# How i fixed/overcome/resolved my ibs-d



## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

hey everyone, i just wrote this as a blog on the site, as i didn't know how to write in a forum .. (no im not retarded)i wrote this in the blog section.. but here's the article..please respond and let's start the conversation, i want to know if anyone else did the same as i did. thanks. Rob--Hey everyone. First of all, with truly sincere excitement, I say I am excited to finally post on this site. (I have no idea how to create a topic in a forum so i figured i would do a blog). I want to tell you a bit about myself.I am 34, white european male. Live in Canada and have had IBS-D for about 20 years. It started in high school. Actually, this is the funny thing, I remember when Greens+ came out, and I bought it, and for me, that was my 'initial trigger' .. it probably wasn't it.. but for me, it's what I remember. So for me, IBS-D meant always urgency, in mornings, incomplete bowel movements, feeling bloated, or the need 'to go' almost after eating every meal. Gas, blah blah blah.. I am so exciting to tell you how I feel I have really worked to resolve my issue .. no im not selling anything.. so don't worry .. But i hope you read this because i am taking detail to write it to prove a point ... you'll see. There's a true link to everything I write. I'm not religious, believe in natural cures, none of that. I come from an Italian family, i work in management consulting now, and am just a regular guy. I just really want to share this information with others, and want to see if anyone else had the same results.Ok, so at 16 or so, my mom took me to the doc (she manages a doctor's office) because i used to get sick in the morning all the time. Doc said it was lactose intolerant. so.. I've always had that, and I know, if i eat heavy cream, certain dairy, i'll get either sick, or irregular bowel movements.. even with a lactaid pill (which i find just creates a build-up of gas)So when I was in my late teens, early 20s, I moved to Ottawa to go to University, I lived in residence, and would always use the rest room on a secluded floor that was used for studying as no one was ever around. I was pretty 'regular' still in the sense that i didn't have the crazy urgency but still would have incomplete movements, and the odd time cramps.So all during university, (even when I got my first apartment) i had this issue.. the ibs-d.. most of this was before internet, no one had heard of irritable bowel syndrome, nor was it a term. No one talked about this actually. At 22 or so, I went to a pharmacist and tried to explain the issue, and of course, i was told take fibre (or fiber as Americans spell it).. this MADE EVERTYHING worse.. and i remember having to take a day off work because i was going non-stop.Here's the weird thing. As I got older things did not improve. As I began typical 9-5 jobs, it would get worse.. worse with age. Because I was typical hyper person.. (you know, the type that my parents thought I had ADHD) everytime i would see my doctor, they would chalk it up to stress and say I needed to relax and de-stress.I even went to psychiatrists who put me on everything from effexor to paxil and celexa (the celexa in the past few years).. none of these did anything to help.. follow-me here, trust me..When things would get worse, you know what would help, a prescription for cipro (the antibiotic for the gut).. i'll be honest.. after a few days on cipro id have normal bowel movements.. and things would be fine. WHen i'd stop, i'd be great for 2 days, then the cycle would start again.. this is what i would wonder:Why is it that killing all the bacteria would be good? Why would I keep getting 'bacteria, or rather bad bacteria' in the gut???In my late 20s, I went to see an internist at the recommendation of a colleague. I had a colonscopy done, and endoscopy. I had traveled out of town to see this specialist. The results - nothing.. everything fine.. all good.4 years ago I went to see a naturopath who thought I had candida and that i showed signs of candida. Infact, she also said that all the cipro i took was giving me typical candida build up. Fine. SO i bought this product made by a canadian company called inno-vite, it's called the candida buster kit or something similar. It's essentially caprylic acid, with bentonite clay and fibre. Let me tell you. This stuff made me feel amazing, gave me complete bowel movements, but it didn't resolve the urgency or anything else. It was 'cleaning me out' and actually i recommend it to people for a detox cleanse.. it's quite brilliant... but again, this helped resolve the symptoms because it didn't let food 'run in and out' of me so quickly, and it actually helped me get off antibiotics..problem was, i didn't want to be doing this every day and it never gave me 'firm' bowel movements. The fibre makes u have more full ones, and the bentonite and psyllium clean / scrub the colon/intestines.. great product.. but anyhowLike everyone else, I reverted to supplements. Most supplements I tried were the results of recommendation from those on groups like this, or heather's ibs group (the site where she recommends the acacia tummy fibre etc) My favourite supplements were:1. probiotics (bio+k) or any with b.infantis.. i find the b.infantis did wonders. They don't sell AlignGi here in Canada so i would get probiotics with b.infantis, or ones that i know were quite reputable. I also tried vsl3 .. which really didn't do anything at all2 l-glutamine, this helped give me more firm bowel movements. I would take this supplement when working out. I would take 5-10g a day3. oil of oregano if i felt i was getting a stomach 'flu' or really bad symptoms4. digestive enzymes (meh, im not sure if they did anything really)5. drops (passionflower, avena sativa) for 'calmness'6. Gas-X or Phazyme (usually 180mg simethicone pills)does any of this sound familiar to you?One