# Soluble fibre supplement-yes or no??



## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

I have been reading an IBS helppage thing with diet suggestions but it says it is crucial to take a soluble fibre supplement as well to regulate everything. Will this help or hinder recovery from D??Happy new year to everyone.


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## 15009 (Sep 9, 2005)

YES YES YES, if you are IBS-D like me a supplement is so important to your daily life. Did you doctor not recommend one for you? It is SFS for short and there are many types out there. I take Benefiber because it has no taste to it and can be mixed with anything or just add to water. It is really important to start at a low dose and slowly work your way up. I am at 12 grams which is 4 TB of Benefiber a day. I add mine to my hot tea or in my soy milk. Please go to ...com and when you get there go to the message board Eating for IBS diet board.Once there go to Frequently asked questions about the IBS diet. It is a great site and if your new to all this a life saver. It was for me. Lisa


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## 14013 (Nov 12, 2005)

what is it meant to do? is it ok for wheat intoleranceswhy is it so important?


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## 15009 (Sep 9, 2005)

Please go to the site I told you about. There is so much to learn about soluble fiber. It is in food and as a supplement. It is safe if you have wheat intolerance. Soluble fiber prevents the abdominal spasms and bowel dysfunction. It absorbs liquids in the digestive tract to form a stabilzing gel that relieves cramps and prevents diarrhea and constipation. Soluble fiber keeps your GI tract running smoothly. Most common supplements are Fiberchoice, Benefiber, Metamucil, Citrucel and Fibercon. Take your supplement first thing as soon as you wake, before meals and at bedtime. Again there is so much to learn about soluble, it is in foods and as a supplement and needs to be in your diet so again please go to the site I told you about. Lisa


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## 20250 (Jul 14, 2005)

Yes, Fiber is important. I agree totally except for the start slow part. I tried working my way up from one Fibercon pill a few times in the past few years and it always made me worse, end result was I said it did not work for me. How not true!!! My new doc said you have to take at least 2 a day from the get go, and stick to it for 1 week. He had me on 3 a day and it was a little much the other way, so I have since switched to 2 a day and I have things under control, Knock on wood. Don't start on one a day, take the recommended dosage thats on the box and STICK TO IT. Give yourself 3 weeks and see how much better you will feel. Adjust your dose as needed and watch the cramps, pain, and D go away. It took me a good 2 weeks for me to start believing, and, sorry for graphics but, I have been letting out the best BMs in the longest time. Long smooth turds, no grunting, yet no urgency! Go Figure. Everyday is getting better and better.Good luck and whatever you do, stick to it, Stay Positive, and believe in yourself!!Brett


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## 19649 (Jun 22, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by spursgirl79:I have been reading an IBS helppage thing with diet suggestions but it says it is crucial to take a soluble fibre supplement as well to regulate everything. Will this help or hinder recovery from D??Happy new year to everyone.


It seems to help me very little. But my Grandmother has this same problem and taking soluble fiber every single day has pretty much cured her of her IBS-D.


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

Thanks for your imputguys. Started the new year with a glass of Benefiber and am waiting to see today, what will happen? I took some before bed and it helped with the horrible rumbling in the guts I had every night. Am trying the peppermint tea also, not too sure about that. I really hopes this works.Thank you for your input, once again.Jess


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

Jess, If the Benefiber doesn't work for you, try other kinds of soluble fiber. Benefiber is made from guar gum, which has a laxative effect for many. I have great success with high dose psyllium(metamucil, unflavored). But for some, psyllium doesn't work. Lots of peeps here also use citrucel. So just keep trying. I didn't start off slow & went right to 2 T in the am before eating & 2 T before dinner. Just the first 2 days were uncomfortable, but it was worth it to get rid of the D. Best of luck, T-


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

Here's a link to the website Lisa's mentioned...GREAT info on starting to take fiber~../supplements/sol_fiber1.asp


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## Vamplady (May 10, 2003)

I was wondering if any of you take medications with this fiber supplementation.I was wondering if it affects your medication?I myself have had IBS-D since gallbladder removal.The calcium worked till I got two kidney stones so I was told to not supplement anymore and get my calcium from dairy.I work for a GI and since working there for almost 2 years I have supplemented with Benefiber or Metamucil tabs. Along with the Colestid I take and the fiber my episodes of D have been nil to none. The last time I had it was when I had the stomach flu. Started back on the fiber and have been fine. We are all different. Just experiment. Your body will let you know the right doses.Vamplady


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## 16584 (Dec 2, 2005)

Yep, I agree with Lisa!







I'm a regular board member at the ...com website. There are lots of wonderful people over there that have helped me over the past 5 months and they can help you, too!







The diet is awesome, I adhere to it every single day and I'm stabilizing more and more every day.







