# calcium progress



## jwise6010 (Oct 31, 2001)

I have been on the calcium for about a month now. I alternate between the Caltrate and Tums Calcium Chewable. The diarehha has pretty much stopped but alot of times I get a BM that is almost like soft serve icecream .(I know gross but that is the only was I can describe it.)Also , it never harldy ever happens at home but out driving and eating at restaurants when the anxiety steps in . I have two questions , will the calcium harden my stool over time and decrease the urgency and would Mikes tapes help with the anxiety part of being out with IBS?


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

You did not say how much calcium you took and I do think it is better to get used to one kind and just take that instead of alternating. I know for me eating out was something that caused great anxiety and when I first took the calcium I would at that time just take an extra one for that day. That seemed to work until I finally figured out that I could depend on the calcium to keep things under control and it did. The anxiety will cause a bit of upset but in time that too will fade as you see the calcium does work for you. It does take time and if you have been on it for a month you just may need to adjust the dose. Let me know what you take exactly and I do really feal taking just one kind would be better.I have not used Mike's Tapes so I do now have an answer for you there.Linda


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## DonnaP (Sep 7, 2000)

jwiseYes, Mike's tapes do help with the anxiety. That is probably the worst symptom I deal with when going out. If you don't have time to listen during the day, you can listen at night. Even if you fall asleep, you will still reap all the benefits of these tapes.I have taken a lot of products for my IBS. For me, if you don't get to the psychological root of the problem, it makes the physical symptoms more heightened.Good luck and hang in ------Donna '-)


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## jwise6010 (Oct 31, 2001)

I take 500mg 3x a day with each meal , I will take your advice and just stick with the chewables. I will try to conquer the mental thing with Mikes tapes.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

jwise,We will be waiting to hear how things a going. I alway want to know if you are being helped or if you have other problems maybe I can offer some suggestions.Linda


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## cindy80004 (May 1, 2001)

jwise - I have been taking Caltrate 600+ D in the pink and white bottle for about 4 months now. I am an IBS "D" type. It has helped me SO much. Not only is the "D" MUCH improved, but my anxiety level is better too. Haven't tried the tapes, but they sound very effective, too. Good luck and keep us posted. LNAPE is the most valuable source of information on calcium. She can really help you. Good luck and God Bless......Cindy


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,Help! My IBS since my gall bladder surgery in May has gotten sooooooo bad! I thought I was having GB attacks. I really didn't even realize that I had IBS. I just thought it was nerves for the past 5 years. However, I started getting indigestion 2 weeks after my GB surgery. I've had all the heart tests and everything is fine. I just want to make sure the the calcium won't give me more heartburn. I am having pretty good success with Alfalfa, AbsorbAid, Vitamin B complex, and aloe vera juice in controlling my heart burn. It was helping my D but it quit about a week ago. Help...please!!!!! Thanks Jen


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Jen,I am not sure about all the other things you are taking but all I know is the less you can take the better in most cases.Calcium can give you indigestion when you first start so you must take it with food and you need to work from 1/2 tablet at each meal to a full tablet or any combination there of. It is trial and error for a bit but when you find what works it can be amazing.Let me know how you do.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,I will try it. I'm so afraid of the heart burn. It is miserable.Another question if you don't mind. Has anyone tried the liquid form of calcium that you can get at the health food store? Someone told me that if it ends in "ate" that it is manmade. Is that healthy? I just wondered. I'm about ready to loose my mind, and I just want to feel better and do it healthy like. You know what I mean? Thanks so much. I'll try it first thing in the morning. Have a blessed evening! Jen


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,I started this morning with 1/2 calcium tablet. I didn't have to go to the bathroom at all today...yet? Did it stop right away with you? Did you skip any days of having your bowels move? My stomach is rumbling at bit and have had a couple moments of heartburn, but nothing I can't tolerate. So I'll just keep taking them and see what happens, right?Thanks so much! Have a blessed day! Jen