thing i also noticed is that in the winter, it would be worse, but really not too too bad by summer's end and early fall.. i don't know why. I also decided I could no longer eat wheat. I did do a gluten-free diet, it helped a lot, but i was tested for celiac (blood work) and i do not have it. I did go to an allergist who said I had no allergies, and also did that vega test.. i don't know the exact name.. but the results said i had a screwed up ileosecal valve (don't ask, cuz i don't even know)The Turn of the Tide.So, i'm one of those people who gets excited about the prospect of a new supplement or vitamin that shows promise. Infact, I usually research everything on pubmed which is a service by the US National Library of Medicine which houses biomedical articles, journals, studies etc.. (legit ones, not ones by supplement companies)So anyhow.. this March, there was an article in Canada's globe and mail newspaper (it's the more prestigious newspaper here).. and the article was on vitamin D and cancer: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article756975.eceSo being the good kid.. i shared this with my family and began to research the link of vitamin D and cancer prevention. The person quoted in the article, as a worldwide vitamin D expert lives here in Toronto. So I emailed him about IBD.. and he wrote:"Dear RobThank you for the nice email. If you have IBD, your doctor would bejustified in getting your 25-hydroxyvitamin D level tested (OHIP covers it),along with serum and urine calcium (Calcium/creatinine ratio should be under1.0 mmol/mmol).As for your question about the safety of 5000 IU/day, of course that issafe.I attach a couple of reprints to support this information.Best wishes,Reinhold Vieth"This was in early summer. I was sent a link to this website called the Vitamin D council.. and it shows crazy research on vitamin D deficiency and many many illnesses.. nothing on bowels or IBS, or IBD, or crohn's. This site recommends adults taking minimum 5000 IU a day (seems like a lot because in Canada you can only get 1000 or 400 IU in pill form)Now, in August 2009, I took a trip to NYC and found vitamin D capsules with 5000 IU pills and these great probiotics called 'digestive advantage' bought both, brought em back. So, since I've had people I know die of Cancer, I began taking 3000 IU of Vitamin D (3 of the 1000 IU pills I had but never used) surely but slowly, i stopped having crazy urgency to go, and began to have more normal bowel movements. Infact, i started having a few normal ones a day,.. i then began reading more on the vitamin D council site and googling research on vitamin D, especially on pubmed, and the link between vitamin D deficiency and diseases. I then began taking 5000 IU of vitamin D a day.. and since then (it's now Oct 2nd)..i feel i have turned the tide on ibs... from going many times a day, staying home from work, being sick.. now i go.. well it would be one, and maybe 2 a day,.. good decent bm's (btw, if you've never written on this group, its so weird to type this stuff out!!)The other day, i found this on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq1t9WqOD-0...feature=channelit is an american expert on vitamin D talking about how most people are vitamin D deficient. I got my blood work back and i am deficient. Now i am trying to build this up. This is the weird thing about this whole ordeal. Do i feel ive resolved IBS.. yes and no. it has improved substantially, but it takes MONTHS to bring vitamin D levels up to normal. Do i think Vitamin D has helped, absolutely .. because ive been taking everything else for years.This is the crazy part that relates to previous stuff in my story.. vitamin D increases antimicrobial peptide regulation in the body. These are the 'army' that prevent cells from being infected with bacteria, viruses, and fungi, infact, most vitamin D experts say that by taking 5000 IU a day will for sure prevent colds and flus. I found this explanation here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--NqqB2nhBE...feature=related so i think this could have played a part with why i have not have had stomach flu's anymore, and not had IBS issues in the past month. And things are improving.Again, it has only been two months.. i want other people to read this, check the links, and try this out. I think we don't hear about this much because vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is something you can't really patent.. everyone can get it everywhere... and yet we're out there trying to find some 'cure' for a disease, and maybe, it's not a disease, but a deficiency in something we need.Moreso, the amount of literature i have been reviewing has showed that people in my country (Canada) and other northern countries have higher rates of IBS and IBD than anywhere else.. the farther from the equator, the more risk. I also didn't know that it's hard to make vitamin D from November to March.. and it's not just being in the sun, it has to be at the right time, with the right exposure etc. This really has helped to explain (to me anyhow) why my problem got worse with age, as i've stayed more indoors, and have had less sun exposure. Now, I will preface all this by saying, at first, when i looked into vitamin D, i had no thoughts that it may help my IBS.. none at all...i was looking into it for cancer prevention.Anyhow, this has been fascinating me, and i wanted to share this. Please comment, and i'd be more than glad to answer any questions. I'm not a doctor, I can just tell you what has worked for me. I now take 5000 IU a day (sometimes 10,000IU), i still take probiotics, and eat cleanly.For those who may be more interested, google the vitamin D council's site.. its a non-profit site. If you have any questions for me, let me know, i'll try to respond on here. Thanks for reading. Again, its only been about 2 months now.. i'm going back shortly to get another 25(OH)D (vitamin d test)Rob.