I take Citrucel "clear" 3 times a day, along with 1 Imodium every morning and it pretty much keeps my D under control. I never have D consistency with the citrucel, though. I just can't stop my colon from moving once it starts. But, the Imodium is really doing the trick.







Good Luck and start slow or you will get all bloated up and gassy!!! You will quit if you don't go slow!!!Michelle


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

Well I am on day 5 and have never felt so lacking in energy or sick all day, but the D is better than it was and so I think I must stick with it. The problem is I am losing weight fast and at 40 kg, I really cannot afford to lose much more. Iam unsure how to do this slowly but safely you know??Jess


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## 16584 (Dec 2, 2005)

Yea, I know....it took about 2 months for me to get to the dosage that I'm at now. (3 scoops a day). It hurt, I got even more sick, the bloating was HORRIBLE, I had gas that got constantly trapped causing major nausea....it was bad!! I just stuck to it and 2 months later, I think my body has finally adjusted to it. So, if you're willing to stick it out, it will get better but it could take a long time.Michelle


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

I know it is early days, but the loose unformed poop is back with bad mucus- what's going on?? I am eating the safe foods and still this!! Maybe I should increase the Benefiber a little already? I have 2 little kids to look after(1 and 3) and am feeling like a failure at the mo. Will this ever improve??


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## 16584 (Dec 2, 2005)

If you have been on your current dosage for 5 days, ou can probably increase it a little bit and be okay. I don't know that for sure, though. It's your call....I had to wait about 2 weeks to increase mine because of the gas and bloating. Michelle


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## 20250 (Jul 14, 2005)

Thats why I stopped taking fiber in the past, starting off slow doesn't work for everybody, and it takes a certain amount to bulk things up. Doc said start off with 3 pills a day and this time I did, and it made a difference. Everyone's body is different though. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

Maybe you're like me & can't handle Benefiber...guar gum is used as a laxative...And everyone's different, taking less fiber than optimum just means bulkier diarrhea. Don't go too slow or you'll give up. Jumping right in to 2 T wasn't that bad, & no health problems...


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## 14013 (Nov 12, 2005)

ugh there is no way im taking that insoluble fibre powder stuff in a drink it will make me vomit, so far ive not been too bad and ive re introduced either rye or wholemeal bread into my diet a little and am trying to drink more water and have been okay - touch wood - i shouldnt have wheat but i think a little will be ok


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

Sophie, what fiber to mix w/ water is insoluble? Just curious.


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

I ended up in the hospital last night as it got so bad. my body just felt so weak and I had a bit of a breakdown I guess. I cannot stand living this way, I have zero quality of life, it is wrecking my marriage and I cannot be the kind of mother I want to be. They are running a thousand tests, and I will see a gastro next week and a doc tonight, maybe she can give me something for the depression side of things. Will stop the fiber for a while until I know exactly what's going on in there and take some immodium to keep the food in so I can gain some weight. Doc said I looked like something out of Belsen! Feel so angry and frustrated.


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

I'm so sorry Spurs. Hang in there. When I first got PI-IBS I became as skinny as Ally McBeal. It was hell. Be strong. You must get better for your kids. fyi, I only got things under control at first when I began treating it as bacterial dysbiosis & took strong natural antibacterials & probiotics. Whatever happens, it will get better! Talissa


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

Thank you for your support. I have been referred to gastro for next week and so, got to hold out until then. I don't feel as depressed today, although only eaten boiled white rice!! My family are helping with the kids which takes the edge off.Did you treat yours with a doc or by yourself? Mine started from an undetected infection! Doc said the villi (sp?) will be very damaged after so many months of D- first time anybody explained that to me!!Thanks again, you made me feel stronger.


