# bile salts diarrhea



## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

For those of you with bile salts diarrhea, which medicine are you taking? Is it questran or colestid? I need opinions on each of these meds so that I can decide which one to ask my doctor for. My tests showed extreme gastritis, which apparently is being caused by the bile salts entering my stomach since I have no gallbladder. I have researched these meds but want to hear from people that have actually taken them and what they think of them. I am taking carafate and protonix to heal my stomach. Thanks for your advice. GadJett


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## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

Hi, Have you tried calcium? The discussion thread about calcium is here:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=72764btw, a possible side effect of protonix is D ...


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## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

Yes, I know a side effect of protonix is d, but the side effect of carafate is c. I take four carafate a day and only one protonix. I did the calcium until I went into the hospital and the doctor put me on these meds after the endoscopy and the colonoscopy. The lining of my stomach is badly eroded and that is why the carafate as it is used to coat the stomach. She thinks that the bile salts could have been the cause of this erosion. I was wanting to know from those who use these meds as to which one they prefer. She does not want me doing the calcium until the stomach is healed and that can take awhile. Thanks for your suggestion. I was recommending Linda's calcium to everybody as it was helping my diarrhea and things were going great until I had to be hospitalized. GadJett


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## mdonbru (Oct 15, 2003)

Hi GadJett-I also have no gallbladder and experience bile salt d. I take questran to keep it under control, and it works very well for me. I think questran and cholestid are very similar - I like the questran which comes in powder form because I can easily control the dosage. I found out by trial and error that I don't really need the full recommended dosage, so I only take about 3/4 of a scoop per day, unless things are really bad - and then I can up the dosage as needed. Cholestid comes in pill form and would be harder to adjust.On the other hand -- questran can be unpleasant to take because it makes up into a sort of thick liquid that some people have a hard time with. I mix mine with half water and half low-acid OJ - but with your gastritis you probably don't want to drink even low-acid OJ. Other people mix with gatorade or just plain water with good results. So cholestid might be better if you have a hard time wih the powder mix of questran.Hope this helps!Marty


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## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

Thanks Packer fan, I appreciate your comments. I was kinda leaning towards the questran as the colestid is a big pill and sometimes I do have problems swallowing the carafate, which is a l gm capsule. I have read suggestions as to what to mix it in so I will probably do the gatorade or propel route. Questran is probably what I will ask her for. I have a week to do research before I go back to see her. Thanks again for your help. GadJett


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## Vamplady (May 10, 2003)

GadJett said:


> Thanks Packer fan, I appreciate your comments. I was kinda leaning towards the questran as the colestid is a big pill and sometimes I do have problems swallowing the carafate, which is a l gm capsule. I have read suggestions as to what to mix it in so I will probably do the gatorade or propel route. Questran is probably what I will ask her for. I have a week to do research before I go back to see her. Thanks again for your help. GadJett


Questran/Colestid user since 2000 here! Had my gallbladder out in 1997. Then had 3 years of D. Had the colonoscopy and it was clean. Told it was some IBS with Bile Salts D. Gave me Questran powder and things got back to normal. Take one scoop daily. The generic is cheap. Mix mine in water every night and it makes for a better morning. Took the Tablets called Colestid. Worked for a while but the powdered Questran works much better for me. Also tried the Calcium which worked good but I ended up having two kidney stones that when tested were from too much calcium. So I have been advised not to take them. I get my calcium from dairy and broccoli. Even when I take a vitamin I get pains like its going to happen again. Just me. Good Luck! There is relief out there!!!Vamplady


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## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

Vamplady, your comments are greatly appreciated. I think I will ask for the questran as the powder sounds the better way to go, especially if I have to do some regulating of the dosage. I am sure my surgeon will go along with it as she said that bile salts was probably erroding my stomach but there was no way of proving that with the endoscopy and colonoscopy. I was doing great on the meds she prescribed for almost two weeks when the yellow diarrhea came back, along with my loss of appetite and other things associated with the diarrhea. I took the calcium but have had kidney stones in the past and was always leary of that happening again. There is nothing, I repeat nothing, like the pain of a kidney stone. These boards are full of really nice, helpful people and that is why I come here and read the posts. Thanks again for your help.GadJett


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