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## On Edge (Aug 25, 2009)

Unbelievable good news for you after all the years of suffering. I am inspired to try out the vitamin D megadoses for my D problem. Keep us posted on how it goes as more time passes.


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## Borrellifan (May 5, 2009)

Wow, that was a long post. We could've done without some of that info but glad you have found something that works. There was another poster on here that was taking lots of Vitamin D3 and Omega 3 (fish oil) and it cured his symptoms as well, i guess some doctor somewhere recomends this treatment for IBS. Personally I have tried and continue to take lots of Vitamin D3 and Omega 3's but without much success. I take around 8000 IU's of vitamin D3 a day and about 4000mg's of Omega 3 to no avail.P.S. Antibiotics have also worked well for me and a number of others suffering from this. Unfortunetly they are not a good long term remedy and there affects tend to wear off over longer term use. I asked my GI doctor why antibiotics have been the only thing that worked well for me and that i speculated that bacteria was the cause (i had a test done for SIBO which came back negative). He said that the whole "bacteria" issue that people talk about has not yet been proven to be the cause of IBS and that most GI's are still up in the air as to whether bacteria plays a role or not. He said that the antibiotics could be causing any number of reactions that are helping the IBS. Who knows?


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## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

hey, what you need to do is get tested for vitamin D.. people with bowel disorders such as crohn's have very low levels.. and someone like myself, even though ive been taking 5000-10000 a day for a month, i'm still on the low end.. They found that the body does not reliably begin storing cholecalciferol (d3) in fat and muscle tissue until 25(OH)D levels get above 50 ng/ml. The average person starts to store cholecalciferol at 40 ng/ml, but at 50 ng/ml virtually everyone begins to store it for future use. That is, at levels below 50 ng/ml, the body uses up vitamin D as fast as you can make it, or take it, indicating chronic substrate starvation—not a good thing. 25(OH)D levels should be between 50–80 ng/ml, year-round.So get the test done, and see what happens.. from what ive been told it takes a while to build up levels..this may be why it is still a work in process with me but improving.sorry i put too much details in my posting.. i just wanted to make it as thorough as possible. rob


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## jjm529 (Dec 22, 2008)

I don't think you put too much in your original post. It inspired me to go pick up some d3 5000iu tabs today. I have a meeting with a new gastro this coming week and we'll hopefully schedule a colonoscopy as soon as he can do it. How long did it take before you started noticing the effects?


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

So would it be good if you have IBS C or would it make us even more backed up. I've read various articles on Vit D - some people say it helps those with C others says it doesn't - guess it's a trial and error thing we have to try ourselves and see.I did read though that it was a good detoxer! Do you think that is correct?