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

> quoteoc said the villi (sp?) will be very damaged after so many months of D


I've heard that theory from someone else on this bb before, but I've never once read any medical journal which says anything similar. I've read alot. I truly hope that's incorrect...From my own experience of controlling my D with supp's, I don't think its true.Interesting article from someone top in the field regarding PI IBS~"Post infectious IBS refers to cases of IBS, which can be shown to have arisen after a distinct case of gastroenteritis caused by an infection...A study published in the British Medical Journal by Rodriguez and RuigÃ³mez showed that in the year following an episode of gastritis, patients were 10 times more likely to have IBS then patients in the general population...One of the major problems with this type of study results from the fact that people often have a bout of vomiting or stomach distress due to food. Consequently few people specifically remember having a bacterial infection that rapidly resolves. This would suggest that the number of cases of IBS resulting from a bacterial infection is actually higher than that shown in studies...(There's a chart here shows that if the infection, and D, lasts longer than 21 days before being treated(that's me), the risk of PI IBS inc's 11 fold. It's 10.5 fold higher if there's bacterial elongation of (ctn) cells(, and 2-fold higher if stress was present during the infection...)...This study, and others like it, suggests that 2/3 of PI-IBS patients recover within 6 years. The majority of recovering patients showed no anxiety, while the persistent sufferers did, suggesting that anxiety impairs recovery from PI-IBS."http://www.cgf.gu.se/fouschema.html#RobinSo, you may be one of the lucky ones!For myself, I've had this for 8 years now. I have very little "stress", I mean, I live on a tropical island...I believe I'm a victim of antibiotics, which have left an overgrowth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which in small #s is normal, but when it over-colonizes, it causes inflammation & GI problems.I completely control it with fiber, grapefruit seed extract caps, & probiotics. But I am not cured.Because I no longer have pain, maybe these experts would consider me one of the 2/3s that no longer have PI IBS. But I do. If I stop the supps, I get the D...Am rambling, but to answer your Q--I did it on my own. I didn't have the most up-to-date docs. The GI who Dx'd me, well, I'm going 12-18 xs per/day after taking flagyl & his only suggestion is antidepressants. I can only shake my head. As I've said before, I wasn't depressed, my guts were falling out...Good luck. Try the diff fibers. Try some probiotics. This one may really be helpful to you~http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art...rticlekey=55129Here's a discussion on it from this site~http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/761...m/686106671/p/1


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## julie b (Sep 14, 2005)

Yes fiber. I take 2 fibre con befor dinner. This type generally causes less bloating. Start with two right away, don't ease into it. Now my only pain is with bowel movements and D.Find a probiotic you like and take it. I was where you are now about 3 months ago. You will be ok. You WILL BE OK!! I follow the safe food diet too and still have D once a month or so. It's frustrating, but I feel better in between D now. Find a doctor you like. There is never "nothing more you can do" Try your best to eat a little bit even if you are not hungry. Try to avoid the foods on the "avoid list" and make sure you eat small amounts of insoluble fiber only after you have eaten soluble fiber. Good luck and god bless. Julie B


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## Twocups424 (Mar 26, 2002)

Hang on Girl!!!!!! My boys were 4 and newborn when all this started for me. I spent years and years trying to raise them decently and keep a fairly decent house and clean clothes and food on the table. Took everything I had. Rest when you need, take all the help you can get. Let everything go when you have too. Even a 3 year old can grab a piece of white bread and butter it if need be!!!!!!!!!!!


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## 18797 (Aug 24, 2005)

hope you're feeling better soon spurs







i dont know whether i should be on supplements, i havent been to a doc in over a year about this and even then they didnt offer much help. i only have runny diareha etc for a few weeks, then i'll be relatively fine for a week or constipated etc etc, so im not sure fiber supplements are for me :|


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo (Jul 21, 2005)

I have tried fiber 3 times in the past an dit did not work for me. BUT it made the world of difference for my Aunt. SO I know it works for some. WHo knows I might give it another try someday.Hope you feel betterKat


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## 20949 (Dec 16, 2005)

Well I went to my gastro guy today and he is still searching for the cause of this having now admitted to abnormalities in my blood work-last year!!He should have followed them up, but anyway, I have to have a CT scan to check small intestine and he has put me on anti-depressants and calcium. He said no to the fiber, as it makes me worse. Going to a dieticain tomorrow to see if she can help me eat something other than white rice!! Had to take 3 Gastro stop to even get to the docs today, now my abdomen is doing crazy flips- yuk.Thanks for all the encouragement, I really appreciate it.Jessxxx


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## 16418 (Dec 14, 2005)

Soluble fiber can be a good thing for some people. While it is marketed as a laxative, it also works good for people with IBS-D because it helps to bulk up the materials going through the intestine. It turns it into a gel material. Metamucil was reccomended to me by my GI doctor and I noticed that it seems to have more soluble fiber in it than Benefiber. People do react differently though. Starting fiber can cause sometimes cas gas and cramping so it is often better to ease into it until you know how you will react to it. I took it 3 times a day for 3 months and it was working great for me. At the end of the three months though it began causing problems for me so I had to stop. Good luck!


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## Pat_H (Aug 31, 2000)

I have to thank you all for encouraging me to try fiber again. I thought it didn't work, but I think now that I just didn't take enough and the right kind. I am IBS-D and I originally tried Metamucil but it gave me too much gas. I am using Heather's Acacia Powder and I am up to 2 tsp a day. I started with 1/2 tsp and I thought it made me worse so I stopped but because of this thread I tried again and used a real tsp to measure it and started with that twice a day. The tsp I use now is the one from my everyday stainless which measures more than a tsp from the measuring spoons. I cannot tell you how much better I am. Very little gas. I think even normal people have a little. Only 1 maybe 2 BM's a day. No urgency. My tummy (guts) don't grumble and make horendous noises. I just feel better. Hope this helps someone else.


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