# New Poop Pill!



## legbuh (Jan 9, 2005)

I found this interesting since I've been reading a lot about fecal transplants lately and am convinced that my IBS-D is caused by a c diff infection (over 20 years ago) that either destroyed my flora or is a recurring thing with the bouts of really bad D being my body trying to get rid of the infection.

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/167016-poop-pill-may-treat-stubborn-deadly-c-diff-bacteria/

Where do I sign up?









My younger sister who is in even worse shape than me recently had a fecal transplant (into the small intestine). She's almost 100% cured of all her ailments related. Only has some pain left but those are from physical injuries (ie shoulder, etc).

I've been doing a lot of probiotics lately trying to get off of immodium. It helps, but I feel like if it was the "right" bacteria it would repopulate and you wouldn't have to keep taking it. But instead it seems like a bacteria that is helpful, but not able to repopulate. If that makes sense.

I can't wait for my next doctor appt.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Well I don't know about "right". I think some bacteria are more transient than others and some of the probiotics do tend to reduce in population if you do not reseed regularly, especially at first.

After a year or so of probiotics I was able to reduce the frequency and now mostly just eating yogurt keeps the fart frequency down (where yogurt never did much on it's own).

Every so often I'll take one of the brands I like for a week or two to make sure they got some new ones in there, but I've been pretty stable for the last few years with an occasional yogurt.

It may also depend on how long it takes the environment around you to get the ones you want into the reseeding program.

I don't know that the one paper out on the poop pills will mean they are instantly approved and widely available. It may be one of those things where if you can find a clinical trial in your area you may be much more likely to get them sooner rather than later. Although a quick check of the database doesn't seem to have any trials going on with IBSers and I don't know if you count as having a current C. diff infection or recurrent C. diff infections. There are a few trials on UC and CD as well. Not sure how many are planning on using the pill.


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## kthejung (Mar 30, 2013)

The pills are definitely exciting news in the advancement of GI disorder cures. Imodium and other anti-diarrhea medication will cause a reduction of bile production when used long-term, this will lead to incomplete absorption of nutrition from foods which is indicated by light-colored stools. You having C. diff. is improbable because of the 20 year length of time that you stated; C. diff. is a very volatile disease that wears down the host until fatality occurs, if untreated regularly with anti-biotics. You most likely just have IBS. FDA has not approved poop pills for IBS yet. Probiotics may be an effective treatment but it is not a cure; it does not contain enough bacteria varieties to be self-sustaining. The bacteria in a healthy person's gut is a self-sustained eco-system much like a forest. The deer eats the plant and the wolf eats the deer and so on; take all the deer out of the forest and the wolves die as a consequence. The use of probiotics is like placing a bunch of wolves into a forest without the deer for the wolves to feed on, or without having plants for the deer to feed on. Probiotics are just too limited. Only the stool from a healthy person has all the "species" needed for a self-sustaining ecosystem of bacteria to flourish in the gut. I'm glad that the treatment worked for your sister as I'm sure that it will change her life for the better as it did mine.


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## rmiller1985 (Sep 13, 2011)

kthejung said:


> Imodium and other anti-diarrhea medication will cause a reduction of bile production when used long-term


Hi kthejung,

Do you have a cite for this? I'd like to read up on it. To the best of my knowledge, long-term use of Immodium has no effect on bile production.

Thanks,

Rich


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## PD85 (Aug 19, 2010)

rmiller1985 said:


> Hi kthejung,
> 
> Do you have a cite for this? I'd like to read up on it. To the best of my knowledge, long-term use of Immodium has no effect on bile production.
> 
> ...


What's interesting is that I have always noticed my stools being much lighter and yellower following Imodium usage!


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## legbuh (Jan 9, 2005)

I didn't say they were available, it's just nice to see someone thinking outside the box. Treating the cause instead of the symptom.

Most of us can pinpoint the DAY our systems went foobar. It's not because a lack of calcium or eating fodmap foods or dairy intollerance. It's something else.. more simple and defined (ie, our flora is foobared from something).

That's the point of posting this or anything related with the norm we're used to hearing... In this case fecal transplants and the morphing into something more reasonable.

Something that, even anecdotally, has been over 90% effective (yes, in the long term which beats ANY other treatment) and also is logical. Even though it is gross.


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## rmiller1985 (Sep 13, 2011)

PD85 said:


> What's interesting is that I have always noticed my stools being much lighter and yellower following Imodium usage!


That's interesting, I'm just the opposite: stools are generally darker after Immodium (but just darker brown, not anywhere close to black).

Cheers,

Rich


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## useraccount (Oct 13, 2013)

Some very interesting new info from the ACG. 70 percent sucees rate in IBS with FMT.

I started a thread about it here...

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/167122-new-evidence-reveals-impact-of-fecal-transplantation-upon-gut-flora-and-digestive-health-in-ibs/?hl=transplant

The press release is here...

http://gi.org/media/...ng/fmt-ibd-ibs/


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