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## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

hey there, for me it took a month and a half.. its still getting better.. i mean, i started having ibs symptoms eons ago.. im not saying vitamin D is the answer, i am saying it is the only thing in my regimen that makes sense to me, and that is 'new' to explain these results.i spend a lot of time doing vitamin D research.. and something i posted on here last nite is that it takes a while for your body to build up levels.. i know i put this in my original post, but check this out.. it's a long video, but seriously fascinating to watchhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq1t9WqOD-0...feature=channellast nite i ate poorly and i feel it today, but it's not as bad as it was before.. i still take a fibre supplement.. im writing down everything i eat now, and sleep times etc... when i went to my doc, and i told her i was taking 5000 IU a day, she thought i was a bit nuts, but she was open minded. rob


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## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

janetmtt said:


> So would it be good if you have IBS C or would it make us even more backed up. I've read various articles on Vit D - some people say it helps those with C others says it doesn't - guess it's a trial and error thing we have to try ourselves and see.I did read though that it was a good detoxer! Do you think that is correct?


I'm not sure what you're reading.. vitamin D (in my opinion) is not a cure for anything.. BUT.. many diseases arise from lack of vitamin D in the body. People are looking for cures for cancer, this and that.. for me, it's about preventative. Many people look at IBS products as working for IBS-C or IBS-D .. i've never had IBS-C but my best friend does, and im giving her 5000 IU now, and told her to get her vitamin D test.. my guess, is that it takes about 3 months to bring serum levels to normal, but longer to bring to 'optimal'again, im going to get more blood work, and im writing many of these experts on vitamin D to find out.It took years for me to get to the level of problems I have now with IBS, and i expect a long journey to resolve.. but i will know i'm on the right road because of progress. People had rickets in the early days, and D3 cured it, completely.. but it wasn't that D3 cured it, it was D3 caused the deficiency, that's how I look at things.. Let me know how things go, but go get your D3 test, .. its the 25(OH)D test ... i asked one of these experts why i don't hear more about vitamin D, and he said because pharmaceutical companies cannot 'patent' it.. interesting.


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## Borrellifan (May 5, 2009)

absoluterob said:


> I'm not sure what you're reading.. vitamin D (in my opinion) is not a cure for anything.. BUT.. many diseases arise from lack of vitamin D in the body. People are looking for cures for cancer, this and that.. for me, it's about preventative. Many people look at IBS products as working for IBS-C or IBS-D .. i've never had IBS-C but my best friend does, and im giving her 5000 IU now, and told her to get her vitamin D test.. my guess, is that it takes about 3 months to bring serum levels to normal, but longer to bring to 'optimal'again, im going to get more blood work, and im writing many of these experts on vitamin D to find out.It took years for me to get to the level of problems I have now with IBS, and i expect a long journey to resolve.. but i will know i'm on the right road because of progress. People had rickets in the early days, and D3 cured it, completely.. but it wasn't that D3 cured it, it was D3 caused the deficiency, that's how I look at things.. Let me know how things go, but go get your D3 test, .. its the 25(OH)D test ... i asked one of these experts why i don't hear more about vitamin D, and he said because pharmaceutical companies cannot 'patent' it.. Correct, IBS can be caused by many issues, one of those being deficiencies in something. Everyone is different and what cures someone may not do jack for another. Unfortunetly since Dr's provide us with little help its up to us to experiment with these trial and error study's. Some people's IBS can be caused by inflammation (Even those this is unproven) and taking lots of Omega 3 fish oil can nearly cure them. Vitamin D deficiancy can be another cause, you just have to give it a whirl and see if it works for you. These aren't things that cause any side effects and can be bought rather inexpensively so there's no reason not to.I will look into having the D test but since i currently do not have health insurance if its pricey then i don't think theres really a need. I'm probably taking in around 10,000 IU of D per day since my capsules are 4,000 IU each and i take 2-3 per day.interesting.


