)

My doctor in chicago at childrens memorial told me about the internal bleeding. He was reluctant to put me on it because he said that it has been on and off the market many times. That is where i got my info....sorry i cant help more than that.


----------



## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Quick correctionlLOTRONEX was taken off the market ONE time for a few years because of Ischemic Colitis. Many on this board were involved in getting it back on the market because there are a lot of people for which this was the first thing that ever did anything for them, and losing their life again after a year or two of finally living was just way too painful (something like 1-2% of all people who took it wrote letters to protestit being pulled off the market, usually it is a handful of people rather than thousands)Zelnorm has never been pulled nor has Amitiza.However no drug is 100% safe and there will be people who cannot take something because of their specific sensitivities and assorted issues.K.


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by ABNormal:krgl17, so what are the "colon pills" called? I've never taken anything that works that fast. Please let us know.


The company name of the pills is Biotics Research and they are called Colon-plus caps. They are a natural suppement. I try to take them at night so that I go right away in the morning or right before I go to bed. The other day I did have to take 4 and then wait 2 hours and take another 4 b/c nothing happened. I think that was because nothing stayed in my stomach the day before though!


----------



## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

> quote:Colon Plus Caps contain psyllium seed powder, kelgin, calcium ascorbate, flax seed, apple pectin, mannitol, celery, peppermint leaves, Aloe vera powder, Lactobacillus acidophilus (DDS-1), bromelain, anise and prune powder. This product may help furnish a smoothing effect and provide bulk, which promotes natural elimination.


Mostly fiber, the peppermint if there is enough may soothe spasms. Aloe vera depending on how prepared can be a stimulatory laxative. The Manitol and prune powder can be osmotic laxatives and if there is enough lactobacillus to work that can reduce bloating and gas.


----------



## 21731 (Jul 12, 2006)

krgl17 - PLEASE help us out with the information you're talking about. I would truly appreciate it more than you can imagine!!


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by STUCK42LONG:krgl17 - PLEASE help us out with the information you're talking about. I would truly appreciate it more than you can imagine!!


They are just a natural substance called Colon-caps by the company Biotics Research. I can't say how they work for everyone but everytime I have used them they work within an hour at the most (but they can take up to two hours). I try and take them at night though. It's nice b/c they are natural and aren't like laxatives so you have a natural bm. I know the company has an online website so hopefully this helps


----------



## 21731 (Jul 12, 2006)

kgrl17 - Thank you, I appreciate the info!! Just to let you know, I went to the "company" website and it's physician only prescribing. They did in fact tell me that they do have the "colon caps" and that my doctor can set me up an account in order to received the pills. Was this something you had to do too?I look forward to hearing from you!


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Thanks, kgrl17. Let us know if a doctor has to prescribe them.


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

Yes, I had a doctor give them to me but she didn't write a prescription or anything. They were just at her office and I bought them from her. The one thing I've found with them is that I have to take them and then go off and occupy myself with other things for awhile ad relax for them to work. Usually I don't feel anything at all and then anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour after taking them I all of a sudden realize that I have to go to the bathroom. lol So I can't take them and sit there and worry and keep trying to get them to work b/c then I'm too tense for them to. I have pretty bad constipation and ibs symptoms so hopefully these work for some other people- it's just hard to tell b/c every case is so different!


----------



## 21731 (Jul 12, 2006)

Kgrl17 - THANK YOU for the additional information. It's worth a try, seeing that many of us go by trial and error. I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow and will supply her with the information you've give - THANKS A MILLION


----------



## 15682 (Jun 27, 2006)

sure







They've worked for me everytime when laxatives were the only thing that worked before so maybe they will for other people too


----------



## 23021 (Jul 24, 2006)

hello everyone! i am new to this little chat room. anyway i have just started taking zelnorm about 2 months ago. it has stopped all my cramping & bloating. but my concern is that i feel my dr. has just given me a prescription & hasn't really found the root of the problem. i've had many tests for celiac disease & everything has come back normal. anyone have any comments / advice? this has started up for me over 1.5 yrs & before that i was 110% normal.


----------



## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Squeak, I would push my doctor for some diagnosis. Too often they hurry and give us prescriptions without finding out what's really going on. I'm glad you don't have celiac sprue--that's an awful disease.


----------