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

JenL,Yes it did work for me the very first day and I did not believe it so I waited 3 months to even say anything to anyone about it because I knew this simple thing could not be the answer but it has turned out to be the answer for me and many others. All of the heartburn is probalby caused from the bile backing up into the throat and that is because you now have it constantly flowing because your bile storage tank is gone. The calcium will soak lots of the bile up and you should feel a lot better soon. It does take a few days to adjust to the calcium so a take it slow and work your way up to what you need to control the diarrhea. I must take 3 a day to stay diarrhea free. If I skip it will come back in about 12 hours. Not as bad as before then I get right back on and I and fine.You do not need to have a BM every day but do watch as you try to find the right amount for you that you do not get constipated. If this should happen stop the calcium all together and wait for the BM to happen then start back with a lower dose than what you were taking. Always take it with food even if you don't have a full meal eat a little something to help prevent the indigestion.Let us know how it goes.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,Thanks! So far so good today! I can't believe that I haven't been in the bathroom! My mornings are spent in there.I'll take it slow and see what happens. I just can't imagine!Thanks again! Have a blessed week! The now hopeful,Jen


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,The calcium is working. In the two weeks I have only had D twice. How remarkable! I am so thankful. I have four children and had a field trip just 3 days after starting the calcium. I was sweating bullets. I made it all day! Thank you Lord for Linda!I have had to continue taking my supplements for my heartburn. I couldn't stand the misery. I didn't take them for the first five days, but I have horrible heartburn w/o the calcium.If I start getting D more often do I increase to 1 full tablet with each meal...only on a half right now?Wht type of diet are you on? What do you avoid, etc?Keep getting this info out Linda. It is changing my life. I'm telling everyone!May God bless you for your willingness to share!In His strength today, tomorrow and always,Jen


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Jen,I am so please you too are getting the relief from taking calcium.If the 1/2 tablet is working then there is no need to increase the dose. If you are eating out and want a bit more confidence you can but you may end up giving yourself a bit of constipation. Don't know if you have ever had that but I think it can be worse than diarrhea.I avoid Lettuce when I eat out it seems to cause me a problem maybe because some places put stuff on it to keep it looking fresh and I think that is what causes the problem because if I make my own salad I do fine. If you have an acid problem also avoid tomato sause and any acid foods and drink like OJ even taking a vitamin C tablet can add to your problem.I eat what I want and very rarely do I have any problem but even normal people have and episode once in a while.Take care and you keep spreading the word because this seems to be the only way to get the info out there to help others.July was 3 years for me and I have had to take 3 a day and never increase or decrease so I expect it to continue on.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,I began taking 1 complete tablet at lunch today. I had D last night and then again this morning. Should I do the same tonight? Or should I only take one full one a day and two halves and just increase if need be?Well, it sounds like I'm staying away from the right stuff. I've eliminated chocolate too. Do you have any idea why I started with this indigestion after surgery. I have had the junk in my throat before but never a pain in the middle of my chest. Like I said I thought I was dying so I have had many test and everything is fine. Just scares me sometimes.Also I had the D about 3-4 years prior to GB surgery, but no bloating, excessive gas etc. Do you know why it has gotten worse since surgery? Did all yours start after your GB surgery?Thanks for your help Linda! I really appreciate it.Blessings to you,Jen


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Jen,Having diarrhea before could have meant that the GB was not functioning properly for some time before it really got bad.When you get it removed the bile acid used in digestion no longer has a storage sac to hold the bile until you eat something and need it to digest the food.It is an irritant so now it is flowing all the time into the stomach and intestines and keeps things irritated. THe calcium helps soak up the excess and thus you get relief.You may be like me I must take 3 full tablets a day to get total relief of diarrhea. You will have to work with your dose to see if you need 3 full tablets also. If you are still having trouble in the morning you may want to increase the evening dose to a full tablet now. Just watch for constipation. If this happens stop the calcium until you have a BM then return to the lower dose. IT may take a bit to figure this out.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,Well I didn't realize it was that time of the month, which I dread to see coming. All symptoms are worse then. I didn't increase except for that one time and I haven't had any more D. Oh how thankful I am. I am taking my other supplements for my heartburn because they prevent it, and they haven't messed up the calcium.If anyone here is IBS-D I suggest trying the calcium NOW! It has been wonderful. I've been able to do things that I couldn't or wouldn't do before. Try it and see what happens for you.Linda, do you think it might help my brother? He has had IBS-D for 30 years. Has anyone here tried it who has had D for years and years?Have a blessed Thanksgiving! JenL