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## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

hey there, i completely understand the issue of inflammation and IBS.. and diet does play a role, i'm not sure if that role is just for symptom prevention and treatment though.. Omega 3's definitely are good for IBS as they help produce prostaglandins (PGE-3) and leukotriene. When we don't consume enough and when we indulge in nutritional habits that produce too much arachidonic acid (AA) that is when inflammation begins. So yes, we can eat certain things, such as omega-3s to change our metabolism to stop intestinal inflammation and damage but i'm not sure if that is 100 percent of the solution.This is the challenge I have had dealing with IBS my whole life.. looking for a 'cure' .. and one thing i have learned is that there is no cure. Vitamin D is not a cure, but D3 combined with intake of omega-3's or rather ensuring im eating properly is part of the solution. Part of the issue, which relates back to inflammation and omega-3 intake is that people who have normal food habits, think that what they may eat is 'normal' ..and infact it may not be. Sure, not everyone gets inflammation and issues from eating all the processed foods and junk food, but some of us do.A study on inflammation and Vit D had quite the conclusion. Researchers in Belgium showed that simple, natural and cheap vitamin D (cholecalciferol) lowers C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a measure of inflammation in the body, in critically ill patients. Even small amounts of vitamin D, about 500 IU, lowered inflammation by more than 25 percent in a small group of critically ill patients. Another marker of inflammation (IL-6) was reduced even more. The researchers also found that critically ill patients were profoundly deficient in vitamin D. In another study, researchers found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased inflammation in otherwise healthy people. As vitamin D deficiency is associated with numerous illnesses with inflammatory components, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune illness and heart disease, the findings were important. The authors concluded, "This finding provides a possible mechanism for tissue damage in chronic inflammatory conditions, including CHD and diabetes."The trick is fine tuning everything to ensure we are in the proper level of balance.. but yes, back to your posting, omega-3's are crucial. EPA (eicopentaenoic acid) is the only material our bodies use to make the right PGE's etc to prevent inflammation. I'm curious if anyone has had success with celebrex.. Here are some interesting studies on inflammatory bowel disease and vitamin D.. none of them say vitamin D deficiency is the problem nor solution, but that it plays some role.. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/science/res...l-disease.shtml


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## jjm529 (Dec 22, 2008)

Update.... I had the full range off blood work, stool samples and urine tests done about 3 weeks ago. While waiting for the results, my new gastro told me I was too young for a colonoscopy and that my insurance company wouldn't pay for it







Very frustrating, BUT I went back to my GP the other day and he went through the results with me. My D3 levels were at 18.5!! He immediately gave me a 50,000 iu D3 shot. So, I know it's gonna be a while to get these levels up, but I really hope this is the beginning of something good







I also started taking a vitamin K supplement and an L-Carnitine supplement.I'll update in a few weeks.Cheers!


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Thanks for all that info! It definitely wasn't too much. I think I'll pick up some Vitamin D pills today.


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## NHow (Mar 10, 2003)

Absoluterob, thanks for your postings and research. Since reading them I've also done a lot of reading re D3 and have started taking 5000-7000 ui a day (this is my 4th day). I read that D3 helps Calcium absorption and that without enough D3 calcium just passes through your body. I wonder if this could at least partially explain why D3 helps firm up stools (ie, if you're taking calcium supplements then D3 improves its absorption in the digestive tract). There's someone called Lnape on this forum who advocates the use of calcium to help with diarrhea. Several years ago I tried calcium with no effect. I still take calcium supplements but am now hopeful that with the addition of D3 it may actually help my long battle with IBS-D. I've tried so many other things that didn't work that I hardly dare to hope this will...but I'll keep posting here either way. Fingers and toes crossed!!


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## sharanne (Aug 23, 2006)

Rob,Thanks so much for the detailed info. I have switched to calcium carbonate which has made a huge positive change in my ibs-d, but I will now ask my dr about the safety of increasing my vit D intake to see if that will make even a more positive impact on my wellbeing. Thanks so much and congratulations on finding the right solution for your condition. I wish you continued success!


