# Natural Remedies?



## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Hello all! I wasnt sure exactly where to put this so feel free to move. Not to be terribly blunt but ive lost my life due to what my doctors seem to think is IBS and they arent trying to help me anymore. Ive changed doctors 3 times been to the ER 4 times in 6 months and had one of them label me a attention seeking hypochondriac which royally pisses me off! So now that ive been "labeled" (only becasue the few test theyve done came back negative, mainly blood tests) no one is trying anything new to help me. Im starting to go off all my non nessacary medications due to severe side effects including massive dry mouth and sleeping at least 14 hours a day and im going to try natural remedies. I have always been into this type of thing but i stopped when i started on several RX drugs becasue there arent enough studies aboiut contradictions







. But im at the end of my rope ive been house bound for over 6 months only being able to go to the market on the few ok days i have. Ive changed my diet multiple times, elimation diets and all. Tried mounds of medication variations which only led to more harm than good. So if doctors wont help me i have to start helping myself. Im sorry for the rant but im so fustrated and i really need to comunicate how desparate i am. So if anyone has any PERSONAL or SECONDHAND experiance with alternative/herbal remedies please tell me what. Liquid extracts are easier because i have alot of trouble swallowing period much less pills but i will try anything. So far i have only tried pepermint oil and giner for fear of side effect. But as i said that wont be a worry soon. So anything you have please....XOXONatalia


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Hi Natalia. I have kept D and GERD at bay for about 10 years, now, with a flavonoid blend made of grapeseed oil and grape skin, gingko biloba, bilberry and quercetin. It was designed to stop the oxidation of cholesterol and strengthen the circulatory system, but something in it's properties works on the GI system as well. If you want to talk about it/try it, send me a PM. (It comes in capsules but they can be broken open and mixed with liquids.Mark


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Not knowing which symptoms are the worst for you.You could try probiotics. Digestive Advantage brand is often in a chewable so that may work. Most of the capsules can be broken up as well, or you could see if there is a yogurt or kefier that helps. Align, VSL#3 (which I think comes as a powder) and Culturelle probably have the most data to say those strains may be helpful.I find probiotics work well for me in reducing total gas levels.Calcium Carbonate can help with diarrhea. There are chewable forms of this that may work for you. Look for one with low levels of magnesium as that can loosen stools. There is a long thread over on the diarrhea forum about Calcium.I'm not sure if there are many chewable/liquid magnesium supplements but you could try vitamin C if you tend to constipation. There are several high dose vitamin C preparations that come in a chewable or powder/drink kind of form. You may need 2000 or more mgs of vitamin C to have much effect on stool consistency.FWIW, most of the not IBS things do show up in blood tests and other things like that even if they didn't do more invasive and expensive testing.You might check out the home hypnotherapy tapes over on the Hypnotherapy forum. Our mind can have a great effect on the nervous system of the gut (where the problem is in IBS and why it doesn't cause abnormalities in most routine medical tests). Some people find that helps a lot. Most natural products also have side effects, so a method where you don't take anything might be helpful. After all the reason we use Calcium and Magnesium is because of the side effects that most people don't want (constipation and diarrhea, respectively) but can counteract what our bodies do.


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## Gutsygal (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi Natalia - I've personally found both Digestive Advantage (either kind) and acidopholus pearls go down my throat easily AND help my IBS symptoms. These also make it easier for me to go and help reduce gas. Altoids, peppermint tea, or Peppermint Plus tablets help with gas. Fiber-wise, slippery elm tablets help me stay reasonably regular as do acacia fiber tablets. Both these supplements can be added to liquids for easier swallowing - though I personally don't care for the taste of slippery elm. I also find ginger tea helps with nausea. I don't know how bad your pain gets but oftentimes I've found just heating some rice milk and adding a tablespoon of honey and a sprinkling of nutmeg afterwards to the liquid help relieve dull achy gut pain. (I try not to take any prescription pain medication unless nothing else works..)It's hard to keep on trying different remedies to see what works for you, but it's worth the time and effort - I will guarantee that too. I've been doing this for the last 9 months with spectacular results overall and expect to keep on doing it as needed - so hang in there. We're here if you get frustrated again. And your symptoms are real.--Lora


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## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Thank you thank you all sooo much! Im so excited to have things to try







