# MSM cured my IBS but...



## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

yes that is correct. MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane)gave me 3 months of almost symptom free relief. that was after 20 years of uninterrupted suffering from cramping, bloating and constipation. I also had to eliminate sugar and cut back on carbs but the MSM was the unmistakeable component to my recovery. now the bad news. i had to quit taking it (15 grams/day) because it caused a horrible bout of anxiety, energy, insomnia, and eventually depression. my theory is that it increased my methionine levels and therefore my adrenalin levels through the roof which also caused a severe drop in my histidine/histamine levels. the loss of histamine may be the cause of the anxiety and insomnia which escalated into a full blown depression. fortunately i was able to quickly reverse it by stopping the MSM and taking some 5-HTP and some N-acetyl-L-tyrosine. now i am once again hopeless -- I knew it was too good to be true. this curse will be the death of me yet.


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

it was truly unbelievable. for the first time in 20 years i had normal peristalsis. i also had verylarge well-formed bowel movements. all i had to do was take 15 MSM's every morning. plus it gave me loads of energy and it also repaired my badly damaged knee. the only drawback was that it created a nasty chemical imbalance in my brain. now if only i can figure out why it worked i might be able to find a substitute product.


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## Julia37 (May 9, 2001)

mr,Have you tried modifying your diet? The cramping and bloating practically scream dairy. Have you tried avoiding dairy products? In order to do this you have to read the ingredients on processed foods, they're full of various dairy fractions. Try avoiding dairy for 2 weeks and see if there's an improvement.Also you might benefit from the LEAP program which identifies your food sensitivities and helps you change your diet. Do a search on this board, there's lots of info.www.nowleap.com


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

i started eliminating foods back in 1993. the first to go was wheat. dairy has been banished for about 5 years now. most grains are gone. i had the ELISA test and it tested positive for 25 foods. i am eating only exotic/rare foods right now, but after about 3 months i usually start reacting to those.the doctor thinks it is leaky gut syndrome and i am being treated for yeast with 2 antifungals.i really hope that it is not too late for me. i hope that if i get better these food sensitivities/allergies go away.


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

i estimate that i have spent approximately $20,000 on different treatments. goat milk yogurt gave me a lot of relief in the beginning, but eventually my body started to reject it. i recently learned that bifidum can cause problems for a lot of IBS'ers. so i switched to just acidophilus pills. i have recently just had 4 decent days. when that happens my hope is restored


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

you are correct. a long time ago when i eliminated sugar, dairy, and grain all of the bloating went away. the cramping was also reduced. magnesium aspartate has helped with some of the symptoms.however, nothing worked liked the MSM. that stuff was like a miracle. in fact the author of the book titled it, "The Miracle of MSM"


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## jimmye (Nov 13, 2001)

Very interesting, I was just reading about MSM on the internet. Would you mind sharing what brand you used, also how long after beginning supplementation did you see results and last how much did you take? Thanks for sharing, Jimmye


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

the effects were noticed the very NEXT day!!! i took approx. 15 grams per day. the doctor who wrote the book, The Miracle of MSM, wrote that it does provide swift relief for constipation, relief for allergies, it is anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and as a methyl and sulfur DONOR it helps rebuild critical membranes and tissues.the amazing thing is that this "so called" swift relief was NOT diarhea but instead perfectly formed stools.


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

the brand i took was just a plain old generic brand, i believe it is called --- Natural Health-- it is in a plastic bottle w/ purple label.the price was really good -- 240 1 gram tablets for $14.85.expect to pay close to $20.00 for the same. i shop at a health food store where the guy has only a 50% markup instead of the typical 100%


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## Bewitched (Jul 24, 2002)

Is MSM something that would be dangerous to try for severe constipation?


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

I don't see why not. All you have to lose is approximately $15. I believe that it would work but the problem is that it may take from 10 to 20 tablets at 1 gram each.and you run the risk of developing the same problems that i experienced.it also could be something that you only want to use twice a week in case it causes problems.if you ever come down with chronic fatigue syndrome then MSM could be a very valuable supplement for it.


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## Bewitched (Jul 24, 2002)

I went out and found some last night,but i didn't buy it yet.The lable said to take 2 supplements up to 3 times a day.The amount that you took was double that and all at once if i understand correctly.I was afraid to take all that at once.I'm curious why you took that many and if it takes that many to effect the colon?


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

i read the book first before trying the product. the book is titled, The Miracle of MSM, by Dr. Stanley Jacob. He is a world renowned surgeon and expert in pain management. in his book he has claimed that he has treated a few of his patients for 20 years with the stuff and some critical patients have taken as many as 75 grams/ day for short periods under the care of a doctor. i figured if a real sick person could take 75 grams then i could probably take 15 grams without keeling over dead. also, when i cut back on the dosage (ex. to 8 or 10 grams) it did not seem to be nearly as effective. but everyone is different. plus, i was desperate for relief and the best way to see if something works is by going heavy on it. if one goes light and then the effect is not noticed then one might give up thinking that it does not work. the MSM gave me some critical clues as to what might be the matter with me. so i am not sorry for trying it. you might have incredible luck with it. part of my problem is that i have a very mild case of bipolar disorder type II. therefore my brain is easily upset by small changes in external stimuli. by the way, sulfur is even mentioned in the bible as having healing properties. it is a key element in most of our tissues and membranes. no one really even knows why the stuff works ...just that it does -- especially for pain.


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## WD40 (Jun 7, 1999)

How about the dose you were taking, but only every other day? Sometimes I take Elavil like that and it works better.


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## mikeralph (Jan 27, 2003)

agent wd40,yes i tried that, but it seemed like the minimal amount was 12 grams but 15 grams seemed to just make everything flow right on out. a large healthy bm, and when my bm's are healthy all my nervous symptoms would disappear. it seems as though constipation severly aggravates my entire nervous system somehow, someway.as i think about it more and more, i was also taking lots and lots of free form sulfur amino acids. they helped tremendously with my allergies especially to mold. but i read that too much cysteine (sulfur amino) can lead to too much cysteic acid in the brain and this is neuroexcitatory. i believe that i was poisoning my brain.another example would be the liberal use of both glutamic and aspartic acid. they both are powerful neuroexcitatory aminos. they can actually lead to stroke or seizure.thank you for your input. you made me think, and that helps to unravel the mystery.however, in the meantime, i am staying away from MSM and concentrating on the zero sugar diet with lots of acidophilus. i have noticed some improvement.


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