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## NHow (Mar 10, 2003)

Have to say I'm pretty disappointed...I've tried D3 for a few weeks and nothing good has happened...actually had some pretty bad D days for the past week. I've also been taking Intestaid IB for about 3 months and nothing has changed. Taking Align for almost a year...still nothing.Other things I tried were calcium, digestive enzymes, and fibre. For a while Questran (Colestid) worked but doesn't at all any more. Only thing that keeps the big D at bay is Imodium. But almost impossible to get the balance right. Sometimes if I take it daily I get C...so I cut back, then cramps and D again. I'm so exhausted, sick and fed up. I'vehad this for about 9 years. Enough already. And to make it worse, my belly looks like I'm 4 months pregnant and I've gained weight I can't take off. My body feels like a clown car at the circus. beep beep. never cared much for clowns anyway.So...there's my bitching for tonight. I know everyone here feels like this to a greater or lesser degree. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Primal scream...Thanks for listening....Nancy


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## IBD/IBS Author (May 24, 2007)

Absolute Rob has some very valid points about Vit. D3 and its efficacy at helping your health. That said, don't just start taking these megadoses of it, over 2000 IU/day without being under the supervision of a doctor who understands it and will follow-up with blood tests every couple of months. The potential problem is that when the Vit. D3 levels do hit the right level, if you then are taking too much and it builds in your system it can cause other problems like kidney stones. So, as with all other supplements, Vitamins, and OTC's, do consult with your doctor first, for your health and safety. All that said, though, my Integrative doctor has had me on 4000 IU of Vit. D3 for 4 months now and my levels are getting better as is my health. He has done exhaustive research on Vit. D3 and is, in fact, writing a book about his research. He's had such success with this in his patients that his practive is actually hurting for business. And, it's not only gut issues that D3 is useful for. Do your research, consult with your doctor, and don't be your own doctor. Things like kidney stones are extremely painful. And while correct levels of Vit. D3 are good, levels that are too high can be very bad. Elizabeth


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## newburynorth (Nov 13, 2009)

Hey Rob,Great news and thanks for updating everyone on your status. I have been on this site for years and took a break and rejoined! I also have IBS-D and have had it for 7 yrs now!!! I've tried everything, immodium, lomotil, calcium, bentyl, levsin and have found that my tolerance to immodium has grown and I can easily take 22 some days! Give me the scoop on how you found that Vitamin-D has helped you? I have found that Allign has made my stools firm though and has worked in that aspect!


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## NHow (Mar 10, 2003)

Thanks very much for your suggestions, Elizabeth. All very well taken. I have dropped my consumption of D3 down to 2000 IU/day (had already decided anything more than that was probably not a good idea). I plan to get my blood levels checked regularly. I'm still hopeful it will help in the long run. In the meantime, imodium is the only thing that keeps the D at bay.Nancy


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## absoluterob (Mar 10, 2008)

hey everyone, i think if you take 2000 IU a day, that's ok, in the fall, but come winter (and where i live in Canada) 5000 is good, again, get your levels checked. I just got my blood results back and my vitamin D is now well above normal, well, above optimal, so im lowering my dose.I've also been doing some BIE sessions for IBS-D..i don't know if they have it in the USA, in canada it's a natural treatment called Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination .. it's actually been pretty good, and now my BM's are more normal than before.. i'd try to explain how this works, but to be honest, i don't really understand much of it.. my friend who is a teacher recommended it to me as her colleague had celiac and then 'claimed' to have had it 'gone' from this treatment, .. during my first session, i kept calling it quackery.. but following it, i've noticed a huge difference in energy levels and digestion.(again, im not promoting this, selling this etc) .. this is the url for the place i get it done, they have some info on it..http://www.digestivehealthcentre.com/bie.htmlso .. i wil say this.. session 1.. i was like 'this is ######'.. a week later i went on a cruise.. i felt decent (less ibs-d symptoms than i thought)session 2... i was still calling it quackery.. but on session 2.. we cleared blockages related specifically to digestive enzymes.. i feel much better now.. but before i make my final judgement, i'm going to try one more session..rob


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## HockeyMom (Dec 6, 2009)