. Im tight on money right now but should be back to normal as long as i dont have to pay for my colonoscopy







later this month. I will be on the hunt! Thank you again XOXONatalia


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

When you are ready to start looking at these approaches, I can send you some possibilities for fibro, as well. The same range of supplements I use have helped people with that and Chronic Fatigue, lending more credence to the possibility that these are all in some way related conditions. I know you have also inquired about Adderal for your brain fog. I believe I may have had a minor case of it clear up with the flavonoids, as well; and others have used similar extracts to treat ADHD.Cheers.Mark


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## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Hey Mark, Thats great that youve been having so much luck! I wish i were







havent been able to try much becasue my doctor and pharmy have been on me about quitting th herbals







. Not my favorite decision but for now i have to go with it for them to be agreeable to treating me. My gastro is the only specialist in the city who will take my insurance and he is a real pain in the ass if you dont treat him as a god lol. So until he finishes his tests i am only allowed to do pepermint and ginger. Hopefully he can get me schedualed soon so i can get rid of him for good! I will deffinatly have your name in the back of my head for when this is all over with. XOXONatalia


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## amanda8 (Jan 21, 2008)

Invisible Girl,I know it's been a while since you posted. Have you had any progress or improvements? Are you predominantly a D or a C?I take the same flavonoid supplement as Mark (overitnow.) It has helped me tremendously. See my updated flavonoid thread. In it, I have briefly discussed the natural remedies I have turned to after rxs and countless doctors failed me as well. You do have to be very careful with herbal supplementation as not all herbs are safe and can actually cause other problems in your body. However, the Provex CV (flavonoid) has been very tolerable for me and is backed by a good deal of scientific research. It's worth a shot. You should talk to Mark about it!If you have any questions, PM me.Amanda


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## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Hello all! I know its been a LONG time but i was searching for a product on the board and came across this thread again and thought id update. Im weaning off my RX meds and im now down to 3 pills and an inhailer so im feeling better about trying more herbals now that the risk of interaction is low







. There is alot i want to try but since most pills are out of the question i had my local health food store special order some alcohol free extracts (alcohol doesnt always agree with me and if i get alcohol free i can make tea with them lol) since they didnt have what i wanted in stock. So for now im trying what they had in stock including slippery elm lozenges, various ginger teas ( i like them







good for the nausea), lavender roobios tea (i ordered the lavender extract), chamomile tea, and coconut pulp (the one with the antimicrobial stuff in it). My brother is also sending me some monavie (SP?) which is a acai berry drink that he said really heled him







. So far ive tried the lavender tea ans slippery elm lozenges and i feel pretty good. At first i felt really bad but once i got out the gas out i felt better than i have in weeks







other than my asthma acting up today. Ive got one quick blast coarse of steriods i have to take starting tomorow to make my doctor shut up so he will start listening to me (sort of an unoffical deal :-\) but its only six days, ive been miserable for almost 11 months now whats a week just to try maybe it will help my lungs even? Oh ive also started taking a cal mag supplement which seems to be helping with part of the pain (my back) that had me in the ER almost a month ago i got a new one today which has zinc in it too since my multi is kind of pitiful but at least its very easy to take. Ive also added in some dietary supplements like an EFA with primrose, pea protien (also got some rice protien to try), and fruit and veggie powder for my smoothies. Lol in all that im sure ive forgotten something but for now im just going to enoy feeling better in the moment and hope it continues -_-Lots of love to all!XOXO Natalia


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

It is good to hear things are on the upswing for you. It sounds like the variety of teas ought to have some benefit. I would be interested to hear how you do on the acai drink. My son gave me a bottle for Christmas and it still sits, unopened, in my fridge. I should probably start on that. Just a note on your multis. Recent research has found that the metabolization of supplemental minerals may well create more oxidized free radicals than the anti-oxidants in your vitamins can handle. Since anti-oxidation is one of the points of supplementation, and since the acai is an anti-oxidant with flavonoids similar to those in the red grape, you will want to take your multis at a different time of the day than the drink. You might also look for a multi with chelated minerals to at least decrease the amount of damaging free radicals produced. Finally, expect to feel better. Use your Cal-Mag as an example. If you don't feel more energy and a healthier GI system from your multi and the acai, then they are probably not getting well absorbed. If you do get good results, just keep on keepin' on.