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

I don't know why it wouldn't help your brother I had diarrhea for 23 plus years almost daily and it helped me. It is not something you can take for a while and be cured it is a daily thing and as it goes in and out of the body on a daily basis it keep soaking up excess fluid and thus preventing diarrhea.You will have an episode from time to time just like a normal person would but the pain and length of suffering is cut down to something we can deal with. Just take what you have found to work for you every day and you should do fine.As I said before after being on the calcium for about 3 months I had very little cramping and no diarrhea the the time of my period also.Let us know how you do.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,Wow, it has been a month now. I have increased to 2 1/2 pills a day now. Four days after Thanksgiving I had D in the mornings. I thought well it has quit working. I increase my calcium a little and just stuck with it. I am so excited. The next day no D. I will probably have to go to three pills a day but I just can't believe the difference. It is so great.I am going to try to get my brother to start this. I think the thought of another pill (he takes 18 immodium a day) just makes him sick. I tried to tell him that he would probably be able to get off the immodium after taking this for awhile. Hope I can talk him into it.Oh another note. I haven't had any heartburn since I increased my calcium. However, I have began eating more pineapple and drinking papaya juice. Don't know what it, but I'm keeping up the routine.Thanks again Linda...I have been spreading the word.May you have a blessed week, JenL


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Thanks Jen for letting us know how well you are doing. I can imagine how sick your brother must feel id he has to take take much immodium to get through the day. He may like you said be able to stop the immodium if you can get adjusted to the calcium. I will be waiting to hear from you soon.Linda


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## Molly McGee (Dec 6, 2001)

Linda ~I am so impressed by the way calcium is helping many people that were suffering from IBS/D. I am IBS d/c and I want to try calcium. My question is which one to take, the pink or blue box? Any advice?Thanks,Molly


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

I take the calcium with vitamin d and minerals (purple box for the caltrate brand). Since you are both C and D it may be the best for you also because it has 40 mg of magnesium which I think helps to prevent the constipation you could get and if you are C sometimes it may work better for you also. Just start with 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening with food and see how it works the adjust from there. If you still are having diarrhea then add one at lunch time also. After about 2 or 3 days make another adjustment if needed.Let me know how you are doing.Linda


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## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Linda,I just wanted to let you know that I finally got my brother, who has been IBS-D for 30 years, to try the calcium. He just started on Saturday. I haven't asked any questions yet. He is trying it, and I bought him a bottle of the caltrate.Thanks for encouraging me to suggest it to him. Like all of you who have had D for years and have had every test and taken everything possible to help, he just didn't want to try one more thing.I pray it helps. I'll let you know soon. Have a great New Year! JenL


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

You might need to coach him along because most of the men I know do not take meds very well so getting the dose right and be sure he takes it is very important.I will be waiting to hear the results.Linda


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## jwise6010 (Oct 31, 2001)

LNAPE , I have been on the calcium for over two months now. I no longer have diarreha , however I still have the constant sense of urgency and sometimes painful cramping. It is so much worse in a car but it just hits at different times. I read all these posts about calciums success but so far mine is just marginal. IBS still limits my life. I know I am taking the right calcium as well.3X A DAY. Any suggestions would really help. Thanks for the help so far.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

jwise,This does happen because of the anxiety you may still have about getting and attack and not being able to get to the bathroom in time. It takes a while to get rid of this feeling. Also if you are adding foods back you could not eat before there is an adjustment there so do it slowly. You have only been doing this a short time now and I am sure you will get better as you go along.Take Care,Linda


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