# Soluble Fiber



## staying_home (Jan 1, 2008)

Hello,Just started to use soluble fiber and I was amazed with my first BM = greatly improved = I'm wandering about long term performance of this type of supplement ... Calling on members with happy results (or otherwise) to share their experience with SOLUBLE FIBER (SF type, how long have you been using it, dosage, timing, etc.) - please clarify your type of IBS (D, C, or both) and any other supplements you are taking concurrently.Lets gather information relevant to SF in one thread - this site is such a great resource to all.Thanks in advance,staying_home (still in search of best combination of diet changes and supplements)IBS-D diagnosed 6/2007


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

When my IBS was really bad (mostly pain more than anything else) soluble fiber supplements or high fiber foods often lead to more pain and no relief.When my IBS is under control I tolerate a lot of fiber in my diet either from supplements or otherwise. K.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

I was 10 years with daily D. About 10 years ago I started taking a flavonoid supplement to treat my cholesterol buildups and found it slowly brought my bowels under control. (I also include a phytosterol/omega 3 supplement for cholesterol blockage and a glucosamine that includes bromelain, an anti-inflammatory and prodigestive.) The major problem I have retained is a stickiness/softness to my stools. I use a fiber powder that mixes soluble and a small amount of insoluble fiber with pre and probiotics and a number of herbal ingredients. When I use that in the morning it will normally eliminate the stickiness in the next days bm. (This leads to less wiping, end of day cleanup, cracking, itching, etc.) As an adjunct to the flavonoids I am very happy with the results. (And just as a note, when I have a morning bowl of Bran Buds with about the same amount of psyllium as the supplement, I don't notice this effect.)Mark


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## anniev (Jan 30, 2008)

Staying home,I'm glad that the soluble fiber improved your condition. As I told you the other day, I take the fiber 35 soluble fiber. I have been taking a heaping tablespoon each morning. I had switched from insoluble to soluble. I also take the same flavenoid that Mark (overitnow) takes (Provex CV), L-Glutamine, probiotics, calcium and a digestive enzyme. I also watch my diet and avoid the trigger foods among other things. It's a full time job.Annie


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## staying_home (Jan 1, 2008)

Thank you for your replies ... it looks like soluble fiber is not a major component in people's healing plans ... staying_home


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

For me, you are right; but I still drank glass today and I will drink a glass tomorrow because I know it will have a positive effect upon my rectum, which is one thing we are after. Mark


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## 13931 (Jul 17, 2006)

I have been taking Heather's acacia fiber since December. It, along with a very careful diet and a high potency probiotic supplement, seem to be really helping. I have not had any D for at least a month and no serious d since I started this regimen. I have eaten a very careful diet for several years now but I added the particular probiotic supplement I am taking along with the acacia in December. I have other problem so things are not perfect. My doctor believes that my nerves are damaged from several back surgeries and that is effecting my bowel and bladder function. THis may be but I do know that the acacia and the probiotic together seem to be doing a lot of good. Getting rid of that frequent urgency makes life a lot easier.Jean


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It really is a hit or miss thing with soluble fiber.For some it makes a big difference, but for others it can be problematic.It is one of those things that is usually worth trying for most people because it is really low risk and it does help a fair number of people.It was one of the first things I tried when my IBS first started up. I had used a lot of soluble fiber earlier (3 doses of psyllium a day) to treat high cholesterol that we didn't realize was a side effect of some medicine I was on. I did fine with it before IBS, but it really seemed to make the pain worse even though it did help a bit with stool consistency.Now that the IBS is under control I do make sure my diet is pretty high in fiber (20-35 grams a day) so I'm not doing much supplementation. Although with the heart disease risk in my family I may start up on the psyllium again.


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## IBS_In_N_Calif (Mar 20, 2008)

Hi Kathleen:You are so right, soluable fiber is a hit and miss strategy of what ones tummy can take or not tolerate. I have many recipes that are not on the Heathers website, but here is the heathers recipe website link everyone. Save it to your favorites. There are hundreds of enjoyable recipes there.