Mark


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## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

WOW mark! Thank you so much for the advice i never would have thought anything of taking the two together, for as expensive as that juice can be i want to get the full benefit for sure







! I have a hard time finding multies becasue i have a severe GI reaction to even the slightest amount of cow product including milk and geletin which are in most chewables (im bad with pills). I found a liquid at the health foosd store if like to try but its 36 dollors for a months supply and like most liquid supplements it has to be refrigerated which can be a pain but most everything i buy has to be anyway so whats one more right? The price is a bit of a deterant but my RX's that arent covered run 60 to 120 a month so as soon as i finish weaning off i will be saving alot of money







! Thanks again for all your wonderful help and advice it has really helped me in my supplement search!XOXO NataliaP.S. On a side note pardon my language but steroids are a ######!!! Just started today so i can be done and off them for appointment on the 9th and by comparasin to my worst symptoms its equally as bad if not worse







only time ive felt worse was when i was still finding my major trigger foods. Not sure if i posted about this elsewhere on the board but i decided to go with the Methylprednisolone becasue it is supposed to be easier on the stomach and comes in a nice little burst pack. Boy if this is easier on my stomach i am never touching the straight predisone lol. Thanks again all!


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

hihere are some general guides for getting the best out of your probiotics and a fix list of nausea.the following strains have teh most research behind them in IBS studies with good positive outcomes in studies.L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. THERE ARE MANY MANY OTHERS though!here is some general info on taking them, if you dont already know it!They are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before food. ideally they should be taken for at least 3 weeks as it may take that long to see any results. although some people have a very good reaction in days. after 2 to 3 months they should be stopped for a while. if after a few days you start to notice that you can feel a physical difference or a worsening of your symptoms, start taking them again. other wise, there is no need to continue taking them untill you feel that you do need them. there isnt any harm in taking them as a permanant suppliment if they are taken is small numbers like in actimel or activia yoghurt, but if you are taking 10 billion cultures a day, it is good to give the body a break every now and then.also If at all possible, replace the FOS prebiotic with natural fruit and veg if you can tollerate it. FOS can play hell with the tummy in some people while it dosent bother others.After you start to take the probiotics, you may feel initially worse for a day to a week or so. this is called the herx reaction and unfortunately is perfectly normal. (Google it to get more detailed info). some people are not affected by herx and some are.if it gets too much though, just stopp teh probiotics for a few days and re start them at a half dose for a two weeks, then a three quarter dose for two weeks and then the full dose, and see how you get on with that.NAUSEA1.. A prokinetic. Motilium or metoclopramide. motilium (Domperidone) isnt available in the U.S but is available in canada by mail order. it speeds up the transit of food through the stomach and digestive system and kills nausea for about 4 hours at a time. it dosent cause an upset stomach either.2.. Pepto bismol (OTC)3.. Gaviscon (OTC)4.. Ginger tea is realy really good.5.. deep abdominal breathing slowly6.. avoiding triger foods that upset your stomach, and avoiding high acidity foods.7.. sipping coca cola helps. i dont know what ingreedient it is but there is something in coke that deals with nausea. (Honestly, google it!!)8.. vitamin B12 suppliments help intrinsic factor in the stomach, which can help all sorts of stomach problems.9.. a good but mild probiotic either in yoghurt or capsual form. you may feel initially worse but after a few days to a few weeks you may see some stunning differences. stay away from pre biotics though, alot of people dont get on with them. trial and error i guess.10.. Mint tea can help, but on the other hand it can also make things worse, so again it is trial and error.11. eating smaller meals, or as i have taken to doing, grazing on food through out the day. this dosent suit everybody, but it works for my stomach. try it and see.12.. making sure that you are adequately hydrated. dehydratiion to any extent can cause nausea and it wont go away untill you have rehydrated. took me a long time to work this out.13.. anxiety and worry/panic can also cause nausia. i know its a viscious circle but try and stay calm, think about something else, do a cross word, plan a round the world trip, anything that diverts your mind from focusing on how you are feeling. this can be easier said than done!14.. SEA BANDS. use teh P6 Pressure points on teh inner wrists. cheap and available in most pharmacys and on ebay. they work extremely well for 80% of people.15.. eating something dry like toast or a cracker. dosent always work, but worth a try.16.. DO NOT SMOKE. if you somek, stay off em untill teh nausea passes. having a smoke will create more stomach acid and loosen teh sphinctor at the top of the stomach which wont help things.17.. ANTI HYSTEMINES. taking some pyriton or benadryl may help. CHeersIan


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