# My IBS-A to IBS-C to IBS gone story



## sundog (Aug 31, 2012)

_Let me start with a disclaimer: I have no financial interest in this company or product. I have not been paid to post this note or to try their product. I do not know the cost of the product, though I imagine it would vary with the reader's location. I am only passing along the results I have experienced._I have been diagnosed with IBS a few times by various doctors. Some have suggested diet changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, anti-depressants. None of these had much effect.In my case, "normal" has been swinging from too loose to too hard, gas, flatulence, sometimes intense abdominal discomfort/pain. Always carrying laxatives, anti-diarrhea pills, simethicone &#8230; everyone here probably knows the drill.A couple years ago I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Surgery and chemo has probably gotten rid of the cancer, but all this only made the IBS worse, though now stuck on the "too hard" side of the cycle. And my surgeon says any form of "too hard" is a real danger to my insides, now spliced back together with staples.Working with a few doctors (you get to have lots of doctors for cancer) we came up with a routine to eliminate some foods that I mostly had avoided for some time already, taking a daily laxative for life, and carrying simethicone pills. Sadly the the "safe to take forever" laxative produced sneaky gas that that could erupt at any time and smelled worse than a dead goat.I am a pro photographer, often working on small sets with lots of people crowded around. Frequent short walks outside prevented most of the potential carnage, but none of this was making me any more popular and could sometimes be inconvenient for the talent and crew. Of course, had they known what they had been saved from they might have been less cranky.Trying different approaches to a life free of gas attacks and unemployment, I settled into a daily regimen of lots of prunes, probiotic tablets, live culture yogurt and simethicone, all fitted into my diet each day. Easy, right? And as long as I was working close to home this worked out pretty well. On the road it could be a bit hard to find some of this stuff, but at least I was away from the wretched laxatives.I recently had the good luck to hear the words "The first medical grade, double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial of a probiotic&#8230;" while I was photographing the Symprove booth at a medical convention. That really got my attention.I have done photo work with several dietary supplement companies over the last couple of decades. I had never hear the words "medical grade, double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial" from any of them. After covering the announcement of the successful trial of Symprove Probiotic by Professor Ingvar Bjarnason, Gastroenterologist, King's College Hospital, London, I also talked with Barry and Ann Smith, the founders of Symprove. While learning more about the product I told them I have had IBS for years and asked how I could buy and try Symprove. Barry and Ann offered to send me a 12 week supply, asking only that I let them know my results after twelve weeks. As I am writing this, I am on week eleven, so I have not reported results to them yet, but I wanted to tell others enduring IBS my results so far.The first day of Symprove I discontinued prunes, probiotic tablets and yogurt. In their place I started taking 2 oz (60 ml) of a citrus mango flavor liquid that was to transport the digestive microbes safely through the acid bath of my stomach. The rest of my diet remained as before. For the first week I was pretty uncomfortable, taking more simethicone and a couple times using the dreaded laxative. This was what I expected with the abrupt change, but it still wasn't pleasant.By about week three, pressure, gas, flatulence and "too hard" were about as controlled as my previous routine.By week eight, my symptoms had improved until they were virtually gone. Now on week eleven, my symptoms remain virtually gone! I hoped for an improvement. I never thought a different probiotic would make this kind of difference.The link to the King's College Hospital study will take you to the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register to view the results of the study.The link to Symprove will take you to more information on the King's College Hospital study completed, additional trials now starting and may help you find the product in your area.I hope this note is helpful to some with IBS.


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