../messageboards/ub...ecipe_index.phpJust click on drinks, snacks, breakfasts, main dishes ect. and print out the recipes you find interesting. Organize them all in a notebook for easy browsing thru. Rice and chicken is what really settles my tummy.I wish you and everyone the best.Raymond.I have a E-mail list of IBS food and Drink websites that is a great price resource for IBS folks. Just IM me here or E-mail me and I will be happy to send it to anyone.


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## staying_home (Jan 1, 2008)

Hi Jean, Which probiotic supplement are you taking and at what dosage? Is the urgency gone or just less frequent?Thanks for your reply,staying_home


JFR said:


> I have been taking Heather's acacia fiber since December. It, along with a very careful diet and a high potency probiotic supplement, seem to be really helping. I have not had any D for at least a month and no serious d since I started this regimen. ...... Getting rid of that frequent urgency makes life a lot easier.Jean


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## 13931 (Jul 17, 2006)

I am taking Kirkman's ProBio Gold. one a day. You can find it at the Kirkman Lab website. My D seems to be completely gone, no urgency at all for the past month and since starting it in December only occasional urgency. Some people are taking the inulin free variety of this probiotic and have had success but this works for me and is somewhat less expensive. I am not sure if it is just the Probio that is helping or the Probio plus the acacia fiber but for now I am sticking with both of them since things are so much better. Hope you find a solution that works for you.Jean


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## Kelly Chow (Mar 21, 2008)

Hi Staying_home,When you are mentioning about soluble fiber, are you taking that exclusively? It is important to have a sufficient intake of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Now soluble fiber helps the stool to flow through the intestines easier as a film around the bm is created. However also note that insoluble fiber creates the bulk size of the stool to ensure a well formed stool during evacuation. Insoluble also has other benefits such as helping to clean out the intestinal linings. Read further details at http://www.reversingibs.com/ibs-constipation.html. Remember to also to drink lots of water when adding lots of fiber to your diet. All the best,Kelly


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## staying_home (Jan 1, 2008)

Hi Jean, I started Digest Gold only 2 weeks ago (I take 1/3 of a capsule with each main meal) and added the acacia soluble fiber this past week, plus occasionally I take 1/2 tablet Calcium (Caltrate w/ D) with dinner and it seems to have helped - but I don't dare getting my hopes up and later be let down again. As to my diet, I was eating homemade yoghurt (24 hrs incubation = all lactose is gone) and did better when I drained it and got rid of the liquid, (this is because the main sugar of galactose is mostly removed from it) ... but maybe I'm sensitive to other dairy proteins present so I've reduced my yoghurt intake to about 1/4 cup of the drained variety daily - and also eliminated the baked goods made with almond flour and butter and the egg yolks; the rest is pretty much Heather's diet (only well cooked fruits and veggies, no sugar, no fat, chicken and fish, etc...).If you find something wrong with the regimen above, please let me know - I'm still tweaking the whole diet + supplements thing!I hope your health continues to improve.Thanks for our input,Staying_home


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## 13931 (Jul 17, 2006)

I don't have any specific dietary advice. I believe in only eating real food, no artificial anything, very little processed food. For a long time I followed a low carb version of the specific carbohydrate diet. I still make a pot of chicken soup every week along with the 24 hour yogurt. I don't follow Heather's diet. I can eat red meat without trouble and fats don't bother me. I restrict them to butter, coconut oil and olive oil. My meat is all high quality, grassfed pastured no antibiotics or hormones etc. The only grain I eat is brown rice which also doesn't seem to bother me. I eat a small amount of fruit now, apples and berries primarily. I have only recently changed from my low carb real food scd diet by adding a few things in so I guess my best advice is to experiment on yourself slowly, see what you can tolerate and what you can't, and go for the high quality unprocessed stuff, it's less likely to have anything in it that will bother you. Hope things start to improve for you soon.Jean.


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