Ok, first time poster here!! Um, I really felt like I needed to register on this site just to be able to post on this topic. Rob...thank you, thank you, thank you. I've had "IBS" for a few years now...or what they were calling it. Started out with what I figured was food poisoning a few times...always got better though. Then I thought I got food poisoning at an Avalanche game (I live in Colorado) that gave me diarrhea for something like 6 weeks...sent me to my doctor, and eventually got me a colonoscopy (did I mention my dad died of what began as colon cancer?? Well, I needed to have the colonoscopy anyway..). All the tests including the colonoscopy were negative. Diarrhea waxed/waned. I found this site and have tried lots of things over the past 2 years-my husband is celiac so I know that whole deal...and that's not me!! I can't say I really have any "trigger foods". Tried dietary changes, antacids, lactose pills, fiber, acidophillus, etc. For awhile immodium daily was the only thing getting me through the day. I got better with the calcium carbonate thing/Align daily but not "cured". I also started having funky skin rash stuff on my lower legs about the same time this whole thing went full blown... It waxed/waned too but never fully went away and just started spreading and itching like CRAZY a few months ago. I actually went to a dermatologist a few months after it began but he sort of blew me off, gave me a prescription topical that didn't do anything that over the counters didn't do so.. I made another dermatologist appt (different Dr.) for mid November...read your post and thought "maybe this is a systemic problem" and started taking 5000IU of D3 early November.I am SO much better my friend. I'm sure that I was D deficient. Ran that theory past the dermatologist and he didn't make me feel like I'm crazy..what he gave me has helped and the D3 I'm taking has changed the BM's to what I remember as being NORMAL. Don't worry, have an OB/GYN appt in a few weeks and I will have them do blood and specifically look at my D level. Like you said...I no longer have the crazy urgency thing going on, BM's are NORMAL and here's another whacky thing.... about 2 months ago I sort of noticed my pee really wasn't bright yellow anymore (hey, I work in a hospital so I notice these things..) and guess what??? It's back to bright yellow now. Coincidence??? I think not. Legs look almost normal now and I haven't wanted to scratch my skin off in weeks!! I'm still taking the calcium and the Align..but if things continue like they are I will try weaning those off and see how things go. Boy, I live in Colorado at 6,000+ feet, am of northern European ancestry and don't get as much sunlight as I should obviously....or when I do I'm covered/sunscreened to the max apparently. Don't get me wrong....I'm outside when it's nice but I work full time!!! We ride bikes alot (plan on doing the week long "Bike Ride Across Nebraska" again in 2010)....but always with SUNSCREEN. Hello...high altitude->sunscreen is a RELIGION in my state!!Anyway. I just wanted to let you know that  this has really made a difference. I know..I know. I have really only been taking it for like a month now, but it really may just have fixed my problem. We'll see what the blood levels look like and back off on the D3 if I need to (or not, we'll chat with the doc about that..).Thanks-Hockeymom.


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## Borrellifan (May 5, 2009)

I tried this approach a few months back, was taking up to 10,000mgs per day of Omega 3 fish oil and up to 10,000 IU's of D3. I did this for around a month and didn't feel any difference. I'm still taking both supplements daily since then but at much, much lower dosages. I only take 1,000mgs of fish oil a day and 2,000 IU's of D3. I'm glad this worked out for you but inflammation must not be a cause of my symptoms.


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## Aberlaine (Feb 9, 2006)

My doctor put me on a weekly dose of 50,000 iu of Vitamin D last year. I've suffered from IBS-C most of my adult life. All of a sudden, three weeks ago, the IBS-C turned to IBS-D. I don't remember anything changing in my life. But I am going to try limiting my dairy intake and watching the wheat that I eat.


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## Tri_OK (Dec 24, 2009)

Hi RobThanks so much for this post! I just joined the IBS Group today (Christmas Eve) because I'm at home in Ireland and my stomach is gone bonkers! I travel a lot for work and because I live away from home and every time my diet changes in a new location I become bloated and have all the usual IBS-D symptoms. I found your post fascinating because actually my doctor told me I had Vit D deficiency last winter! I took monthly supplements for the Winter months and then stopped taking them in summer because I figured I would get enough Vit D from natural sunlight in the warmer summer months. It never occurred to me that the deficiency (which is ridiculously common in Northern Europeans) might be connected to my IBS. I will definitely get another set of bloods done in the next few weeks and see where it is!Happy Christmas without the usual post-Christmas-dinner IBS side effects!


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## Halleycomet (Jan 6, 2010)

Thank you Rob! I am going to up my Vit D again to see if this helps---I have been on/off the 50,000 u for about a year now---one more "holistic" MD had me tested and I was seriously low---but as I am diabetic I had to take this to my Endo who was um sceptical. So I had her check it again---against her better judgement and at fair amount of expense to me---the test runs (lab charges) about $260 USD. Even after using the Vit D 50K for 6 weeks I was STILL seriously low. So I kinda got the endo's respect but she still won't give the 50K to me on a regular basis. This in my eyes is BS since the range of things this helped was astonishing to me---my IBS was helped---not cured but def better---my hair stopped falling out, my skin (always a big problem) was much better etc. I spend most of the summer on a motorcycle and I notice a HUGE difference in all of these things then. The winters in upstate NY are too cold for me---I have read others posts saying that the cold is a trigger for them but I wonder if it is not the cold per se but the Vit D lack. I don't put sunscreen on for the first hour or so of a motorcycle ride and we tend to do very long rides---9 hours 300 miles is not too long a day for us---and I am sure all of that sun is a goodd thing for me. I also have to question a MD's judgement on the 50K for me as I had a serious bone condition that actually caused my bones to break and then dissolve---do we not keep hearing that Vit D is criticaly important for bones? And lets not even talk about dental issues! I also take calcium at high levels since I have muscle cramps so severe that sometimes I cannot move---and no one seems to think this is an "issue"! Well no one but ME anyways! I think the calcium helps the IBS too. Keep updating!


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## TareBear (Jan 9, 2010)

That's fascinating, I'm glad you found something that works. I shall have to try this because I suffer from anxiety and sometimes depression as well as IBS-D. Even though I've done bloodwork, they didn't find that I was deficient (except in iron). But I will try taking Vitamin D3 or a complex and see how it helps my symptoms.


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## 23470 (Apr 18, 2005)

I've had IBS-D that began after the first full year that I spent in Northern New Jersey....having lived in the South (TN and GA) and Southern CA during the previous 25 years of my life. For 3 of the past 4+ years, I've dealt with IBS....and was never able to track down a cause. Stool tests "ruled out" celiac and gluten......and I guess that to a certain extent ruled out Crohn's, not definitively I guess, not having had a colonoscopy. Blood test have always come back normal, until now. I don't know if it's because they haven't tested it until now, but my recent blood test showed my vitamin D was low....about 20 u/L....normal is 30-100 u/L. I'm not sure if that's low enough to begin causing problems, but I've also had a history of sleep problems since I moved up here, too. The doc prescribed vit. D, 2000 units a day, and to come back in 3 months to see how my levels are doing. I pray that the answer would be as simple as this, and that I would get some relief. I've been somewhat constipated since I was born, and learned to live with it very successfully....then I move up here and BAM, life became a roller coaster. The worst part of all this, my wife having to be so limited by my medical problem, and me not being able to lead a well-rounded life


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## bhop (Jan 18, 2010)

Thank you so much Rob - my worst day with IBS-D was last Wednesday. I read your post and started taking Vitamin D supplements on Thursday. Today is the first normal day I've had in 5 years. Thanks again and I wish you all the luck in the world.Bhop.


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## NHow (Mar 10, 2003)

I've been taking 2000 a day (5000 every 3rd day) for the past 6 weeks. So far, sadly, no change....


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## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

I tried Calcium Carbonate and Vitamin D capsules from Holland and Barratt and they made my condition worse!To each their own.


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## wikidwanda (Jan 20, 2010)

I, too, read Rob's note & got some Vit D3. I take 2 Imodium every morning. I'm also on Lexipro for anxiety/depression. Got laid off last May. Worked 2nd shift & did my work without dealing with customers. Now, I'm pretty agoraphobic........never wanna go anywhere. I will sometimes with my Hubby or daughter.This has really robbed me of about 25 yrs of my life already. When I can't literally RUN to the BATHROOM?.........I need to be in a "home" cuz I surely don't want my hubby to have to deal with this HORRIBLE ISSUE.


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## huxley (Jan 14, 2001)

I started taking about 8000mu of d3 about 5 days ago...and its weird to say but I feel pretty dang good. It has really helped my ibs and my urgency issues. I wouldnt say this is some magic cure for me but I feel quite a bit better. I take a few immodium during the day (which I have done for years) and this has my stomach pains basically gone which is really weird. Anyway, I hope this continues and who knows, maybe it was the key with mea s well.


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